The estate aboveground gleamed under the late afternoon sun, but inside, the air was thick with tension and anticipation. Carson and Justina moved through the corridors with purpose, the memory of Vault Zero and its labyrinthine horrors still lingering in their minds. They had survived, reclaimed control, and yet the past’s whispers still lingered in corners, as if testing their resolve.

Justina’s fingers brushed against the cold marble as they passed a long hallway lined with portraits ...