Chapter 6 - The Night of the Fire
The father didn't wait for the payoff. He broke out of prison—a feat that surprised no one who knew his history—and he brought three men with him. They didn't come to negotiate. They came to snatch the children and hold them for a king's ransom.
They hit the mansion at midnight. They bypassed the alarms—Prosper had left the system vulnerable for an update, a mistake he would never make again.
The house filled with the smell of gasoline. They wanted to force Vane out, to make him run, so they could grab the kids in the chaos.
Emer heard the glass shatter. He didn't scream. He didn't run. He moved to his siblings' rooms. He grabbed Sable and Ren, ushering them into a panic room that Prosper had helped Vane build.
"Stay inside," Emer told them, locking the heavy steel door.
He went to the library, where Sve and Prosper were hiding. "We're leaving," Emer said. "Through the tunnel."
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"What about Vane?" Sve asked.
"He's a ghost," Emer said, his voice cold. "He can take care of himself. We take care of each other."
