Chapter 6 · The Lock Under the Lie

“Get down!” Calder slammed Mara behind the stone counter as the front windows exploded inward.

A wave of blue fire tore through the room. Glass sprayed across the floor. The shelves behind them buckled, dumping sealed spell jars into a smoking heap.

Mara shoved Calder’s arm off her throat. “You could’ve warned me before throwing me into furniture.”

“I did warn you.” He crouched beside her, one hand braced on the counter. “You ignored me.”

“You said, ‘Move.’ That’s not a warning. That’s a command.”

“Fine. Next time I’ll write you a formal notice while the city guard shoots at us.”

Another blast punched through the wall. The counter jumped under Mara’s palms. Heat crawled across her face.

She looked past Calder. Three figures stood in the broken street outside, their rune rifles glowing white-blue. More shapes moved behind them. Too many for a simple arrest.

“Those aren’t pursuit officers,” she said.

“No.” Calder pulled a short black blade from his coat. “They’re lockbreakers.”

Mara’s stomach tightened. “That word isn’t used by the guard.”

“Your old friends don’t like honest labels.”

“Don’t start.” She reached for the silver chain burning around her wrist.