Page 75 of Horn of Winter

Then he swore, flung it open, and raced out.

I was right behind him. The door into the other room was open, as was the exit door, the metal stairs vibrating softly as someone raced down them. Eljin flew out after her, vaulted over the railing, and dropped to the ground below. I swore, caught the wind funneling in from outside, and ran out after him, reaching the top metal landing just as he pinned the woman front first against the exit gate and growled, “Don’t move.”

She didn’t, but magic rose in the air, sharp and dangerous. Dark purple light instantly boiled down the knife’s fullers and spread out into the night, reaching with lightning speed toward the spell being cast, cindering it before it could fully form.

The woman swore and cast a look over her shoulder.

It wasn’t some unknown woman called Rhonny Brown.

It was Keeryn Gordon herself.

And I couldn’t help the faint sliver of relief that ran through me. I wasn’t sure how I would have reacted had it actually been my aunt.

I walked down the rest of the stairs, doing my best to avoid the puddles. As I approached the two of them, her magic began to rise again.

I raised the knife and said conversationally, “I’m not sure what my aunt has told you about these things, but they are designed to protect me and kill magic. I’ve a theory that the latter also means it could kill the magic within a spellcaster if I stuck the knife into his or her flesh, and I really would love the opportunity to test that theory out.”

The spell died. She obviously wasn’t willing to give me that opportunity.

“I can’t tell you anything,” she growled.

“You don’t have to. I know who you are, and I know you’re working with my aunt. What I don’t know is why.”

“You killed my sister. Why would I not?”

“I didn’t kill your sister, greed did. She tried to claim a relic she wasn’t powerful enough to control, and it consumed her.”

Which was the truth, even if, in the end, it was me who’d sliced her in two.

“You lie.”

“No, but hey, you’re free to believe whatever you want, even the lies spouted by my aunt, who never actually witnessed what went on with the Claws or her daughter’s deep involvement with the people who eventually murdered her.” I drove the knife into the wooden door leading out into the street—silently but profusely apologizing to the fibers as I did so—then rang Sgott.

“I’ve just caught Keeryn Gordon,” I said the minute he picked up. “You want to come and collect her?”

He snorted softly. “Seriously, are you after my job or something? Where are you?”

I smiled and gave him the address. “We actually owe the ghul for this one—she gave the heads-up. In truth, I had thought it was Riayn staying here, not Keeryn.”

“Which is why you didn’t givemethe heads-up,” he said, in a tone that was a mix of annoyance and resignation.

“I wasn't on watch alone—I’m not that silly.”

“I guess I should be thankful for small mercies, then. We’ll be there in ten.”

He hung up and I tucked my phone back into my jean’s pocket. Eljin glanced from me to Keeryn and back again, then raised his eyebrows in silent question. When I nodded, he released her and stepped back. Keeryn rotated her shoulders, took a quick glance toward the still-glimmering knife, and obviously decided not to do anything untoward.

“Why did you run?” I asked. “You barely even walked into that room.”

“I knew someone had been in searching the room.”

“How? There were no active warding spells, and I certainly didn’t see any motion cameras.”

If therehadbeen the latter, why would she even have bothered to come back here?

“I used an old but simple trick—cotton thread lightly attached to a couple of drawers and along the base of the bathroom door.”

“I’ll definitely look out for that one next time I break and enter. Thanks.”

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