Chapter 18 · Silver Fire at the Door

"Don't come any closer, Rafe."

Vera's knife cut through the air where his throat had been.

Rafe jerked back, one hand catching the bedpost. The blade buried itself in the stone wall behind him, trembling from the force of her throw.

"You missed."

"I wasn't aiming for your throat."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

Her gray eyes locked on his.

They were still Vera's eyes. Sharp. Furious. But black veins crawled from the blood sigil at her wrist, reaching across her cheekbones. Red light pulsed beneath her skin.

The mark had taken the room.

No. It had taken her.

Two council assassins lay near the shattered balcony doors. One had a sword through his chest. The other sprawled beside the writing desk, his neck twisted at a sick angle.

Vera had dropped both men in less than a minute.

A third assassin crouched behind the bed, silver chain wrapped around one fist.

Rafe saw him move.

"Vera! Behind you!"

She spun.

The assassin lunged. Silver flashed toward her ribs.

Vera caught his wrist with both hands. The chain snapped tight around her forearm, and the sigil flared hard enough to paint the walls red.

The assassin smiled.