Catherine's POV
She must have known from the beginning that releasing me created risk. That I understood systems well enough to expose weaknesses.
So she had built insurance.
Not against me speaking.
Against me speaking effectively.
Because anything I said that damaged her legitimacy would simultaneously damage Aurora's. The Luna who'd "ordered" my release. The Luna whose restraint I had supposedly been proof of.
If I attacked the system, I attacked Aurora.
If I stayed silent, I validated Catherine.
It was brilliant.
It was nauseating.
"Oh," I breathed.
"What?" Marcus pressed.
I opened my eyes slowly. "They didn't just release me."
"They activated me."
Marcus's expression sharpened. "Explain."
"There's a clause," I said. "A conditional linkage. My public advisory status is tied to Aurora's authority."
His jaw tightened. "Meaning?"
"Meaning if I speak publicly, if I challenge policy, if I contradict Catherine's framing…"
"Aurora pays," he finished.
"Yes."
