Page 68 of Sanctuary

The screen flashed once, then went black.

“What did he do?” I asked, moving quickly to the computer.

“Fail-safe protocol,” Mia said, her voice tight. “He’s activated something remotely.”

“How? We had eyes on the house at all times!”

“The men. They would be strapped with explosives.” Just as the words slipped past her lips, the building shook with a massive explosion from below. The floor trembled beneath our feet as the sound of secondary blasts echoed through the house.

“Is he fucking nuts? Killing his own men!”

“He doesn’t care. He’s scuttling the operation,” Mia realized, horror dawning on her face. “Destroying evidence—and witnesses.”

“Declan. Rory. Wren. Kat.” Their names fell from my lips like a prayer as I turned toward the door. “We need to get to them. Now.”

We raced from the library, leaving Matheson’s cooling body behind. The hallway was filling with smoke, and I could hear the ominous crackle of flames from below. The heat was already becoming oppressive as we sprinted toward the main staircase, only to find it engulfed in flames.

“Servant’s stairs,” Mia shouted over the roar of the fire, tugging me in the opposite direction.

We ran through thickening smoke, covering our mouths with our sleeves. The service stairwell was still passable, though smoke billowed up from below. We descended quickly, emerging into chaos.

The central hallway was a battleground—not just against Matheson’s remaining forces but against the spreading fire. I spotted Rory directing clan members who were helping the wounded toward the exit.

“Rory!” I called, rushing to him. “What happened?”

“Explosions,” he coughed, his face streaked with soot. “All over the house. These bastards were ready to sacrifice their own people.”

“Declan? Wren?” I demanded, gripping his shoulder.

“Declan and Kat were in the study when it blew,” he replied, his expression grim. “I’m heading there now. Wren’s still in the panic room—it’s reinforced, she should be safe, but we need to get her out before the structure fails.”

I turned to Mia. “Get to the panic room. Get Wren out.”

She nodded, determination flashing in her eyes. “What about you?”

“I’m going with Rory to find Declan,” I replied, already moving. “Meet us at the east exit.”

“Connor,” she called, catching my arm. For a heartbeat, we stood suspended in the chaos, eyes locked. “Be careful.”

I brushed my lips against hers, quick but fierce. “You too.”

We separated, each with our mission. Rory and I fought our way toward the study, navigating through burning debris and collapsing sections of ceiling. The air grew hotter, thicker with smoke that burned our lungs and stung our eyes.

The study door was partially blocked by a fallen beam. Together, Rory and I managed to shift it enough to create an opening. Inside, the scene was devastating. The explosion had torn through the room, scattering books and furniture like kindling. Part of the ceiling had collapsed, and flames licked at the exposed beams above.

“Declan!” I shouted, scanning the wreckage. “Declan, answer me!”

Chapter 32

Connor

A weak cough from the far corner drew our attention. We scrambled over the debris to find Declan pinned beneath a heavy bookcase, with Kat frantically trying to lift it off him.

“Help me,” she gasped, her face streaked with blood and tears. “He’s trapped.”

Rory and I positioned ourselves on either side of the bookcase and heaved, muscles straining against the weight. With a final push, we managed to shift it enough for Kat to pull Declan free.

“Can you walk?” I asked, kneeling beside my brother. His face was ashen, blood matting his hair where a wound on his scalp had bled freely.

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