Beneath the papers was an envelope.
Her name was written on it.
Hannah.
Her hands shook.
She opened it.
The handwriting belonged to Samuel.
My dearest girl.
If you are reading this, I failed to keep you outside the war that began before you were born.
You were never a burden.
You were never a secret I was ashamed of.
You were the one good thing your mother saved.
Hannah covered her mouth.
She continued.
Nathaniel Langley was your father by birth.
He was not your father in any other way.
I was.
Tears blurred the page.
Cole stood beside her.
Hannah leaned against him.
Only slightly.
But enough.
The letter continued.
Trust Mercy.
Trust Eli if he lives.
And if a man named Cole Mercer ever finds you, tell him his brother kept his promise.
Cole went completely still.
Eli looked away.
Hannah read the final line.
But trust no one who claims the Circle is finished.
Because the true Circle has never used the brand.
Outside, a horse whinnied.
Cole extinguished the lantern.
Footsteps approached.
The chapel door opened.
Victor Langley walked inside.
Victor's Confession
Victor looked exhausted.
His coat was torn.
Blood covered one sleeve.
Cole raised his rifle.
“Stop.”
Victor stopped.
Hannah stepped forward.
“You knew.”
Victor looked at her.
“Yes.”
“All of it?”
“No.”
“You knew who I was.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Nathaniel was my father.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about my mother.”
“Yes.”
Hannah's hands tightened.
“Then why did you propose to me?”
Victor swallowed.
“I proposed before I knew.”
“And after?”
“I discovered the truth.”
“So you rejected me.”
“Yes.”
“You branded me.”
“Yes.”
“You sold me.”
Victor looked away.
“I sent you away.”
“You sold me.”
“I paid Hyram to take you out of the valley.”
“And then?”
“I believed you would be safer.”
Hannah laughed bitterly.
“Safer?”
“I thought Circle Bar was watching you.”
“They were.”
“They wanted the registry.”
“You knew where it was?”
“No.”
“Then why was I branded?”
Victor's eyes fell to her neck.
“To make them believe you were worthless.”
Hannah stared.
“So nobody would ask why you wanted me gone.”
Victor nodded.
“You used humiliation as protection.”
“I did.”
“You destroyed me to save me.”
Victor looked ashamed.
“I made the wrong choice.”
Cole's voice was cold.
“You made every wrong choice.”
Victor ignored him.
“There are people you haven't seen.”
“Who?”
“The real Circle.”
Hannah looked at the registry.
“Circle Bar?”
Victor shook his head.
“Circle Bar is a name.”
“Who controls it?”
Victor looked at Eli.
“Ask him.”
Eli's face hardened.
Victor smiled.
“You still haven't told her.”
Cole looked at his brother.
“Told her what?”
Victor backed toward the door.
“The night Elizabeth Mercer disappeared.”
Hannah's heart stopped.
“What happened?”
Cole said nothing.
Victor walked away.
Hannah followed.
Cole caught her arm.
“Don't.”
She pulled free.
“No.”
She turned toward him.
“You don't get to decide what I know.”