Sebastian shot down her theory, rapid-firing details: “Carmello’s getting up there in age. He won’t be in power much longer. But Emilia does trust him. That’s just Emilia being, well, Emilia. Carmello was close friends with her father when her dad was in charge before he passed. She left him in charge for a reason, and he was properly vetted. He has nothing to gain from getting his hands on the cyber wallet. He’s wealthy and doesn’t need the money. Like I said, he’s old and ready to retire. I’m struggling to believe he’d betray us. He’d never be behind trying to restart The Alliance, either. Hell, he was involved in dismantling their organization. And his daughter, Aurora, is positioned to take over for him. He wouldn’t want to jeopardize her place within the organization like that.”

Chills coasted over my skin as I held Colin’s arm like a lifeline. I needed his steady strength as much as he relied on me for mine.

“What if Aurora found out she has a brother, and she’s worried her father will wind up leaving Daniel in charge of everything instead of her since he’s a male heir?” Salvatore spoke up for the first time, interjecting his thoughts. “What if Daniel has been talking to more than his father, but his sister, too?”

Izzy’s gaze volleyed back and forth between the phone in Constantine’s hand and her father. Another “oh shit” tumbled free from her mouth as Hudson came up alongside her, threading their fingers together as a quiet show of support. “Sebastian’s right. No one would betray him within The League. Nor would they ever assume they’d get their hands on the device.” She held her phone out, shaking it. “Create a problem. Provide a solution. Earn the king’s favor.”

Colin tugged free from my hold to place himself at the center of the room and in front of Izzy. “I was just another pawn. They never thought Sebastian would trade the wallet thing for me. They only needed everyone to think some asshole out there was stupid enough to try. Then they’d swoop in as the hero and ‘rescue’ me. Or, at least, ‘find’ where I was being held, so Sebastian could kill them all.”

Izzy’s eyes lit up as she nodded in agreement, then fleshed out his theory with more details. “Aurora set up her half brother to take the fall, and with The League meeting on Tuesday, that gives her cover, a reason for being in Dublin in the first place for the subterfuge to take place. Aurora will officially secure her position within The League when her father retires, not to mention get in Sebastian’s good graces in the process. It’s a total power play.”