They found Kai in an abandoned textile warehouse in the oldest part of the city. He was huddled behind a rusted loom, shivering despite the heat.
When he saw Luna, he burst into tears. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Leo stood back, letting Luna approach her brother while Sylas and two guards secured the perimeter.
"What happened, Kai?"
"Mother wanted more. The alliance with the Wǎngshās wasn't enough. She wanted control of the Jade Consortium. She told me to copy the files, to use them as insurance." He wiped his face with a dirty sleeve. "But someone else knew. They contacted me. Offered to help. They said they'd negotiate with the Yèshòus for me."
"Who?"
"I don't know. They used a voice changer. They called themselves 'The Archivist.'" Kai's eyes widened. "They knew things, Luna. About Father's death. About things even Mother doesn't know."
Leo stepped forward. "What things?"
"That Father was murdered. That it was covered up by all four families." Kai looked between them. "You knew?"
"We suspected," Leo said. "Did this 'Archivist' give you proof?"
"They said they'd give it to me after I delivered the files. But when I handed them over…" He swallowed hard. "They released them to the Yèshòus immediately. And now the Yèshòus think I'm trying to extort them."
It was a perfect trap. Kai was the bait. The Xiānyǔs were the target. And the Wǎngshā alliance was the prize.
"We need to get him somewhere safe," Luna said.
Leo nodded to Sylas. "Take him to the safe house in the mountains. No one knows about it. Not even our family."
As Sylas led a trembling Kai away, Leo pulled Luna aside. "This 'Archivist'… they're not after money or power. They're after chaos. They want the families to turn on each other."
"Why?"
"To expose the truth. Whatever your father found." He took her hand. "We need to find it first."