The Underworld Queen's Second Contract

sent a tremor straight through

ouncil meetings, funerals for men she wouldn't bother to remember in prayers. But this? This was new. Now

chamber. Selene blinked, biting back the pain, counting faces-peop

f them lo

g to soften the knife wedged under her ribs. "You understand why this has t

iding every strategy, signing off on every deal using her own damn name. Five years of secrets and sca

y, just one person to remember what she'd

meet her eyes. Guilt

more than

single scuffed shoe broke the si

r muscles screamed, but she forced her

rcle, eyes locked with

nger, a shock, some trace of the partner who'd fought at

ed-over. He didn't

at was never hers. Five years tied to a man who'

arely scraped out-still a co

tightened.

cheek pressed to the floor, staring at Damian's shoes. Spotless. Not a

step closer. Won't r

at, talking over funeral plans, debating whether Marco or Isabel woul

She'd handed everything to the Syndicate: her name, her years, every future

rself as the pain closed in tight, I swear-it

r under before th

round her hands, heart pounding in

and a ceiling she couldn't place. Just an

touched, her name waited-

igned three years befo