Page 19 of King's Reckoning
"The second piece," she breathed. "The Devils and Blackwood's men…they're all after this."
Reed was already securing the perimeter, checking the other tunnel entrances. "Then let's get it out of here before—"
"Before what?" a familiar voice asked.
They turned to find Blackwood himself entering from another tunnel, flanked by armed men. The silver-haired man looked immaculate, despite the dust and chaos, his expensive suit pristine. He smiled thinly.
"Miss Matthews. Or should I say Miss King? Your mother caused me quite a bit of trouble, you know. Twenty-five years of searching, of watching and waiting. But she could only hide The Archive for so long."
"Long enough," Rowan said. She had her weapon trained on him, but his men had them surrounded. Reed shifted slightly, putting himself between her and the nearest threat. "Long enough for her to make sure it would be protected."
"Protected?" Blackwood laughed, the sound echoing strangely in the chamber. "My dear, you have no idea what you're protecting. The power buried in these tunnels...it's beyond your comprehension. Beyond your little motorcycle club's petty concerns."
"If it's so beyond us," Reed said coldly, "why are you trying so hard to get it?"
"Because—"
The rest was lost as more explosions rocked the chamber. The Devils had breached another section, and now the whole structure was groaning ominously, dust and dirt streaming through newly formed cracks in the ceiling.
Decades of careful engineering were coming apart.
"The supports!" Barbara's voice crackled through their earpieces. "The explosions are compromising the entire tunnel system. The structure is weakened. You need to get out now!"
Chunks of ceiling were already falling. Rowan saw her chance. She lunged, grabbing the box from the altar as Blackwood and his men were distracted by falling debris. Reed laid down cover fire as they retreated, his aim precise even in the chaos.
They ran through the collapsing tunnels, the roar of falling stone drowning out everything else. Never looking back, Rowan clutched the box to her chest, trusting Reed to guide them out. His hand found hers in the darkness, pulling her along as the past crumbled behind them.
They burst into the main basement just as the tunnel collapsed, blowing out billowing clouds of dust and debris. More brothers were there, helping them up the stairs as the entire warehouse seemed to shake itself apart. Dust and age-old secrets buried everything in their wake.
They emerged into daylight to find the Devils already fleeing, Blackwood's men not far behind. The warehouse was a lost cause, decades of history now buried under tons of rubble.
But they had what they came for.
King was waiting with the others, relief visible on his face as Rowan showed him the box. "Just like Flash's," she said, brushing dust from its gleaming surface. "Another piece of the puzzle."
"Your mother would be proud," he said quietly. "Of both of us, I think."
Rowan looked around at the assembled brothers—her family now, whether by blood or by choice. Her eyes found Reed's. He gave her that small smile that seemed reserved just for her, the one that made her heart skip.
"We should go," Barbara said, already examining the box. "Before they regroup. There will be questions about the collapse."
They rode away as sirens approached, leaving the ruined warehouse behind. But Rowan knew it wasn't over. There were more pieces to find, more secrets to uncover.
And somewhere out there, Blackwood was already planning his next move. Because if she knew one thing for certain, evil like that never died easily. It persisted, like a disease. And she aimed to cut it out.
"You okay?" Reed asked as they rode, his voice carrying through their helmet comms. The question seemed to encompass more than just the physical.
Rowan thought about the almost-kiss in the alcove, about how right it had felt fighting beside him. About all the walls she'd built that were starting to crack.
"Ask me again tomorrow," she said.
His soft laugh warmed her better than any summer sun. "Tomorrow then."
Some promises were worth waiting for.
The box screamed.
At least, that's what it felt like to Rowan as she touched its surface, a high-pitched whine piercing her skull. She jerked back, phantom sensations tingling through her fingers. Barbara immediately moved closer, her archaeological tools spread across the clubhouse table.
