Chapter 9 - JULIAN COLE
The hidden passage exited behind the chapel into the woods.
Fresh tire tracks led north.
Nathan sent two men ahead.
Grace stayed beside him.
She was no longer crying.
Fear had hardened into something sharper.
“What happens if we find Julian?”
Nathan looked at her.
“I ask him where my daughter is.”
“And after?”
“Depends on the answer.”
Grace nodded.
She understood this world too well now.
An hour later, Dante called.
“Sir.”
“Talk.”
“We found Rebecca Shaw’s car.”
“Lily?”
“No.”
“Blood?”
“No.”
“Where?”
“Old Cole summer house.”
Nathan knew the place.
His father had used it when Nathan and Julian were boys.
Remote.
Stone walls.
Lake behind it.
They arrived before sunset.
Front door unlocked.
Nathan entered first.
Grace followed.
A man sat beside the cold fireplace.
Gray at the temples.
Scar near his left ear.
Older.
Leaner.
Alive.
Julian Cole.
Nathan stopped.
Julian looked up.
“Brother.”
Nathan crossed the room and hit him.
Julian took the punch.
Grace did not interfere.
Nathan grabbed his coat.
“Where is Lily?”
Julian’s expression changed.
“They took her?”
Nathan hit him again.
“Don’t.”
Julian shoved him back.
“I didn’t take her.”
“You knew her name.”
“Yes.”
“You watched her school.”
“Yes.”
Grace stepped forward.
“Why?”
Julian looked at her.
“To keep Edwin’s men away.”
“You could have spoken to me.”
“I tried through Henry.”
Grace’s face changed.
“The photograph.”
“Yes.”
“Did you kill Henry?”
“No.”
“Who?”
“Edwin.”
Nathan’s eyes hardened.
Julian continued.
“Henry was going to bring Grace back himself.”
“Why now?”
“Because your engagement made the Table move.”
Nathan stared.
“Why does Lily matter?”
Julian looked toward the window.
“Because Arthur changed the rules before he died.”
“What rules?”
“Blood succession.”
“I never agreed to—”
“It isn’t about your chair.”
Nathan stopped.
Julian continued.
“The Black Table survives by attaching itself to one Cole bloodline at a time.”
“What?”
“When Arthur died, they needed you.”
“To legitimize them.”
“Yes.”
“And if I refuse?”
“They use whoever comes after you.”
Nathan looked toward Grace.
“Lily.”
“Yes.”
Grace’s face went white.
Julian continued.
“A recognized child gives them another generation.”
Nathan’s voice became lethal.
“They want my daughter as insurance.”
“Eventually.”
“No.”
Julian looked at him.
“That’s why I stayed away from her.”
“You watched her.”
“From distance.”
“Why not kill Edwin?”
“I tried.”
Nathan almost smiled bitterly.
“At least one honest answer.”
Julian stood.
“Edwin is not alone.”
“Who?”
“Richard Hayes was inside.”
“I know.”
“Victoria?”
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“Maybe.”
Julian looked surprised.
“You don’t know?”
“She attended once.”
“That’s more than I knew.”
Grace spoke.
“Thomas?”
Julian looked at her.
“Your father joined because Arthur threatened you.”
Grace froze.
“He told you?”
“Yes.”
“He was not loyal to the Table.”
“No.”
“What happened?”
“Thomas discovered Edwin had changed the succession rules.”
“For Lily?”
“Before Lily.”
“Then?”
“For Nathan’s future children.”
The system had planned ahead.
Nathan felt disgust.
Julian continued.
“Thomas helped me come back three years ago.”
“The courier.”
“He recognized me.”
“You killed him.”
“Yes.”
Nathan stared.
No excuse.
Julian added:
“He reached for his phone. I made the choice.”
Grace looked down.
“Then Marcus took me.”
Julian’s face changed.
“What?”
Grace told him.
Farmhouse.
Pregnancy.
Threat.
Julian stared at Nathan.
“I never knew.”
Nathan believed him.
Julian whispered:
“Then Marcus was still taking orders from Edwin.”
“Marcus died two years ago.”
“Yes.”
“By who?”
Julian looked toward Nathan.
“Me.”
Silence.
Nathan stared.
“You killed Marcus.”
“He came after me.”
“That’s not the same as why.”
“He was transporting someone.”
“Who?”
Julian’s face darkened.
“A little boy.”
Grace covered her mouth.
Nathan’s eyes narrowed.
“What child?”
“Four years old. Son of a Cole associate who tried to leave.”
“What happened?”
“I stopped the car. Marcus fought.”
“And the boy?”
“Alive. Hidden with his mother now.”
Nathan thought of Lily.
The Table did not only manipulate bosses.
It used children.
Repeatedly.
Julian stepped closer.
“Edwin doesn’t see children.”
“What does he see?”
“Leverage with birthdays.”
Nathan’s face became stone.
“Where would he take Lily?”
Julian looked toward the lake.
“There is one place he believes no Cole will search.”
“Where?”
“Our family mausoleum.”
Nathan frowned.
“That’s inside my estate.”
“Exactly.”
May you like
Julian’s voice dropped.
“He’s been using your dead as cover for years.”
