Location: Tavara – Kane Estate, Private Study
The air was tense, weighed down by more than just the shocking revelation of the Falcon's return. Damien stood at the fireplace, one hand on the mantel, staring into the quiet blaze as if it held the answers he needed. Nora sat across the room, cross-legged on the leather armchair, her gaze locked on her husband's back.
"She was your cousin, wasn't she?" Nora finally asked, her voice low, deliberate.
Damien nodded once. "Seraphina Kane. She was once considered the next heir—until my grandfather deemed her too dangerous, too... radical. She disappeared after the 'incident' in Prague."
"You mean the one where a UN convoy was wiped out without a trace?"
He turned, eyes sharp. "She had the mind of a tactician, the heart of a soldier, and the fury of a storm. But what made her truly terrifying was her belief that the Kane legacy should dominate the world—without apology."
Nora narrowed her eyes. "And now she's back."
"And she wants revenge," Damien added. "For being cut out of the family. For being erased from every record, every will. She swore that day she'd return with her own empire."
Nora rose, pacing. "Why now? Why make her move just as we're consolidating power in Tavara and sealing global deals?"
"She's always been surgical," Damien replied. "Strike when it's loudest. Hurt the most when we're busiest. It's how she trained in covert warfare."
A knock at the door broke the heavy silence.
It was Cassandra, Damien's personal assistant. "Sir, Madam... there's someone you need to see downstairs. It's Julian. He just arrived from London, and... he's injured."
Damien's heart clenched. "Julian? What happened?"
"He was attacked," Cassandra said. "And he claims Seraphina sent the hit squad."
---
Location: Kane Estate – Private Medical Wing
Julian lay on a gurney, shirt soaked in blood, his right arm in a temporary brace. His left eye was swollen shut, and despite the painkillers, his jaw clenched hard.
Damien approached, his voice steady but laced with concern. "Talk to me."
Julian coughed, wincing. "She's building something, Damien. A faction. Not just soldiers—ideologists. People who believe the Kane name has grown soft under your leadership."
Damien's face was unreadable. "Where did you run into her men?"
"Bristol. They ambushed me at the helipad. Took down two of my men in less than a minute."
Nora looked at him grimly. "What were you carrying?"
"Documents. The original Kane family trust agreements. Everything Seraphina was erased from. She knew I had them."
Damien's gaze darkened. "So, she's not just after revenge—she's after legitimacy. Proof of her claim."
"And she's recruiting," Julian added weakly. "Some of the old bloodlines—Langston, Volkner, even remnants of the De Vries."
Nora sucked in a breath. "This is turning into a shadow war."
"No," Damien said coldly. "This is already war."
He turned to Cyrus, who had just arrived. "Activate Protocol Tempest. Seal every foreign estate. Freeze all offshore Kane assets. And start contacting our allies. We're going to find Seraphina before she finds a throne."
Cyrus nodded. "Understood."
As the team dispersed, Nora stepped beside Damien, sliding her hand into his.
"You know what this means, right?" she asked softly.
Damien's jaw clenched. "It means I have to go to the one place I swore I'd never return."
Nora tilted her head. "And where's that?"
"Elandra. The birthplace of the Kane dynasty... and where Seraphina was buried alive."