A new surge of empathy for her cousin fills Lynell’s chest.

“I hadn’t seen her in about a year. Until I couldn’t take it anymore. I was done with my father. Done with the Elysian name.” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “And Daniel started to make me question the Registration, too.”

“Really?”

“You must know what he thinks. That the Registration is barbaric and no different from cold-blooded murder. I didn’t know what to believe and needed some space to think. So, I left to find my mom again.”

Lynell takes a swig of her tea, savoring the heat.

“But he found me,” Zach continues. “I’d never seen him angrier. He threatened to have her Registered if I didn’t come home and obey him. I didn’t want to be the cause of another death. I didn’t want my mom to die. And so I’ve been at his fucking service ever since. That is, until I—”

“Saved me,” Lynell finishes.

He nods. “One night I told Danny all about the secret heir. I knew he was your ex. That’s actually . . . originally, that’s why I befriended him. It was an order. But I swear, it didn’t stay that way. I care for him, deeply. I wanted to protect him. I thought if I could be certain he didn’t love you anymore, it would be okay. I wouldn’t have to feel any guilt about what happened to you. So, I asked him what I should do. Should I find you myself, or leave it up to the others?” Zach glances at the bedroom door, smiling. “He told me to do what I thought was good. To choose good.”

Choose good.

The words that kept her going. The words that made her make up her mind. Those words were Daniel’s. She should have known.

“It wasn’t until the day before the Registration that I told him the entire truth. Why our friendship started. That it was you I was going to Register,” Zach says. “I don’t know why I did.” He shakes his head. “That’s a lie. I did it because I knew he cared, and I felt guilty. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to hurt you. He begged me not to do it, and I realized that you were a danger to my best friend. If Dad knew Daniel still cared for you like that, Dad would have him taken to get all the information he could.”

Zach wipes a hand under his nose. He clears his throat and stands to clean the mug in the sink. Lynell has to lean forward to hear him as he keeps talking, his words muffled against the running water. “I told him my plan was to get you here and get the code as quickly and painlessly as possible. They’d never know your estranged ex still loved you.” He turns and sets the mug on the counter, looking at Lynell with heavy eyes. “That obviously didn’t work, and I couldn’t stand watching what was happening to you. Dad said it was me or Reggie, and I didn’t want to hurt you, I swear, Lynell. But Reggie would have been way worse. I know that’s hard to understand, but you have to believe me. When I realized I’d made a mistake bringing you home at all, I snapped out of it. I decided it didn’t matter what would happen, I needed to get you out. You can’t give him the letter. You can’t let him have the code.”