Chapter 8 · Access mark

He pulled a small metal seal from inside his coat and held it over the case. The mark on its face glowed silver.

My stomach dropped.

"Access mark," I said. "You can open the city gates."

"I can open more than gates."

"You can unlock the bureau archive. The sealed tunnels. The oath vaults."

"Now you're interested."

"I'm always interested in things that can clear my name."

"Fix me first."

"Give me access to my sister's file."

"No."

"Then bleed somewhere else."

He caught my chin and turned my face toward him. His thumb dragged lightly across the corner of my mouth, checking for blood from where the bench had struck me.

The touch was careful. That made it worse.

"You don't get to use her against me," he said.

"You came here using a warrant against me. Don't pretend we're having a moral disagreement."

His thumb stayed still.

"If I open the archive, the bureau sees the mark on my seal. They know I helped you."

"You already helped me by not dragging me outside."

"I haven't decided whether that's temporary."

"You don't have time to decide."

The black lines under his skin pulsed again.