Page 91 of Owned

“No! No!” He tripped over himself in his haste to retreat. “I swear!”

“Just like you said?” My voice was sharp enough to cut and the woman on the mattress let out a low moan. “Did you give anything away, little rat? Is that why the meeting has been moved? They’re not going to the Old Road anymore, are they?”

“N-No…” he stammered. “It’s… but it’s not my fault. They don’t suspect—”

“That’s good,” I snarled, “because if they did, I’d take it out of your worthless junkie hide.”

He skittered away, but not fast enough.

My magic was faster and the black smoke wrapped around his waist and pulled him back toward me.

“You’ve been holding out on me, Rye,” I said. I gestured to the woman on the filthy mattress. “Your sweet Leona is high as a knighthawk— but everyone else in this building is chewing on ashroot, and she’s flying on vapor.”

Rye’s eyes widened and his greasy hair fell into his eyes. “I— I swear—”

“You’re full of shit, Rye,” I growled. “You don’t have the kind of money to get that good stuff on the shadow market. That’shigh end. Sages only. Elite stuff… What’s a piece of shit like you doing with a score like that? Huh?”

My magic tightened around Rye’s chest and he let out a choked cry.

On the mattress, Leona let out a whimper of fear and I glanced over my shoulder at her. “She’s had too much,” I said. “I can see it in her eyes— You know it, too. But she’s hooked now. Might be kinder to kill her before she’s severed entirely.”

“That’s— That’s not happening,” he stammered.

I looked at him in disbelief. “Don’t you know how that shit works?”

His mouth trembled.

Idiot.

“Every hit she takes? Every hit severs her soul from her body… That’s why it feels so fucking good. Just a little at a time. One sliver. You won’t miss one sliver. But chasing that first sliver?” I shook my head as memories I didn’t want flooded back. “And if she’s hooked— Well, there’s not much time left before she’s hollow.”

“You’re lying,” he whispered.

A bitter laugh ripped from my throat. “Why would I do that? Telling the truth is much more fun.” The smoke that wrapped around Rye’s torso crept higher and caressed his throat. “Now it’s time foryouto tell me thetruth,” I breathed. “Who are you getting it from? There aren’t many Sages who have access to Vesper Smoke. Are you stealing it from him?”

The rat’s eyes were wide and scared.

He’d been slowly murdering the woman and hadn’t had any idea.

Poetic tragedy.

Anyone else would have been moved to compassion. But not me. I was going to use it to my advantage.

“A name,” I said. “Give me the fucking name.”

“I—”

“Yes you can,” I pressed. “Look at your sweet Leona— I bet she was a beauty once. She probably did all kinds of filthy things for you when you gave her that Vesper, didn’t she? I can tell.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

It was hard not to laugh.

“Ireni—” he croaked. “Elder Ireni Ubaris.”

I snorted.

Really?

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