Chapter 28 · Sister's Price

"Don't you dare step through that door."

Kaela's hand clamped onto my wrist. Hard. Her grip was a bruise in the making, but I didn't pull away. I couldn't. The Bought Oath was humming under my skin—a cold, metallic vibration that made my muscles twitch every time I tried to resist the Auditor's will.

I looked at her. Really looked. Raw panic. She didn't know about the sister yet. She just saw a puppet.

"Let go, Kaela," I said. My voice sounded hollow. "I'm not doing this for fun."

"You're doing this because you like the taste of power," she spat. She stepped in, the scent of iron and rain hitting me. She shoved me back against the stone wall, her forearm pinning my chest. "You're becoming him. You're becoming Varric. You think you can just buy your way into everyone's soul?"

I let out a sharp, jagged laugh. "Maybe. But Varric has something you want more than your pride."

Kaela froze. She didn't let up the pressure, but her eyes sharpened. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Behind us, the Auditor cleared his throat. Dry. Irritating. Like sandpaper on glass.

"Patience, Miss Vance," the Auditor drawled. "Mr.