Chapter 18 · Half a Red Ledger

"Grace, move!" Yanzhan's hand locked around my wrist and yanked me sideways. The beam crashed where I'd been standing half a second ago, spraying embers across the stone floor.

"The ledger," I choked out. Smoke clawed at my throat. "Jingchuan said—"

"I know what he said." Yanzhan dragged me toward the back hall of the Records Bureau. The whole south wing was already burning. Through the haze I could see shadows moving—too many, too fast. "We have two minutes before this place comes down."

"Then let go and I'll move faster."

He didn't let go. His grip shifted to my elbow, steering me around a collapsed shelf. "You don't know where it is."

"Neither do you."

"I know how they file military correspondence." He kicked open a side door. The room inside was narrow, floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and already the air shimmered with heat. "Red seals, northwest corner, second row."

I pulled free and ran for it. My eyes were streaming. The cabinets were labeled in characters I still couldn't read fast enough, but Yanzhan was right behind me, scanning faster.

"Here." His sword came up and he smashed the lock.