Arianna
Elias was dead because my father had needed a piece of paper.
That thought followed me all the way back to the conference room.
Nobody said much. Braxton walked ahead of us with his phone pressed to his ear, already coordinating the recovery of Elias’s body while Easton stayed so close to me our shoulders brushed every few steps. Mara followed behind us, her face pale and unreadable.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Elias.
He’d stood in this room less than an hour ago.
He’d spoken to me.
He’d chosen my side.
Or at least I’d thought he had.
Now he was dead at the border, and my father had exactly what he wanted.
The neutrality agreement.
Braxton slammed the conference-room door behind us.
“Someone explain why that document matters enough to kill a man over.”
Mara sat slow
