Chapter 11 · His Blood Starts Singing

Lira's hand closed around the vial before she'd decided to move.

The man in the coat jerked back. Too slow. She had it. The glass was warm, and the blood inside slid from one end to the other like it was alive.

"Give that back." His voice was flat. Bored, almost. Like she'd picked up his drink by mistake.

She didn't.

The crowd noise around the cage had changed. People were standing, craning to see. Shana had both hands on the cage gate, and her face was blank in a way that made Lira's stomach drop. Kael was still pinning Alto to the sand, but neither of them was moving. Alto's head was turned toward her. His eyes weren't afraid. They were calculating.

Military eyes.

"Miss Tavan." The coat-man stepped closer. "That's evidence. Impeding an investigation is—"

"I know what it is." Lira's voice came out steadier than she felt. "And I know what you are."

She looked past him. The woman with the brand on her neck was threading through the crowd. No hurry. She moved like someone who knew the prey wasn't going anywhere.

Witch-hunter.

Lira had seen the neck brands before. Twice.