The victory in the boardroom should have felt like the end of the war. We had dismantled the board, neutralized the Sterlings, and reclaimed our seats at the head of the empire. But as Silas and I stepped out of the private elevator and back into the foyer of the manor, the air didn't feel like triumph. It felt heavy, charged with a strange, static tension that made the hair on my arms stand up.
The manor was supposed to be a sanctuary now, but as we walked past the towering marble pillars, I realized that these expensive walls didn't just keep the world out they trapped the ghosts inside.
Arthur, usually the picture of unflappable poise, was standing near the entrance to the drawing room. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, and his forehead was creased with a worry I had nev
