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The muscle in Theon’s jaw ticked in frustration. His hand tightening around the phone, he said, “I’m outside. Tell your people to let me up.”

“You don’t make demands here, Arius Heir,” Tristyn replied, sounding utterly bored.

“You will let me up, or I’m prepared to drag your company into this conspiracy surrounding Tessa.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Not only does your company control cellular data, it houses all of Devram’s most important information. Tessa’s files were clearly tampered with, and you’ve suddenly become fine with being recognized in public after decades of reclusiveness,” Theon said.

“That is ridiculous,” Tristyn scoffed in annoyance. “No one is going to believe you. My company’s reputation speaks louder than the accusations of a desperate heir.”

“This isn’t for me, you arrogant ass,” Theon hissed into the phone. “It’s for her.”

“She’s in Faven. Is everything all right?”

Of course he knew she was in Faven. Everyone knew his Source was gone for a week.

“Let me up, Blackheart.”

There was a heavy sigh on the other end. “Fine. You have thirty minutes.”

Theon nodded to Luka, and the two of them entered the building. They were met by a sentinel who escorted them to a side room, where they were both required to sign in with their magical signatures to prove there were no glamours being used.Then they were taken to an elevator where two other sentinels rode the lift with them to the top floor.

When they stepped off the elevator, they were met by a female Legacy. She was taller with sharp features, and there was no smile to greet them, let alone a bow for an heir. Her dark hair was cut to her chin, and her steel-blue eyes looked them over heavily before she said, “This way.”

They followed her down a hall before she pushed open a door to a corner office where Tristyn Blackheart sat behind his desk, three computer monitors along one wall. He closed his laptop as they entered, nodding at the female, who closed the door behind her as she left.

“Your thirty minutes started the second you stepped off that elevator,” Tristyn said, getting to his feet and rounding the desk. He leaned against it, crossing his arms, waiting.

“You honestly expect me to believe you had nothing to do with altering her files?” Theon demanded, getting straight to the point.

“No,” Tristyn said simply.

“So you did alter them?”

“I didn’t say that. I said I don’t expect you to believe me.”

“How else would they have been altered?” Luka asked.

“That’s a good question. One I haven’t been able to find an answer to,” he replied.

“Convenient,” Theon said dryly.

“Not particularly,” Tristyn replied with a shrug.

“And yet you don’t seem too concerned.”

“I am more than concerned, but if you think I have access to all the files, you’re delusional. The company was hired to create a program that no one could access. I had to prove thatIcouldn’t even access it before they were satisfied,” Tristyn said.

“So who can access them?” Luka asked.

“Each Lord and Lady has a network, and there is one shared network among them. So I guess the answer isyou,” he replied with a pointed look at Theon.

“I’ve never heard of these networks,” Theon replied tightly.

“You honestly expect me to believe that?” Tristyn parroted.

With a frustrated huff, Theon slid his hands in his pockets, taking in the office. A conference table off to the side with seating for eight. His desk with two chairs before it. Floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides overlooking the Acropolis.