Page 107 of Crown of Lies

At least he doesn’t hesitate this time. “Your uncle, Casey, he told me something that day. Something about your father.”

My heart skips a beat. “My father? What about him?”

“Casey said that your father was owed a debt by one of the higher-ups in the Dark Lotus Syndicate,” he explains, keeping his voice so low that I have a fleeting worry this Dark Lotus Syndicate might actually be listening in.

I stay quiet for a moment, trying to process this information. “A debt? What kind of debt?”

Ambrose shakes his head. “He didn’t go into details. But he did mention something else—a marker.”

“A marker?”

“Yeah. According to Casey, your father was given a marker that would guarantee him entry into the organization.”

I blink rapidly, trying to process this information. My mind feels like it’s spinning, unable to grasp onto any single thought.

“I… I had no idea,” I stammer. “Is this… is this even true?”

Ambrose nods solemnly, his eyes never leaving mine.

My thoughts are racing. Sure, I knew my father was involved with Enigma, and maybe some small-time gangs and clubs before that. But this? This sounds completely different. An exclusive, secret organization? It doesn’t make sense.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” I mutter, more to myself than anyone else. “When did he even have time for something like this?”

The questions pile up in my mind, each one more confusing than the last. I feel like I’m trying to put together a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

“Mr. Pearce,” I say, holding my voice steady now that I’ve recovered from my initial surprise. “There’s something you should know. My father… he’s dead.”

His eyes widen, his mouth falling open slightly. “Dead? I… I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

I nod, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. Even after all this time, I still don’t like talking about it.

“Thank you,” I manage. “It happened a while ago, but…”

“It never gets easier,” Ambrose finishes for me, his voice gentle. I nod again, grateful for his understanding.

He’s quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Then he looks at me, his expression shifting to something more resolute. “Well, if your father is gone, then as far as I know, that marker would’ve passed down to you.”

My heart skips a beat. “To me? What does that mean?”

“It means that you now have the right to use that marker however you see fit. It’s yours to do with as you please.”

I’m still not sure how I’ve never heard of this marker before today. It sounds like something out of a movie, not my real life.

“But what exactly is this marker?” I ask, my mind racing with possibilities. “How would I even use it?”

He shakes his head, a hint of regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any specifics. Your uncle Casey never went into detail about it. He just mentioned its existence and that it was important.”

I lean back in my seat, desperately trying to slot the puzzle pieces together in my head. A marker? An entry into some secret organization? It all sounds so surreal, but as I mull it over, pieces start falling into place.

I glance at Nico, and our eyes lock. In that moment, I can see the same realization dawning on his face that I feel blooming in my own mind. The Saint. His obsession with me, with my past. The way he had the Princes infiltrate every aspect of my life.

It all makes sense now.

The symbol. That’s what The Saint must have been looking for all along. Not just any symbol, but this marker—the key to gaining entry into the Dark Lotus Syndicate.

My heart races as the implications sink in. The Saint didn’t just want information about me or my father. He wanted something tangible, something powerful. Something that could grant him access to a world I didn’t even know existed until moments ago.

“Holy shit,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “That marker… it must be incredibly valuable.”

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