Chapter 7 · Welcome to the Monster Vault

"Take your hand off the door. Now."

Rowan’s fingers stopped a breath from the black metal latch.

Tessa kept the stolen shard pressed against his throat. It was no bigger than a coin, but blue light crawled under its glassy surface. Every pulse made the seal around her wrist tighten.

"You touch that door," she said, "and I drop this into the drain."

"You won’t."

"Try me."

His eyes lowered to the shard, then lifted back to hers. He stood close enough that the heat from his body cut through the cold leaking from the vault door. His coat brushed her knuckles. His breathing stayed calm.

That annoyed her more than the blade he carried at his hip.

"You need what’s inside," she said. "So do I. That means you don’t get to order me around for five minutes."

"You’re holding a memory shard over my throat."

"And you’re still talking like you’re in charge. Cute."

His jaw flexed.

Good. She had found the crack.

Behind them, the tunnel shook. Dust spilled from the ceiling. Somewhere far above, Council hunters were cutting through the sealed passage with breach charges.