The silver phoenix ring lay in Adrian’s palm.
Even beneath the dim lantern light, it seemed almost alive.
Its wings curved outward, every feather carved with impossible precision.
Elena stared at it.
“So this is what they’ve been hiding.”
Adrian slowly closed his fingers around the ring.
“No.”
“This is only what they wanted us to find.”
Marcus glanced toward the tunnel behind them.
“They’ll know we have it.”
“They already do,” Evelyn answered quietly.
“The ring wasn’t dropped.”
“It was left.”
Marcus frowned.
“You think Michael wanted us to have it?”
Evelyn nodded.
“The Inner Circle never makes mistakes.”
“If something is left behind”
She looked directly at Adrian.
“it’s because they planned for someone to find it.”
Silence settled over the group.
Victor leaned heavily
