Chapter 27 · Pay in Blood

"You're not going."

Kael's standing between me and the door like that's gonna stop me. His hand's still bleeding from where he punched the wall when Orin hung up. The tracker ring he gave me two minutes ago is cold against my thumb.

"Move," I say.

"Nora." He doesn't move. "This is exactly what Orin wants. You walk in there, you're the hostage. Milo's already dead."

"He's not dead until I see a body."

"Then you'll see two bodies." Kael steps closer. His voice drops. "Yours and his. In that order."

I shove past him. He catches my wrist.

"Let go."

"No." His grip tightens. Not enough to hurt. Enough to mean it. "I can get him back. Give me six hours. I'll send a extraction team—"

"You don't have six hours." I yank my arm back. The debt mark flares hot under my sleeve. "Orin said midnight. It's eleven fifteen. And your extraction team? They work for you. Milo's nobody to them. They'll let him drop if it keeps you safe."

Kael's jaw locks. He knows I'm right.

"So move," I say again.

He doesn't.

I pull the tracker ring off and hold it up between us.