Chapter 9 · The Door That Knows Her

"What the hell did you do to me?" Riven hit the end of the black chain so hard the wall shook.

The limiter snapped tight around his wrist and dragged him across the room. His boots scraped over the stone. He stopped one step from me, chest rising fast, black light crawling under his skin.

I kept the silver relic pointed at his throat. "I saved your life. Try saying thank you without making that face."

"You put a leash on me."

"You tried to burn through a brick wall. I improvised."

"Take it off."

"No."

His eyes dropped to my mouth for half a second. Then they came back colder. "That wasn't a request."

A horn blasted outside.

Not one patrol horn. Every horn in Gloambridge answered at once.

The windows rattled. Somewhere beyond the sealed shutters, people started shouting. Boots hammered through the streets, too many to count.

Riven's head turned toward the door. "They found us."

"You said your family kept the inspectors out of this district."

"I said they used to."

"Great. Love the update."

The chain pulsed between us. A sharp pain cut through my palm, and Riven staggered at the same time.