Chapter 7 · My Friend Brought Chains

The first chain hit the tunnel wall hard enough to chip stone.

Ronan moved before Mara even turned.

He shoved her behind him, one hand clamped over his ribs where the black seal burned under his shirt. The other hand came up with a knife. Not a silver Council blade. Something older. The edge looked dark and wet in the blue light leaking from the memory machine behind them.

A woman stepped out from the side passage with three lengths of iron wrapped around one fist.

Inez Calder looked exactly like Mara remembered and nothing like her.

Same sharp black bob. Same narrow face. Same small gold ring in her left nostril. But her gray coat was splashed with blood, and there were bruises around both wrists. One cuff still hung open beside her hand.

Mara stared at the chains.

"Seriously?" she said.

Inez stopped six feet away. "You are alive. Great. That makes one thing tonight less awful."

Ronan did not lower the knife.

"Take one more step," he said, "and I cut your throat."

Inez looked at him, then at the blood running down his side. "You are in no shape to make threats, Vale."

"Try me.