She nodded. No drama. No pleading. Just acceptance. “I know.”
He turned toward the door, already feeling the pull of Severin’s gravity reasserting itself, the machine grinding forward whether he wanted it to ornot.
“Sera.”
She looked up.
“Don’t—” He stopped himself. The word was wrong. He exhaled slowly. “Be careful.”
Her mouth curved, not quite a smile. Something steadier. Something resolved. “Youalways say that.”
He took one step toward the door, then another, forcing his body to move even as every part of him resistedit.
“Alaric.”
He stopped and lookedback.
For a long moment they simply stared at each other. No words. No distance. Just the burden of everything neither of them would say. Her eyes were bright and steady, his unreadable, tight with restraint. The Brand hummed low and wrong between them, apressure he refused to acknowledge.
Then he gave a single, decisive nod, as if committing the image of her to memory, and turnedaway.
He didn’t look back again.
The door closed behind him with a quiet, final click.
Sera stood where he’d left her. Tears filled her eyes, sharp and sudden, and she pressed her fingers against her lips, fighting themback.
Only when the house fell completely silent did she close her eyes and whisper, “Goodbye.”
Chapter 18
ALARIC ARRIVED LATE.He didn’t give a damn. Apparently, his brothersdid.
The conference room at Severin was already occupied when he entered. Magnus stood near the table, jacket off, sleeves rolled, jaw set with barely contained impatience. Leif sat at the head, composed as ever, hands folded, attention tracking everything without comment. Athird man stood near the wall, neutral suit, neutral expression, aleather case in his hand. The legal executor.
Magnus turned the moment Alaric crossed the threshold. “Nice of you to join us.”
Alaric didn’t break stride. He took his seat, set his phone on the table, and looked up. “I said I’d come.”
“You said you’d come when you were damn ready.”
“I’m damn ready.”
Magnus opened his mouth again, irritation flaring sharp and fast. “You don’t get to decide when—”
Leif lifted a hand.
Magnus cut himselfoff, scowling.
Leif’s gaze stayed on Alaric. “You were delayed.”
Alaric didn’t answer. He simply raised his hand, palm out, the lightning-bolt Brand stark against hisskin.
Leif looked at it for a long moment. Then he nodded once. “Good enough.”
That was the end ofit.
The legal executor cleared his throat. “Gentlemen. As per succession protocol, independent genetic verification was conducted following Bjorn Severin’s death. Chain of custody has been maintained. Two identical certified packets of the results have been prepared.” He set one envelope on the table in front of the brothers, then turned and handed the second to Vidar Severin, who’d entered without a sound.
