Chapter 24 · Burn the Throne

The ring's in my hand before I can think.

Heavy. Gold. Blood-red stone that catches the light wrong, like it's wet inside.

Eli's voice is still crawling through the crack in my mark. "Put it on, Amy. Let's make this official."

Caleb's across the room, hands braced on the table, breathing hard. His eyes are locked on mine. He doesn't say stop. Doesn't say do it. Just watches.

I slip the ring on.

It burns. Not hot. Cold. Like someone pressed dry ice to my knuckle and held it there. The band tightens, shrinks to fit, and I feel something click inside my chest. Not the mark. Something deeper. Like a lock turning.

"Good girl," Eli says through the crack. "Now come home. The family's waiting."

I don't answer him. I pull out my phone.

Marcus sent the files an hour ago. Thirty-seven pages. Blood pit contracts. Council signatures. Bank accounts tied to six major cities. Eli's name on every one. And at the bottom, the crown piece: a memo authorizing the expansion of blood source trade into legislative districts. Bought senators. Planted judges. A whole system built to make people like me legal property.

I open the draft email.