Chapter 18 · The Oath Behind the Wall

"Take your hand off the door, Milo." Lena caught his wrist before his fingers touched the glowing mark. "Unless you want the Guild to know exactly where we are."

Milo twisted hard. Her grip did not move.

"You dragged me into a sealed furnace district," he said. "Now you are worried about fingerprints?"

"I am worried about the thing under that door." Lena shoved his hand against the brick and pinned it there. Her shoulder pressed into his chest. The heat from her palm ran through his sleeve, sharp and steady. "It is not a normal sigil."

"You knew it was here."

"I suspected."

"That is inspector-speak for lying."

Her jaw tightened. "Keep talking and I will let the ward lock you in place."

"You would have to let go first."

For half a second, neither of them moved.

The living mark crawled across the iron door behind them. Lines of red light pushed through the rust like veins under skin. The shape was almost a gear, but the teeth kept changing. Every time Milo looked away, there were more of them.

His dead engine answered from inside his coat.

Not with words this time.