Chapter 13 - The boat engine roared.Sebastian climbed aboard with Lily.

Adrian reached the dock just as the boat pulled away.

“Lily!”

She screamed:

“Daddy!”

Claire grabbed Adrian's hand.

He looked at her.

“I'll get her.”

“You have to.”

Marcus arrived beside them.

A second boat waited at the dock.

Adrian jumped in.

Claire followed.

“Claire!”

“I'm coming.”

He looked furious.

“You stay behind me.”

She nodded.

The boat sped into the fog.

For ten minutes, there was nothing but black water.

Then a light appeared ahead.

An abandoned island facility.

Marcus recognized it.

“That's one of the old Mercer properties.”

Adrian stared.

“Orpheus.”

They docked.

The facility was silent.

Too silent.

Lily was missing.

Claire found her first.

A red ribbon lay on the floor.

Lily's.

“She's been here.”

They followed footprints deeper inside.

A steel door opened.

Inside was a massive room.

Computer terminals covered the walls.

Thousands of files.

Photos.

Names.

Dates.

Every person connected to Orpheus.

At the center stood Sebastian.

Lily was beside him.

Rebecca appeared on a screen.

Alive.

Claire gasped.

Adrian stepped forward.

“Rebecca.”

The screen flickered.

Rebecca looked directly at Adrian.

“I knew you'd come.”

“Where are you?”

“Not here.”

“Where?”

She hesitated.

“I'm sorry.”

Adrian's voice broke.

“You're alive.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you let Lily believe you were dead?”

“I had to.”

“For a year?”

“I was trying to keep her alive.”

Adrian looked devastated.

“You could have trusted me.”

“I did.”

“Then why?”

Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.

“Because the person who poisoned me was someone you loved.”

Adrian froze.

Claire looked at him.

Rebecca continued.

“Someone inside your house.”

Claire whispered:

“Who?”

Rebecca looked toward the camera.

“Evelyn.”

Adrian's mother.

The room fell silent.

Adrian shook his head.

“No.”

“She poisoned me,” Rebecca said.

Claire's heart pounded.

“Why?”

“Because she believed killing me would protect Lily.”

Adrian stared at the screen.

“My mother?”

Rebecca nodded.

“She thought Orpheus would destroy the family unless I disappeared.”

Adrian looked toward Sebastian.

“You knew.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I needed you angry enough to destroy it.”

Suddenly alarms screamed.

The doors locked.

Sebastian cursed.

“What happened?”

The screen switched.

A new face appeared.

An older man.

Claire recognized him instantly.

Her breath caught.

“Dad?”

Thomas Bennett looked directly at her.

“Claire.”

She stepped toward the screen.

Tears filled her eyes.

“You're alive.”

“Yes.”

“Where are you?”

“Listen carefully.”

His voice was urgent.

“Do not trust Adrian.”

Adrian went still.

Thomas continued:

“He was never the protector.”

Claire shook her head.

“No.”

“He was part of Orpheus.”

Adrian's face turned pale.

“That isn't true.”

Thomas stared at Claire.

“Your father is lying to you.”

Claire whispered:

“Then who is my father?”

Thomas looked at Adrian.

And said:

“Ask him why Rebecca was never allowed to tell you.”

The screen went black.

Then a loud explosion shook the facility.

The ceiling cracked.

Marcus shouted:

“WE'RE BEING BOMBED!”

Claire grabbed Lily.

Adrian pulled them toward the exit.

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