Chapter 11 · The Council's Welcome

The council chamber smelled like old money and older magic. I stood next to Kane in front of a curved table where five people sat like they owned the world. Maybe they did. Vesper City's council didn't exactly campaign for their seats.

Finn leaned against me, still shaking from the attack. His shirt had blood on it. Not his, thank god, but close enough.

"You brought civilians to a council session." The woman in the center spoke first. Silver hair pulled back so tight it probably hurt. Her name was Castine. I'd seen her face on campaign posters when I was a kid, back when the council pretended to care what regular people thought. "That's not protocol, Mr. Rook."

"There's a horde of shadow beasts tearing through the industrial district," Kane said. His voice stayed level. Calm. Like we hadn't just run for our lives twenty minutes ago. "Protocol can wait."

"Can it?" The man to Castine's left leaned forward. Younger than her, maybe forty, with the kind of smile that made you check your pockets. "Because from what we hear, you're the one commanding those beasts."

My stomach dropped.

Kane didn't flinch. "I can stop them.