Page 108 of Crown of Lies

Nico nods, his eyes intense. “With your father gone, you’re the one with the power to use it now.”

The weight of this realization settles on my shoulders. I’m not just a pawn in someone else’s game—I’m the one holding all the cards without even knowing it.

“My dad must’ve hidden it somewhere,” I say, more to myself than the others. “That’s what we’ve been searching for all this time without even realizing it.”

I think back to all the pressure we’ve been under, the constant feeling of an unknown threat looming over us. It was all because of this marker, this key to a world I didn’t even know existed.

“Why the fuck didn’t he tell me?” I burst out suddenly, frustration bubbling up inside me. “Why would he keep something this important from me?”

The questions keep coming, each one more infuriating than the last. “And why didn’t he use the marker himself if he was the one it was given to? What was he waiting for?”

I look around at the others, hoping for answers, but their faces are as confused as I feel. This new information has opened up a whole new set of questions. It’s maddening.

I stare at Ambrose, not necessarily waiting for an answer to my outburst, but hoping he has something more to say. Heshrugs, his shoulders rising and falling in a slow, deliberate motion.

“Probably for the same reason I didn’t want to talk to you about it when you first showed up. The Dark Lotus Syndicate isn’t something you fuck around with lightly.”

“What do you mean?”

His eyes meet mine, and I see a flicker of something in them—fear, maybe? Or respect? It’s hard to tell.

“They’re powerful,” he continues. “But they’re ruthless. And from what little I know about them, they have their own arcane rules and practices.”

I feel a chill run down my spine at his words. The way he says it, it’s clear this isn’t just some run-of-the-mill criminal organization.

“Being a member would come with benefits,” he adds, “but just as many dangers.”

“So you think…” I start, then pause, gathering my thoughts. “You think my father might have decided it wasn’t worth the risk?”

Ambrose nods. “It’s possible. Your uncle, your old man… they were smart guys. If your father thought the dangers outweighed the benefits, he might have decided to keep that marker hidden away.”

My heart pounds heavily as I take everything in. I feel stunned, off-kilter. Ever since it was revealed that someone pushed me and the men together so they could spy on me—and since the revelation that I was ‘valuable’ in some way—I’ve felt like I’ve been stumbling around in the dark.

I wanted to get to the bottom of it, but I never expected this.

“I can’t believe it,” I murmur, more to myself than anyone else. “All this time, I thought I was just… me. Quinn Byrne, daughter of a small-time criminal. But now…”

I trail off, unable to finish the thought. Now what? Now I’m the heir to some mysterious power? The key to unlocking some secret world?

I look at the men around me—Nico, Atlas, Killian. They were sent to spy on me, to find out what made me so valuable. And now we know. It’s not me at all. It’s this marker, this thing I didn’t even know I had in my possession—if that’s even true.

“Mr. Pearce, is there anything else you can tell us? Anything at all about the Dark Lotus Syndicate or this marker?”

He grimaces, then shakes his head after a moment. “I’m sorry, Quinn. That’s really all I know. Your uncle didn’t go into much detail, and I didn’t push for more. Sometimes, it’s safer not to know too much, you understand?”

I nod, disappointed but not surprised. It feels like we’ve uncovered a massive piece of the puzzle, but we’re still far from seeing the whole picture.

“Look,” he says. “Why don’t you give me your number? If I remember anything else or if something comes to mind later, I’ll reach out to you.”

“Of course,” I reply, quickly reciting my phone number as he types it into his ancient-looking flip phone.

As we stand to leave, Ambrose walks us to the door. At the threshold, he turns to me, his expression deadly serious.

“Good luck. Whatever you decide to do with this information, just be careful. Very careful.”

I manage a small smile. “Thanks, Mr. Pearce. Good luck to you too.”

He chuckles, but it’s a dry, wry sound. “Thanks, kid. I think I’ll probably need it. Adjusting to life outside those prison walls is gonna take some time. But I’ll manage.”

---