Chapter 8 · The Boss Behind the Hunt

"Welcome home, Lucan. Did you really think you could outrun the contract?" Sera's voice slid through the speaker over the sealed gate, sweet and flat and right in my ear.

Lucan's hand locked around my wrist before I could breathe.

Not protective. Possessive. Like he was making sure I didn't run straight into her trap.

"Sera," he said. His voice didn't shake. "You're early."

"And you're late," she said. "Seven days, Lucan. You're burning through the city's core like a kid with matches. Bring me the girl and I'll make it clean."

The girl. Me.

My blood went cold then hot. The gate in front of us was supposed to be dead. Sealed for ten years. And it was swinging open on silent hinges because she had the key the whole time.

"You knew," I said. It came out sharp. "You knew she was listening."

Lucan didn't look at me. His eyes stayed on the dark beyond the gate.

"I knew she owned the gate," he said, low. "I didn't know she'd be standing on the other side."

"Bullshit." I yanked my wrist. He didn't let go. His fingers were hot, way too hot, the curse humming under his skin.