Chapter 33 · Untitled Chapter

"Put the shard down, Mara." Marlow's voice cracked across the hearing chamber. "Touch that table, and the court will call it an admission."

I kept the shard between two fingers.

Blue-white light crawled through its center. My mother's voice was trapped inside it. So was the proof that Marlow had forged the evidence against Adrian.

Adrian stood three steps in front of me, blocking six oath guards and the chief justice. His jacket hung torn at one shoulder. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth and stained his collar.

"Funny," I said. "Ten minutes ago, you threatened to erase my license for touching evidence. Now you're threatening to erase my life for proving you planted it."

Marlow lifted one hand.

The oath guards raised their weapons.

Adrian turned his head just enough for me to see his profile. "Mara, don't plug it in."

"You don't get to order me around."

"I know." His voice came out rough. "That's why I'm asking."

The contract mark beneath my ribs burned.

Every hit Adrian took still echoed through my body.