Chapter 16 · The Sovereign Debt

"Don't move, Nora. Not a muscle," Silas purred. The dagger pressed deeper into Kane's throat. A thin line of crimson bloomed against the steel.

"One wrong twitch and your royal stray gets a second mouth."

I froze. My fingers were inches from the Crown. The artifact pulsed—a heavy, rhythmic thrum that felt like a heartbeat in the floorboards. It wasn't just magic. It was a scream. A thousand voices clawing at the edges of my mind.

"Let him go," I snapped. My voice shook. "You got what you wanted. You're in the room. You have the Crown. Just let him go."

Silas laughed. A dry, rattling sound. "I don't just want the Crown, Nora. I want the key. And you're the only one who can turn it without getting vaporized. Now step back. Slowly."

Kane shifted. His eyes locked onto mine. He didn't look scared. He looked pissed.

"Nora, don't listen to him," Kane spat. "He's bluffing about the key. He doesn't know how it works."

"Quiet," Silas hissed, shoving the knife harder. "The fugitive speaks only when I allow it. Now, Nora, the deal is simple. You touch the Crown, you unlock the core for me, and I might—*might*—