Chapter 22 · Ash Ledger - Chapter 22: The Price in Blood

"You know the way through."

Mara didn't look at me. She was crouched by the chamber door, fingers tracing the carved line that split the stone in two. Water still dripped from her coat, pooling under her boots.

"I know a way," she said. "Not the same thing."

"Then use it." My voice came out harder than I meant. "Because that horn means Ilan's people are coming, and we've got maybe ten minutes before they break through."

She turned her head, just enough that I caught the edge of her face in the lantern light. "You want me to open a sealed war vault using enemy protocol. In front of you."

"Yeah."

"And after that, what? You write it down in that ledger of yours? Hand it over to Bram so he can sell it to the next buyer?"

I stepped closer. The water on the floor was cold enough to feel through my boots. "You think I've got time for that? You think I care who taught you how to crack a lock when the whole fort's trying to kill us?"

She stood up. Slow. Deliberate. "You should care.