Chapter 13 · The Eighteen-Day Bell

The knife was already at her throat when Seraph opened her eyes.

"Don't scream." The voice against her ear was low, female, shaking with something that wasn't fear. "Scream and I open you up before he gets through that door."

Her back was against the cold stone of the balcony rail, one arm pinned behind her, the blade a thin line of ice under her jaw. Eighteen days into this loop and she still hadn't learned to check the shadows before she stepped outside at night.

"Who sent you." Not a question. Flat, the way Lya had taught her — panic gets you killed faster than the blade does.

"Doesn't matter." The knife pressed deeper, a bead of warmth sliding down her collarbone. "You're not who you say you are. I've seen what you really are. Bells don't lie."

Her stomach dropped. The temple bells had been ringing wrong for eighteen days, off-key, off-rhythm — only she and Lya seemed to notice.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liar." The grip tightened. "The phoenix line is supposed to be dead in this city.