Morning forced its way into the room before I was ready for it.
The light slipped through the thin curtains and painted everything in a pale gray. Seraphina was still in the chair beside the desk. At some point she had fallen asleep with her head leaning back and her hands folded on her stomach. Her breathing was slow and steady. The wounds on her arms were almost gone. Her bloodline was stitching itself back together without asking her permission.
Half vampire biology is efficient.
I picked up my phone.
The first notification nearly filled the entire screen. The video of Lucas kneeling had gone viral. The press replayed it every hour. People were arguing about it like it was a national election. Some called it edited. Some called it proof of divine punishment. Others simply watched with fascination.
Then I saw the headline pinned by Crow Financial. The official statement.
Our beloved founder, Lucas Crow, suffered a severe panic attack at last night's public event. His younger brother, Aiden Crow, has a recorded history of psychological instability. We ask for empathy and privacy during this difficult time. Please refrain from adding speculation to social media. Aiden will receive the support he needs.
I read it twice.
Psychological instability.
That was the move. If he controlled the narrative, then any truth I spoke would look like delusion. Anything I did could be dismissed as an episode. If I fought back, he could claim I was dangerous and unstable.
This tactic was elegant. A quiet knife inside a velvet glove.
A smaller version of me might have panicked. This version smiled.
"Trying to put me in a mental cage," I whispered. "Good. Cages burn."
Seraphina's voice drifted across the room.
"You talk a lot when you think."
I turned. She watched me through half opened eyes.
"Better than thinking in silence," I said.
She pushed herself up. Her expression was unreadable.
"So. Did he run crying to the media?"
"He called me insane," I said.
She snorted softly.
"People in power always choose the easiest lie."
Before I could speak again, the system whispered.
[Quest Update: Survive the retaliation][Anticipate legal pressure and hired forces][Reward: Reputation increase]
The phone buzzed again. This time it was a call.
Evelyn.
Seraphina's eyes narrowed in interest. I accepted the call.
"Aiden," Evelyn said. Her voice was controlled but tense. "We need to talk. Not in public. Not over the phone."
"Strong greeting," I replied.
"This is serious. Lucas filed a request for a mandatory psychiatric evaluation. If it goes through, they can detain you. They have documented witnesses and a medical file to reference. If you resist physically, the police will intervene."
Classic Lucas. Using the system instead of brute force. A trap shaped like concern.
"So they sent you to collect me," I said.
"They asked for my recommendation," she answered. "I have not given one yet. I can stall for a short time. Meet me at Riverside Park. Three this afternoon. If you do not come, I cannot delay what comes next."
"Are you my shield now," I asked.
"If I wanted to be your enemy, I would have arrived with a team," she said sharply. "I am trying to help you."
The call ended without goodbye.
I let the phone fall against the mattress. My reflection in the screen smiled without warmth.
Seraphina studied me carefully.
"The girl with the badge. She is worried."
"Worried minds are easier to guide," I said.
"She is dangerous," Seraphina replied. "I can feel it."
"Everything useful is dangerous."
The system murmured.
[Warning: Lucas has hired outside assistance][Threat level: moderate]
I stood and opened the wardrobe. Old shirts. Dark jeans. A jacket that could pass for respectable. I dressed quickly.
"What is the plan," Seraphina asked.
"I let Lucas make the first move," I said. "Then I show him what an actual mistake looks like."
The Sin Mark pulsed in my palm. Warm. Hungry.
I stepped out of the apartment and into the daylight.
People walked by. A woman holding grocery bags. A delivery driver. A child riding a scooter. The city kept pretending nothing had changed.
That illusion collapsed when I saw the car parked across the street.
Black. Tinted windows. Clean enough to reflect the clouds.
A man in a gray suit leaned against the hood. He tossed his cigarette aside and straightened as I descended the stairs.
"Aiden Crow," he called. "Your brother requests your presence."
Of course he did.
The man opened the door. I walked closer. Seraphina watched from the window with sharp interest.
The system whispered.
[New event: Pawn encounter]
I placed one hand on the car door. The driver waited without speaking.
I smiled.
"Very well."
I slid into the back seat.
And the door closed like a vault.
The game had begun.