"I expected this day would come... I knew it would. We should have left the state. But then it doesn't matter, I suppose. IVI is everywhere, aren't they?" She pauses to take a deep breath and continues, "Just leave my son out of it. That's all I ask. If you plan to take me, let me call someone to come look after him. He doesn't have anything to do with my decisions. I won't let him pay the consequences..."

"Hazel," I growl.

Her eyes snap up to mine.

"I'm not here to take your son away from you. And I have no intention of taking you from your son. If and when you decided to come back to the Society, there would be punishment, but it wouldn’t be nearly as severe as you are imagining. As it stands, I have no reason to turn you in as long as you help me."

"Help you?" She blinks. "How can I possibly help you?"

"Tell me where your brother would take Ivy to hide her."

Her face pales, and she shifts, averting her gaze. "Why would you want to know where Ivy is?"

"Because she's my wife."

"No." The protest falls from her lips with blatant disgust. "She wouldn't. She wouldn't—"

"She wouldn't marry the likes of me?" I sneer. "I assure you, she did. And now I need to find her. Time is of the essence, so tell me what I want to know."

She clenches her jaw, shaking her head. "Even if what you're telling me is true, I can't betray my sister. If she's gone into hiding, it must be for a good reason."

"Fine." I pivot toward the staircase. "Then I'll take your son and be on my way. And, in fact, I’d dare say you are correct. You should expect an army of Sovereign Sons to descend on your house before nightfall. You could run, I suppose, if you are willing to leave your son behind."

"You bastard!" She lunges at me, gripping my arm and trying to drag me back. "You aren't taking my son anywhere."

"Then tell me what I want to know.” I shake her off and glare down at her.

Her eyes move toward the staircase and then to the front door. I watch her face as slow acceptance sinks over her. There's nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. She's trapped, and she knows it. But she's wasting my time, and it's time I can't afford to lose, so I throw another motivation at her.

"Not that you seem to care, given that you abandoned all of them, but perhaps it would interest you to know I have your youngest sister, Eva, at my house."

Her eyes narrow as she curls her hands into fists. "Is that a threat?"