Page 3 of Lost in Fire

“So, you want a vote?” says Elder Kiasog. Vex nods. “Very well,” says Kiasog, touching the panel of his screen. The green glow makes it quite clear what he’s opted for.

Elder Vex looks around the table at the others, who go through the same motion, one by one voting in favor of his policy of puritanical extremism.

This is fucking insanity!

“Elder Arrowvane? I’m sure that considering your role, you of all people would support this motion.”

I realize all eyes are upon me.

The tablet before me glows, waiting for my vote on protocols that will expose my daughter within days of her twenty-first birthday. Protocols designed to identify exactly what she is.

But if I vote against it, if I break character now, they’ll investigate. They’ll dig deeper. And they’ll find not just Ember, but every mixed-blood individual I’ve helped hide over the years.

My hand hovers over the screen, and for one terrifying moment, I can’t make my fingers move. This vote will sign Ember’s death warrant if they discover what she really is.

“The genetic purity of our bloodlines remains paramount,” I hear myself say. “We cannot allow sentiment to compromise our integrity.”

My finger touches the screen.

Green light.

I want to vomit.

“Excellent.” Vex’s pleasure practically fills the chamber. “I propose we begin with Phase One immediately. Young adults represent our future—we must ensure that future remains pure.”

Two weeks.

The meeting continues, but I’m not really listening anymore. Two weeks before they start systematically testing everyone under twenty-five. Two weeks before they discover that someonewithin the Ivory League itself has been hiding the very “contamination” they’re hunting.

Two weeks to save my daughter before the enhanced protocols expose what she is.

The chamber empties slowly, League members filing out with their expensive suits and ancient grudges. Cassia lingers, making a show of organizing her files while checking for surveillance signals.

When the last member disappears, she meets my eyes.

“What the fuck, Cassia?” I whisper fiercely. “You couldn’t give me a heads up?”

Her shoulders slump. “He’s had me under constant surveillance while we worked on this thing, Vanya. I barely left my quarters, aside from my time in the labs.”

I heave a deep breath, knowing she’s right. We normally maintain a level of contact, but I’ve noticed she’s been out of reach for the past couple of weeks. I just put it down to regular work pressure. Although operations within the Syndicate are seldom that simple.

“I’m sorry,” I exhale, knowing I’ve been unfair. We all walk a dangerous path in this place. “How bad is it?”

“Worse than you could imagine.” Her fingers tremble slightly as she gathers her tablet. “The detection algorithms are too sophisticated now. There’s no way to falsify results without raising immediate suspicion.”

“How long do we really have?”

“Probably less than the two weeks he’s proposing before Vex pushes for immediate implementation of Phase One.” She glances toward the elevator. “The enhanced protocols aren’t just about finding contamination—they’re about eliminating it entirely.”

Execution. The word rings in my head yet again.

Everyone under twenty-five. Every mixed-heritage young person in our territory.

And my daughter, who doesn’t even know she’s in danger.

“Ember,” I breathe, squeezing my eyes shut.

“She has a chance,” Cassia continues quietly. “You’ve kept her hidden.”

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