Chapter 14 · Duplicate authority?

The lantern flared.

Tess's vision shook. The System window blurred, then snapped back into focus.

[SCAN PHASE TWO: TIMER]

[SCAN PHASE THREE: BOND]

[WARNING: DUPLICATE AUTHORITY SIGNATURE]

The words vanished before she could process them.

"Duplicate authority?" Tess said.

Nima's grip froze against her neck.

"What did you see?"

"You tell me."

"Tess."

"No. You wanted me quiet. Now you get answers. What does duplicate authority mean?"

The door opened halfway. A thin man in a red mask looked through the gap. He held a hooked wand in one hand and a ledger in the other.

"The scan found a second contract signature," he said. "That's not the agreement you sold me."

Nima stepped between him and Tess. "The girl's a damaged summon. Her system throws false readings."

"False readings don't burn through a royal seal."

"Close the door."

"You brought a vessel into my toll room."

Tess's breath caught.

The masked man smiled behind the leather. "Oh. You didn't tell her?"

Nima turned. "Don't use that word."

"Why not? It's what the registry calls her."

Tess looked from one of them to the other.