Page 60 of Heart of the Rebel Mate

Ethan leans forward, suddenly all business. "Then we make sure they can't touch it. I can set up encrypted channels, scrub digital footprints, reroute communications so nothing can be traced back to us. But that's not the real problem."

I frown. "What is?"

"The location." He steeples his fingers. "You need somewhere neutral. Somewhere safe. Somewhere that doesn't scream covert rebellion the second people walk in."

Zara taps her pen against the table. "That's going to be a short list."

We sit in silence for a moment, each of us turning over possibilities in our heads.

Then, Ethan grins. "I have an idea."

I arch a brow. "Should I be worried?"

"Absolutely," he says, leaning back. "But trust me, it'll be fun."

Ethan's grin is the kind that usually comes with a bad idea wrapped in a good one. He leans forward, drumming his fingers on the table.

"There's an old estate on the outskirts of town. Used to be owned by some noble family way back, but the place has been abandoned for years. It's big, remote, and most importantly—off the Council's radar."

Zara frowns. "And you know this because...?"

Ethan shrugs. "I may have crashed a few underground poker games there before it got boarded up."

I breathe out slowly, considering the option. A location like that would be ideal—neutral and forgotten, a place no one is actively watching. But I've learned by now that when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

"What's the catch?" I ask.

Ethan grins again, wider this time. "It's falling apart. No electricity, no security, and half the roof caved in after a storm last year. We'd need to fix it up before we can even think about using it."

Zara scoffs. "So your brilliant idea is to hold a summit in a condemned building?"

"It's not condemned," Ethan corrects. "It's just... in need of a little love."

I rub my temples. "We don't have time for major renovations."

"We don't need major renovations," Ethan counters. "We just need to make it functional. I can set up a generator for power, install some basic security measures, and secure the perimeter. Give me a week, and I'll have it ready."

A week. That's nothing. But Ethan doesn't offer guarantees unless he knows he can deliver.

Zara, however, remains skeptical. "And you're sure no one's keeping tabs on it? The Council has a way of knowing things they shouldn't."

"I'll do a sweep," Ethan says. "Check for surveillance, any signs of recent activity. If it's clean, we move forward."

It's a gamble. But then again, everything we do is.

I give him a nod of approval. "Do it."

Ethan gives a mock salute. "Consider it handled." He pushes back from the table, stretching as he stands. "I'll get started first thing tomorrow. Try not to start any revolutions without me."

Zara rolls her eyes. "No promises."

Ethan chuckles and grabs his jacket, heading for the door. He pauses before stepping out, glancing at me. "You're doing the right thing, Elara."

Something in his voice makes me falter. There's no teasing this time. Just quiet certainty.

Before I can respond, he's gone.

The room feels emptier without him, but the pressure of everything remains. I stare at the scattered notes on the table, the blueprints of revolution, as Zara called it.

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