Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-OneHaving been towed to safety by the Vultures, Hector had boarded the Ark via a Vale Main Branch helicopter, with Sovereign Audit Team by the side in a crisp, gold-trimmed suits. These weren't soldiers; they were legal executioners, men who used ledgers to destroy families."Adrian!" Hector screamed over the roaring wind, his face twisted with a manic glee. "You think a few stolen submarines make you a Master? You’re a thief! I’ve brought the Audit Team from the Main Branch. They have the authority to freeze your Seal and strip you of everything!"The lead Auditor, a man named Magnus with a face like cold marble, stepped forward. He held an electronic tablet glowing with the Vale family seal."Adrian Vale," Magnus stated, his voice amplified by a portable speaker. "Under Article 4 of the High-Tier Code, you are accused of misappropriating Sovereign technology. This Seal you carry... it belongs to the Vale bloodline, not a scholarship graduate who was

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-ThreeStanding on the narrow bridge of the Vulture Submarine, Adrian watched the black water swallow the last of the Vale Clan’s legacy. Silas Vale was down there somewhere, trapped in the dark with his greed and his broken dreams."Master, we have to submerge," Sterling’s voice crackled through the external speakers. "The Southern Hegemony’s signature is fading from the arrow’s tracker. If we don’t move now, we’ll lose the trail to the Dragon’s Gate."Before the submarine could dive, a high-frequency signal hijacked the Vulture’s internal comms and a holographic projection shimmered into existence on the deck, standing just feet away from Adrian.It was a man in his late twenties, dressed in a white linen suit that looked untouched by the sea spray. He sat in a gilded chair, sipping wine while a tropical fan whirred behind him. This was Young Master Lucius, the third prince of the Southern Hegemony."Adrian Vance," Lucius said, his voice dripping with b

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-FiveThe Andrews estate, once a symbol of high-society pretension, now felt like a hollow tomb. The elite guests scrambled for the exits, tripping over their silk gowns and patent leather shoes, desperate to distance themselves from the "living ghost" standing at the head of the table.Adrian didn't look at the fleeing cowards. He stood perfectly still, the salt-water from his clothes forming a dark pool on the expensive Persian rug. He looked at the Hegemony’s agent, who was still frozen in his seat, clutching the black arrow Adrian had driven into the table."Where is the Altar?" Adrian asked. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a vibration that made the wine glasses in the room hum and shatter one by one."I—I don't know the exact coordinates!" the agent stammered, his eyes darting to the door. "It's somewhere in the Southern Mangroves... the 'Sovereign Dead Zone.' Lucius said no electronics work there! You'll never find it!""Sterling," Adrian said

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-SevenThe engine of the rusted truck let out a thick cloud of black smoke as it pulled away from the border.Behind it, three military helicopters hovered like guardian angels of death. A dozen armored SUVs followed in a perfect line, their tires crunching over the very mud Zane had bragged about owning. To any observer, it looked like a king was being escorted except the king was driving a vehicle that looked like it belonged in a scrap yard.Inside the cabin, the silence was heavy.Zane Vale sat pressed against the passenger door, trying to keep his custom silk uniform from touching the greasy dashboard. Every time the truck hit a pothole, the rattling sound made him jump."Adrian... Lord Adrian," Zane stammered, his voice thin. "My father... he has millions in offshore accounts. He can transfer it all to you right now. Just... just let me out before we reach the Capital. If the other families see me like this..."Adrian didn't even turn his head. He k

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-nineAdrian’s grip tightened on the steering wheel until the plastic groaned. "Who is this?"The line without a dial tone, went into dead leaving just a cold, empty silence.Adrian tossed the phone onto the dash next to the Sovereign Card. A trap? He had spent years in the Cape city living like a dog; he had survived the insults and mockery from everyone he could think of, even the ones he didn’t know. If the South was a trap, he would simply tear the trap apart with his bare hands."Thorne," Adrian barked into the radio. "Increase the speed. I want to be at the Medical Center in five minutes.""Understood, Master!" Thorne’s voice crackled back.Ten armored SUVs swerved into the emergency lane, clearing a path through the city traffic like a black tidal wave. Adrian didn't care about the laws of the road. He only cared about one thing, his sister, Emily.The rusted truck screeched to a halt in the ambulance-only zone of the Southern Medical Center.Zane