THE MAN INSIDE

Julian stared at Kaelen, unable to make sense of the words. The traitor is already inside. His mind reached for every face he had seen that night, every servant who had walked the halls, every guard who had passed through the estate. None of them stood out. They had all been familiar, trusted, ordinary. But after tonight, ordinary meant nothing.

How do you know? Julian asked.

Kaelen's eyes remained fixed on him. Blood ran from the cut along his cheek, disappearing beneath the collar of his torn shirt. I know because whoever breached the estate knew the security layout.

Julian swallowed. That doesn't answer my question.

It answers enough of it.

No. Julian shook his head. It doesn't.

For the first time since Kaelen had returned, something shifted in his expression. Not fear. Not surprise. Caution. Julian noticed.

You know something, he said.

Kaelen's jaw tightened. I know what I saw.

Then tell me.

Kaelen looked toward the open vault door. We need to leave this room.

Julian almost laughed. Of course.

Kaelen frowned. You tell me there is a traitor inside my father's house, and then you refuse to tell me what you know.

Because this conversation isn't safe here.

You just said the attackers are gone.

For now.

The words silenced Julian. Kaelen reached for his weapon and checked the magazine with practiced efficiency. His movements were steady despite the blood staining his clothes.

Julian stared at him. You're hurt.

It's nothing.

You are bleeding all over the floor.

I've had worse.

That doesn't make it nothing.

Kaelen finally looked at him. Something in that stare made Julian stop. There was exhaustion there. Beneath it, something darker. Fear. Not for himself. For Julian.

Kaelen stepped toward him. Stay behind me.

Julian almost protested, but the sound of hurried footsteps came from the corridor. Both men froze. Kaelen immediately raised his weapon. Julian's pulse slammed against his throat. The footsteps grew louder. One. Two. Three people. Kaelen moved in front of Julian, blocking him completely.

The door at the end of the corridor opened.

Mr. Valerius! A security officer appeared, weapon lowered when he recognized Kaelen. Sir, we've secured the eastern wing.

Kaelen didn't lower his weapon. How many?

Six confirmed intruders. Four dead. Two captured.

Casualties?

Seven security personnel. Three injured. Two critical.

Julian felt his stomach turn. Seven. He had spent years walking through this estate believing the men stationed outside his door were nearly untouchable. Tonight, they had been slaughtered.

Where is my father? he asked.

The officer hesitated. He's in the security command room.

Take me to him.

Kaelen turned sharply. No.

Julian looked at him. What?

You stay with me.

My father is in the command room.

And you are safer here.

After someone broke into a supposedly secure estate?

Kaelen's expression hardened. Exactly.

Julian stepped closer. You can't keep me locked in a room every time something happens.

I can if it keeps you alive.

And what happens when the person you're protecting decides he wants answers?

Kaelen's eyes narrowed. Then he waits until I know the answers won't get him killed.

Julian held his stare. Something about the exchange felt different. For once, he wasn't simply frightened. He was angry. And underneath the anger was a growing certainty that Kaelen was withholding something.

Fine, Julian said.

Kaelen looked almost surprised by the lack of resistance.

Julian continued, Take me to my father.

Kaelen hesitated. Then he lowered his weapon. Stay beside me.

I thought that was already obvious.

They stepped into the corridor. The estate looked nothing like the place Julian had known that morning. Smoke lingered in the air. Glass covered the marble floor. One of the ornate paintings had been torn from the wall, its frame shattered beneath it. Dark stains marked the polished tiles near the eastern passage.

Julian stopped. His breath caught. A body lay beneath a white sheet. He recognized the shoes.

Don't look. Kaelen's hand closed around Julian's shoulder.

Julian stared at the covered figure. Who?

Kaelen said nothing.

Kaelen.

One of the guards.

Julian's throat tightened. He forced himself to look away.

They continued down the hall. Every few feet, armed security personnel stood watching the corridors. Their faces were grim. Their eyes followed Kaelen. Julian noticed something else. They weren't looking at him. They were looking at Kaelen. Respect. Fear. Both.

When they reached the security command room, two guards stepped aside immediately. Arthur Valerius stood in the center of the room, surrounded by monitors and security personnel. His suit was immaculate. His face was not. For once, Julian saw something beneath his father's usual control. Rage.

Arthur looked at Julian. You're alive.

Julian almost recoiled at the words. That's your first question?

Arthur's gaze moved to Kaelen. Where were you?

Securing the eastern wing.

And the attackers?

Four dead. Two captured.

Arthur's eyes narrowed. And my son?

Kaelen answered without hesitation. Untouched.

Arthur studied him for several seconds. Then he looked at Julian. Come here.

Julian didn't move. His father's expression hardened. Julian.

