ASH
Leo didn't move for a full ten seconds.
That was how I knew it had actually reached her. Leo always moved. She processed things in motion—walking, checking gear, doing something with her hands. Standing completely still meant the ground had shifted under her in a way she hadn't prepared for.
I crossed the gap between our vehicles.
"Say something," I said quietly.
"I don't know what to say."
"That's a first."
She looked at me. Not sharp, not a comeback. Just looked, like she was checking if I was real. "Did you know? About my mother's bloodline?"
"No."
"Voss did. Coach Voss." Her jaw tightened. "That's why he pushed so hard for the Final. Not just the statement. He knew what a public win would trigger."
"The succession clause."
"He used me."
"He believed in you," I said. "Th
