Chapter 15 - The Church of AshesPrague was covered in snow.
The church had been abandoned for decades.
Inside, candles burned.
Adrian stood beneath the broken dome.
No guards.
No weapons.
Just him.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“You always do.”
I walked toward him.
“You took my daughter.”
“I protected her.”
“You tortured her.”
“I tested her.”
“You destroyed my family.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Your family destroyed itself.”
I stopped.
“Why?”
“Because your father built a system that would eventually consume everyone.”
“And you wanted to inherit it.”
“I wanted to end it.”
I stared at him.
“That sounds familiar.”
“It should.”
He removed his coat.
“I was never your enemy.”
“Then what are you?”
“The man who kept you alive.”
He handed me a folder.
Inside were photographs.
Every time I had nearly died.
Every assassination attempt.
Every betrayal.
Adrian had intervened.
Every single time.
Not to control me.
To protect me.
I looked up.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father would have killed anyone who knew.”
“So you became the Cardinal.”
He nodded.
“To keep the bloodline under control.”
“And Lily?”
“The final variable.”
I frowned.
“Variable?”
“She can end all of this.”
“How?”
Adrian smiled.
“She doesn't want power.”
I thought of Lily.
Her small hands.
Her quiet voice.
Her fear.
Her kindness.
“She can lead without becoming a tyrant.”
I stared at him.
“You're asking me to put my daughter at the center of this.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I'm asking you to remove her from it.”
“What?”
“Destroy the throne.”
I understood.
The world didn't need another Architect.
It needed no Architect.
No bloodline.
No hidden empire.
No secret ruler.
I looked at Adrian.
“Then why did you force me back?”
“To make sure you were willing to let it die.”
I lowered my weapon.
Adrian smiled.
For the first time in years, I saw my old friend.
Not the Cardinal.
Not the monster.
Just Adrian.
Then the church windows shattered.
Snipers.
Aurelian's final faction.
Adrian pushed me aside.
The bullet hit him.
“Adrian!”
He fell.
I caught him.
Blood spread across my hands.
He smiled weakly.
“Now you know.”
“What?”
“There's always another layer.”
His eyes closed.
Behind us, a figure stepped into the church.
A woman.
Silver hair.
My mother.
She held a gun.
May you like
And she said:
“Hello, Julian.”
