Page 338

“Are you going to tell us?”

“No.”

I expected the answer. Still asked.

“Why?”

“Because I do not yet know what happened after his access was restricted.”

“You think naming him creates risk.”

“Possibly.”

“For him?”

Anik said nothing. He didn’t need to.

I leaned back. “You know where to start.”

“Yes.”

“Do you need anything else from me?”

“The original archive sequence.”

“You have it.”

“I do.”

“Then he’s yours.”

Anik’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Poorly phrased.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I do.”

Veyr’s mouth moved.

Traitor.

I kept my face flat and looked only at Anik.

Anik gathered the slate. “The royal-family aspect will be handled separately from the reproductive audit.”

“Good.”

One word. No room in it for anything else.

I had enough—the archive sequence, the red markers, Sera’n, the women whose numbers had been changed. That was mine.

Whatever had happened to Anik’s brother belonged to another investigation.

Maybe another story entirely.

This one was mine.

Anik turned toward Veyr.