We debated through the rest of the night what to actually bring to the mill road, the argument circling the same impossible center — hand over evidence that might expose something dangerous about Ronan’s own bloodline, or risk Priya’s cover by arriving with nothing at all.
“We copy the ledger entry,” Garrick said finally, close to dawn, exhaustion fraying the edges of his usual precision. “Word for word, but we keep the original. If they’re testing whether Priya can retrieve information, a faithful copy proves the same loyalty without handing them the one physical object that ties directly back to Ronan’s family.”
“And the vial?” Priya asked.
“The vial goes,” Ronan said, quiet but resolved. “Whatever that relic actually is, I don’t think keeping it in this house protects anyone. I think
