Chapter 20 · The Price of a New Order

"Step away from her, Milo. Now."

Kane’s voice was a low snarl. No room for argument. He had Nora shoved behind him, his arm braced hard against her shoulder. He could feel her trembling through her clothes.

Milo didn't flinch. He didn't even look at Kane. His eyes were glowing—a sickly, iridescent light that didn't belong in a human head. In his grip, the Royal Ledger pulsed like a living heart, blood-red ink seeping through the pages and staining the air.

"You don't get it, do you?"

Milo’s voice had changed. It wasn't the shaky tone of a street courier anymore. It sounded layered. Like a dozen ghosts screaming through one throat.

"The core didn't just go dark," Milo whispered. "It broke. The old debt is canceled. But the void it left? That needs filling."

Nora tried to push forward, but her legs were lead. The sudden absence of her magic felt like a physical hole in her chest. Hollow. Cold. Fragile.

"What do you want, Milo?" she gasped. "Just give me the book and let's get out of here."

"I can't just 'give' it, Nora." Milo’s lips curled into a cruel smile. He stepped closer, the Ledger humming.