Chapter 35 · The Cost of His Name

"You lied to me again." I shoved the memory shard against Adrian's chest. "Tell me why I shouldn't hand you over before we reach the vault."

His fingers closed around my wrist before the shard could cut him.

Not hard enough to hurt.

Hard enough to remind me he could.

His breath brushed my cheek. His coat was torn at the shoulder, and blood ran from his temple to his jaw. He looked like hell.

He also looked irritatingly calm.

"Because the court already wants me," he said. "Hand me over, and Marlow gets exactly what he needs."

"The fake proof made you look guilty."

"I know. I was standing there when they showed it."

"You let them blame you."

"Yes."

I twisted against his grip. "That wasn't a denial."

"It wasn't meant to be."

The shard pulsed between us, hot against his chest. It had stolen part of the tribunal recording—