I want to know what happened.

You will.

Now.

The room went quiet. Arthur looked at him for a long moment before turning toward the central monitor. The breach originated from the internal security network.

A map appeared on the screen. Julian stepped closer. How?

We don't know yet.

Kaelen's gaze remained on the screen. Someone disabled the eastern sensors manually.

Arthur nodded. Correct.

Julian looked between them. Then it wasn't random.

No.

Someone inside helped them.

Arthur's jaw tightened. That's what we're investigating.

Julian looked at Kaelen. He expected some confirmation. Instead, Kaelen remained silent. That silence bothered him more than anything.

Arthur pointed toward the screen. These are the access logs.

Rows of information appeared. Names. Times. Access points. Julian stared at them. His eyes moved down the list. Then stopped.

Wait.

Everyone looked at him.

Julian stepped closer to the monitor. That access code.

The security chief leaned toward the screen. What about it?

I've seen it before.

Arthur's eyes sharpened. Where?

Julian thought. It had been days ago. A security briefing. A meeting he had barely paid attention to. But he remembered seeing that sequence on one of the access panels. It belongs to someone with administrative clearance.

Arthur's expression changed. Whose?

Julian looked at the screen again. Before he could answer, Kaelen spoke. Don't.

Julian turned. Kaelen's eyes were fixed on him. It was a warning. Not a request. Julian's heart began pounding. Why was Kaelen stopping him?

Arthur noticed the exchange. Thorne.

Kaelen didn't look away from Julian. Sir.

Why did you tell him not to speak?

Silence. Julian looked from one man to the other.

Kaelen finally faced Arthur. Because we don't know who is listening.

Arthur glanced toward the security team. Everyone in this room has clearance.

That doesn't mean everyone is clean.

The room became still. Julian felt a chill crawl up his spine.

Arthur's expression turned cold. Are you accusing someone?

I'm saying the breach was too precise.

Then find the person responsible.

I will.

Arthur stared at him. For several seconds, neither man moved. Then Arthur looked at Julian. Go to your room.

Julian opened his mouth. No.

Arthur's eyes hardened. What did you say?

I said no.

The words surprised even Julian. He had spent his entire life measuring every sentence around his father. Tonight, something had changed. Maybe it was the blood on the marble. Maybe it was the gunfire still ringing in his memory. Or maybe it was Kaelen.

Julian straightened. Someone entered this house tonight. People died. Someone knew exactly where to find me. I deserve to know who.

Arthur studied him. For the briefest moment, something like approval crossed his face. Then it disappeared. You'll know when I know.

Julian turned away. That's not good enough.

He walked toward the door. Kaelen followed.

Once they were in the corridor, Julian stopped. You knew.

Kaelen said nothing.

You knew before my father did.

I suspected.

That's not what I asked.

Kaelen's gaze hardened.

Julian stepped closer. You told me the traitor was already inside before anyone gave you the information.

I've been investigating the security failures since they began.

And you didn't tell me.

You weren't ready.

Julian laughed bitterly. Apparently everyone keeps deciding what I'm ready for.

Kaelen's expression changed. Julian.

No. Julian looked directly into his eyes. You don't get to do that anymore.

Do what?

Decide what I should know.

Kaelen stepped closer. Then stop making yourself easy to manipulate.

Julian stiffened. What?

You heard me.

You're blaming me?

I'm warning you.

You always call it a warning when you don't want to answer.

Kaelen's eyes darkened. For a moment, neither spoke. Then Julian noticed something. Blood had soaked through Kaelen's sleeve.

You're hurt.

Kaelen glanced down. It's superficial.

Julian reached for his arm. Kaelen caught his wrist. The contact was immediate. Familiar. But different now. There was no kiss waiting behind it. No surrender. Only tension.

Julian looked down at Kaelen's hand around his wrist. Then back into his eyes. Let go.

Kaelen did.

Julian stepped back. You're going to the medical room.

No.

That wasn't a question.

A faint flicker passed through Kaelen's eyes. Julian almost smiled. For the first time, he had managed to give the man a taste of his own commands.

Come on, Julian said.

Kaelen stared at him. Then followed.

Neither of them noticed the figure standing at the far end of the corridor. The person remained motionless until Julian and Kaelen disappeared around the corner. Then the figure slowly reached into a pocket and pulled out a phone.

A single message was typed. They know about the breach.

A response came almost immediately. What about Thorne?

The figure looked toward the corridor where Kaelen had disappeared. He knows.

Three dots appeared. Then another message. And Julian?

The figure's fingers tightened around the phone. He's starting to ask the right questions.

The reply came seconds later. Then we move to the next phase.

The phone screen went dark. And somewhere inside the Valerius estate, a door quietly locked.