“Unless you have the master key,” Price finishes.

Lynell frowns and stands, stretching her legs and pacing the room. “And that’s what your father wants?” she says, pulling at an earlobe in thought, a habit she picked up from her mom. “Gain access to and release all stored information?”

Zach sighs. “No. Because this would cause utter chaos. It works so well right now because it’s controlled. You get one Registration. Once you use it, that’s it. Two weeks and then no other chance. It’s safe and anonymous. No one knows they’ve been Registered unless . . . well, they’re standing right there.” He gives her a sheepish look and she rolls her eyes.

“Right, anyway,” he clears his throat. “Registrations can’t be seen or changed. All the restrictions are in place so no one can use the Registration to their advantage. But if those restrictions were gone, if it was no longer anonymous and anyone could access the database then . . .”

“There wouldn’t be any controlling it,” Lynell says.

Zach nods. “Exactly. Everyone would have access. People would give themselves more Registrations. People would erase Registrations. It would be the end of the Registration. And chaos would reign.”

“If using the code destroys everything, why does Eric want it so badly?”

“He’s a businessman. He wants to grow his business.”

“I don’t follow.”

“He’s been slowly raising the price of the Registration. But he wants more. Sell more than one Registration to people who can afford it. Take it away from those he wants to pressure. This power would grant him control over the oligarchs so he can force any law he wants into effect. Bottom line, he wants more money and more power, and he thinks the code is the only, or the easiest, way to get it.”

“And the only place the code exists is my letter?”

Zach nods and throws the pillow back on the bed. “Pretty much. Your father obeyed Grandfather in one thing—only let the code be known by the true heir. I was just a kid when Uncle Eli died, but I remember him. He started sympathizing with the rebels. He was questioning the Registration, and I think Dad was worried Eli would use the code to destroy the Registration.”

A dim numbing fills Lynell’s feet and climbs up her legs at Zach’s words.

She’d always thought her father supported the Registration. Her mom had said as much. And his letter had told her to use it wisely.

“My father thought getting rid of his brother would eliminate the only real threat to the Registration. Now that he knows about you and that your father passed the code on to you, he will pressure you for the code and then get rid of you,” Zach says, keeping his eyes locked on Lynell’s.

She swallows and forces herself to ask, “And who’ll do it?”

“Do what?”

“Get rid of me?” The words come out strong, despite the helplessness Lynell feels at the prospect of her impending death. Less than ten days from now.