"Everything I own, everyone who follows me, every Chronos to my name. I wish them to be yours, should you choose to accept it."
The lounge was silent.
Kaiden stared at his mother. Her arms were still parted, her posture formal, her red eyes fixed on him and waiting.
He knew this posture. Arms presented, chin level, spine drawn to its full height. He'd watched it across dining tables and in hallways since he was old enough to remember. It was the stance his mother used when she'd made a decision for the family and was informing them, not asking. It was also the stance she used before she left a room and didn't come back for days.
She looked like a woman settling her affairs for good.
Behind her, the professionals stood in a line along the far wall. Lawyers, fighters, executives. None of them moved. None of them looked surprised, which meant she'd told them before she told him.
"Mother." His voice came out quieter than he intended. "What are you talking about?"
