Chapter 21 · The First Living Sample

"Put the knife down, Mara." Tessa had one hand on the lamp oil and the other wrapped around a match. "Or I burn every page in this shop. Including the one with your name on it."

Mara kept the blade under Tessa's jaw. "Try me."

Riven stood between them, one palm pressed against the black veins crawling up his throat. His breathing came rough and uneven. The curse had been getting worse for the last hour, and now the windows were shaking from the guards outside.

"Mara," he said. "Move the knife."

"You don't get to give orders while you're turning into one of those things."

His eyes flashed silver.

Tessa struck the match.

The little flame touched the oil-soaked rag beside her boot.

"Last warning," she said. "You want the records? Let me die with them."

A fist slammed into the shop door.

"Open up! By order of the Night Court!"

Another hit split the old wood near the lock.

Mara tightened her grip. Tessa's pulse jumped under the blade. "You knew what my blood does."

"I knew what it might do."

"You knew before we came here."

"I knew enough to keep you away from the files.