Page 307 of Black Reign

Not behind.

Never behind.

Her bare feet disappear into the thick carpet.

Her voice is quieter now.

“Because if you want to discuss what I stole, we can. But first I would like to discuss what Blackwell took.”

My father looks at her for a very long moment.

Then:

“You know less than you think.”

Sabine goes completely still.

My attention snaps toward him.

“What does that mean?”

He ignores me.

Her voice becomes almost a whisper.

“Then tell me.”

My father’s expression closes.

“Not like this.”

Sabine laughs once.

There is no humor in it.

“Interesting.”

She turns away from the screen.

I see the hurt she refuses to let him see.

There.

That decides more than any argument did.

My hand finds hers.

Her fingers are cold.

She looks down at them wrapped inside mine.

Then up at me.

My father sees that too.

Good.

“Xavier,” he says.