Page 117 of Veil of Death and Shadow

“And you’re actually concerned? You’re sure she didn’t just take an impromptu holiday or sexcation?”

“Sexcation?” Kieran wrinkled his nose in confusion. “The fuck is that?”

“Look, I’m certain. This isn’t like her. We always check in. Do you have any idea where she could be?” My eyes started to well with tears and I choked on a sob. “Please.”

“Emotions are often heightened around me.” He glanced at my eyes and started to hand my bandana back to me until I vigorously shook my head. “Been that way since The Undoing. It’s why I like Sora so much. Usually run into her when she’s already in a good mood.” He sighed, then ran his hand through his red waves. “Okay, I don’t know where she is, but I do know what she might be after.”

I took a step towards him. “After? What do you mean?”

He bit his lip, considering for a second. “Alright. Look, are you familiar with the Sect of Azrael?”

I nodded and my chest was so tight it felt like it was on fire.

“She came to me a couple of weeks ago. She was real down. Unusual for her, you know?” He glanced at me and shrugged. “Hated seeing her like that. She’s one of my few sparks of joy around here. But when I started talking to her, she mentioned her sister—mentioned that the anniversary of her death was coming up.” He winced at whatever emotion he saw reflected on my face—anger, fear, grief, maybe all three. “I might have talked to her about a ritual I’d heard of.”

“Ritual,” I repeated, my voice hollow.

Kieran was glued to my side, the back of his hand brushing against mine. “Easy, Agony. Breathe. Try to reign it in until you get the information you need.”

“You know,” Rex shrugged and started to fiddle with the rocks and random beads on his cart, “not a guarantee or nothing, but a possibility. There’ve been rumors.”

“What did you tell her?” I asked. My finger pressed into my ring so hard, I was at risk of breaking it. “What did this ritual,” I spat the word, “of yours require?”

“Woah, woah,” he put his hands up, “let’s be real clear. Not my ritual. I’m just the conveyor of information. Don’t get mad at the messenger.”

“Tell me.”

He sighed, glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then gestured for me to get closer. “It requires three things. First, a shard of Michael. Second, the human completing the ritual needs to exchange blood with a vampire.” He held up three fingers, the creases of his knuckles still lined with his blood. “Third, she needs to complete the ritual at a place touched by magic.”

I clenched my jaw. “And this ritual—what does it do?”

“Like I said,” Rex spread his hands out, “no guarantees, but when I was with the Sect, they were certain this could help the living commune with the dead.”

There was a loud caw, and shiny black wings swept over the table. Menace swiped whatever pendant Rex had just yanked off his neck, then flew to an awning across the street.

Rex tossed a rock in his direction but missed by several feet. “That fucking crow keeps jacking my goods.”

“I’ll get it back for you, but finish telling me what you know,” I said, my focus darting from Menace back to the table of random rocks and gadgets. It mostly looked like junk. “You peddle these fake charms and talismans to people. Did you do the same to Sora?”

He clicked his teeth. “Fake? No. Who says it’s fake?” He shook his head. “And I told her several times that the ritual was a long shot. I’d never seen it done, didn’t know anyone with firsthand experience. Could be total crap, for all I know. But I thought I was helping—offering her some hope about some possible option in the future, when it might be feasible, you know?”

“You were helping yourself.” My hands were clamped in two fists again as I took another step towards him. “Trying to manipulate her back into her cheery, hopeful self. For your benefit. Not hers.”

Sora didn’t trust people easily. She wouldn’t charge into a dangerous situation without thinking it through, talking it out.

But she might skip some corners if it meant seeing Rina again.

I cursed, my hand curling into a fist again.

“Okay, okay.” He stepped back, bumping into his table and knocking his wares to the ground. “Look, I sold her a necklace. Blue—very nice, very rare. Matched her hair and everything.Was just trying to give her some hope. Make her smile. Didn’t think anything more would come of it.”

Shit. The pendant Menace had swiped and stocked away in his treasure box last week.

I took a slow, steady breath, trying to calm the rage bubbling inside of me. “And Incendiary; you got us into the club last week. Why?”

“She came back a few days later, a lot brighter, a lot happier—her usual self. She mentioned the club, wanting to go. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. Everyone wants to get a ticket into that place. How was I supposed to assume she wanted more than a nice night out with her roommate?” He tilted his head from side to side. “Couple people owed me favors. I called them in.” He shrugged. “Like I said, I felt bad. I was trying to make her happy. I was doing something nice.”

Nice. I grunted.

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