The fire in Lana’s room flickered, casting shifting shadows across Elena’s face.
Lana clenched the golden key in her palm, its edges digging into her skin. The weight of Elena’s words settled over her like a suffocating fog.
His power is in the people who believe they need him.
That was the foundation of Dean’s empire. And if she wanted to bring him down, she had to find a way to dismantle that belief.
She exhaled slowly. “If you knew all this, why haven’t you done something before now?”
Elena’s gaze darkened. “Because survival isn’t the same as winning. Until now, there was no one strong enough to challenge him.”
Lana narrowed her eyes. “And you think I am?”
A small smirk tugged at Elena’s lips. “Dean does.”
Lana’s stomach twisted. She had seen the files—how meticulously he had tr
