Chapter 7 · Name Your Price, Watcher

"Look at me when I ask you a question." Selene's fingers tightened around Tess's throat. "What are you?"

Tess's back hit the stone wall hard enough to rattle her teeth. Selene stood inches away, one hand at Tess's neck and the other pressed flat against the glowing seal on Tess's forehead. Heat crawled under Tess's skin. Her knees wanted to fold.

She kept her eyes open.

"A bad first date," Tess rasped. "You always choke people before introductions?"

Selene's gray eyes narrowed. "You were three seconds from being cut apart by a purge blade. I stopped it. You don't get jokes."

"You stopped it so you could do the choking yourself?"

The seal burned brighter.

A red line of System text appeared at the edge of Tess's vision.

HANDLER AUTHORITY CONFIRMED.

She swallowed against Selene's palm. "Your name is Selene Varka. Royal Battle-Mage. Summoning Watcher."

"Who told you that?"

"The little floating box only I can see. You know. The one calling me illegal trash data."

Selene's thumb shifted against Tess's throat. Not enough to crush. Enough to remind her that it could.

"Tell me what happened in the chamber," Selene said.

"They tried to summon a hero.