Chapter 15 · The Name Beneath the Seal

"Take your hand off the door, Nora."

Lucan's palm slammed against the iron before she could pull it open. The force shook the lock and put his body between her and the curse chamber.

Nora looked at his hand first. Long fingers. Black gloves. A thin cut across his knuckles from the fight upstairs.

Then she looked at his face.

"Move."

"No."

"You dragged me through half the city to reach this room. You said the curse core could name the traitor. Now you're blocking the door like a nervous bride."

His jaw tightened. "The core doesn't name traitors for free."

"Neither do you. I noticed."

His eyes dropped to her mouth for half a second. It was quick, but she caught it. Lucan always looked like he was cutting a lock open when he looked at her. Tonight, his control had a crack in it.

Nora stepped closer until the front of her coat brushed his chest.

"What does it want?"

"A memory."

"Whose?"

"Yours."

She gave him a sharp laugh. "Then it can wait."

"It won't."

"Good. Let it learn patience."

Lucan caught her wrist when she reached for the lock.