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Make her kneel.

Fool.

Aoife was never meant for chains.

She was made for the crown.

She was made for blood.

And when I rise, she’ll rise with me—not as a pawn, but as the fire that devours everything in our path.

She’s the only one left that matters.

The only one strong enough to match me.

The only one strong enough to break me—if I let her.

And maybe I want her to.

Ronan exhales, satisfied."Good.Let’s see where her loyalty really lies."

We end the call, and I roll my shoulders.Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the small velvet box and flip it open.The diamond catches the dim light, burning like ice in my palm.I picture Aoife with my ring on her finger, standing at my side.Not just mine in the way she should have been all along but mine in the eyes of the world.

My blood runs hot at the thought.

Nothing will stop this.

Nothing will stop me from ruling with Aoife.Not Ruairi.Not Eamon, and not Ronan.

Ronan thinks his place at my side is guaranteed.It isn’t.I only need him for a little while longer.Long enough to help dismantle the old order.

And when the time comes?

I’ll deal with him the same way I’ll deal with the rest of them.

Permanently.

Ruairi

There’sno light to mark the passage of time.

No clocks.

No sun.

No stars.

Only the slow, rotting crawl of my mind devouring itself in the dark.

I don’t know how long it’s been since they threw me down here.

Hours.Days.A lifetime.

It doesn’t matter anymore.

My body says long enough.

Long enough to starve, to bleed, to unravel.