Chapter 24: Knox's Grandfather Wasn't the Enemy

Knox arrived at Lunaris territory the following morning despite everyone telling him not to.

Cassian nearly threw him back into his car.

"Why are you here?"

"Because my grandfather's name is in those records."

"This isn't your investigation."

"It became my investigation when my family got dragged into it."

I stepped between them before Cassian could answer.

"Let him see the letter."

Knox looked at me.

"What letter?"

I handed him the warning Edric Storm had sent Aurelius.

He read it twice.

Then a third time.

"He knew."

"Apparently."

"My father always said Grandfather became obsessed with Lunaris before he died."

"How did he die?" Rowan asked.

"Car accident."

Cassian's expression turned skeptical.

"Convenient."

Knox glared.

"Do you say anything else?"

"Occasionally."

I ignored them.

"When was the accident?"

"Twelve years ago."

Rowan looked at Adrian.

"Three years after Marcus supposedly died."

Adrian nodded grimly.

Knox's face changed.

"You think Grandfather was killed?"

"We don't know," I said.

"But he clearly knew enough to warn Lunaris."

Knox sat heavily on a broken stone wall.

"My father told me Grandfather was paranoid."

"Maybe paranoia kept him alive longer than the others," Cassian said.

Knox looked down at the letter.

"I treated you like garbage while my own grandfather may have been trying to save your family."

I didn't answer.

"Nessa..."

"Don't turn this into another apology."

"I'm not."

He looked genuinely ashamed.

"I'm just realizing how stupid I was."

"Good."

His mouth twisted.

"You enjoy that."

"A little."

Rowan did not bother hiding his satisfaction.

Knox noticed.

"Stop smiling."

"No."

For the first time, their rivalry felt almost ordinary.

Then Knox held out his phone.

"I found something before coming."

It was an old photograph from Stormridge archives.

Edric Storm stood beside another man.

Marcus Vale.

The date was eleven years after the Lunaris attack.

"They knew each other," Rowan said.

"More than that."

Knox swiped.

Another document appeared.

"My grandfather was investigating Marcus privately."

Adrian stepped closer.

"Where did you get this?"

"A locked box in Grandfather's study. My father finally gave me access last night."

The file contained surveillance notes.

Marcus using false names.

Meetings with former Council officers.

Payments routed through Silvercrest businesses.

Then one final entry.

"Marcus believes Aurelius evidence survived. Searching eastern estate."

The date was two days before Edric's fatal accident.

Nobody spoke.

Cassian finally said, "He came here looking for the archive."

"And if he found it?" I asked.

"He didn't," Rowan said.

"We just did."

Knox scrolled farther.

"There's one more thing."

A list of names appeared.

Several were crossed out.

One remained circled.

Mara Snowe.

Elodie's aunt.

The note beside it read:

"Courier. Knows Marcus is alive."

My stomach dropped.

"Mara knows where he is."

Rowan's expression went cold.

"Then we find Mara."

Knox stood.

"She disappeared from Stormridge last night."

Cassian swore.

"Of course she did."

Knox looked at me.

"But Elodie might know where she went."

My phone vibrated at that exact moment.

A message from Elodie.

[Nessa, I need help.]

Then another.

[My aunt took me.]