Chapter 12 · Grayson's Deal

The档案室 door slams open behind us.

I spin around. Grayson's standing there with four guards in black tactical gear, and he's holding something small and silver in his hand.

"Step away from the shelf, Ivy."

Silas moves in front of me. His shoulder's still bleeding through the bandage I wrapped an hour ago. "Ward. You have no authority in this building."

"I have a Council warrant." Grayson holds up a folded paper. "Signed by three Magistrates. You're under arrest for violation of bloodline protocol and unlawful bonding."

Thorne doesn't move. He's still holding the file we just found—the one that says Ivy Moore, potential vessel, age six.

"That warrant's fake," I say.

Grayson smiles. It's the same smile he used to give me when I tried to argue about wedding venues. "It's real. I had it expedited."

"You can't expedite a Council warrant in two hours."

"I can when I'm engaged to the Council Head's daughter." He steps into the room. The guards fan out behind him. "Now step away from Vane, and we can all walk out of here like adults."

Silas's hand closes around my wrist.