Chapter Three: Admission to the Evernight Court

“It is entirely my concern. She is a true Lin. The four old families once had a fifth chair. Her family fled with the key to the Tidal Protocol. She returned to finish her mother's work.” The ring flashed from ice to fire and pulsed twelve times. Gu fund shares were collapsing. An aide rushed forward. “Mr. Gu, offshore redemptions are out of control.” But Shen saw something else: the twelfth flash was red. Coordinates appeared inside the ring, pointing beneath the old exchange. There was another level. The bronze doors opened and guests fled. Gu remained like a chess player watching the board come alive. “You won tonight's three million,” he said, “but you still owe me 104 billion.”