I left the office with Julian still on his knees.
Kade and Theo were waiting by the elevators. Neither of them asked what had happened behind the locked door. They only fell into step on either side of me and rode the elevator down in silence. The drive back to the safehouse passed the same way. No one spoke. The city slid by outside the windows while the weight of Julian’s confession sat heavy in my chest.
Damaris was already in the front hallway when we walked in.
He took one look at my face and the temperature in the house dropped.
“Upstairs,” he said. “Now.”
I followed him to the study. He closed the door harder than necessary and turned on me before I could speak.
“You were gone longer than the meeting required.”
“The Council is looking at Vance Industries. Julian needed time t
