Chapter 13 · Dead Mom on the Radio

"Mara Thorne. I know you're listening. Bring Ivy to the old north bridge. Alone. No wolves."

The radio crackled in Mara's hand. My wrist flared hot, and the black mark crawled another inch toward my elbow.

"Who the hell is this?" Mara snapped into the receiver.

The answer came through in a low, steady voice.

"You tested her blood. You saw what the chain did. If you want answers, you'll do what I say."

My knees nearly folded.

Mom.

Mara's gun pointed at the floor, but her finger rested on the trigger. She glanced at me, then at Rex. Her face had lost its confusion. What replaced it looked worse.

Anger.

"That's a setup," Rex growled. His claws scraped the stone as he shifted his weight. "No one uses this frequency. No one alive."

Mara didn't answer. Her eyes stayed on me.

"Who was Iris Crowe to you?"

My throat closed. Hearing my mother's name in Mara's mouth tore open something I hadn't managed to bury.

"She's dead," I said. "Five years."

"Yeah." Mara's voice went flat. "I know. I was there."

The pew caught me before I hit the floor. "What?"

"Contract job. Eastern valleys. Rogue mage.