Chapter 19 · The Inheritance Arrest

"Take my inheritance and leave her alone."

Adrian stood between me and the Tribunal guards, one hand clamped over the marriage mark burning through his shirt.

The guard captain raised her shock baton. "Step aside, Rook. The order is for Mara Voss."

"Then drag me with her."

I grabbed the back of his coat and yanked him around. "What the hell did you just offer them?"

Up close, he looked worse than he had in the core. Blood had dried at his temple. His collar hung torn. Gold lines crawled from our contract mark up his throat and vanished beneath his jaw.

He lowered his voice. "Glasswake Bank. The family vaults. Every share under my name."

"You don't own every share."

"I own enough to make Marlow listen."

"Marlow doesn't listen. He collects things." I jabbed a finger into his chest. "Names. Memories. People. Don't add me to his collection because you want to play noble heir."

The Tribunal chamber had gone silent around us.

Hundreds of witnesses watched from the tiered seats. Blue recording lenses hovered over every row, copying every word into the public record.

Adrian caught my wrist before I could pull away. His palm was hot.