Althea bit the inside of her cheek, trying to steady the wave rising in her chest. Seeing the familiar handwriting of her mother, warmth washed through her so suddenly it almost hurt.

Zander gently lifted another stack of manuscripts — thicker, older, bound in deep blue paper marked with the Ivanov sigil.

“These are the ancient records of our clan,” he said quietly. “Amon protected them his entire life. He said they would prove we were never the traitors the Cross Clan accused us of ...