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“Who could have done that? I mean, hexingyou?” She emphasized the last word. “You aren’t even affected by magic.”

“That’s not entirely true,” I replied. “Throwing energy straight at me doesn’t work, sure. But potions—anything injected inside me, or consumed—can affect me. As does rune magic, clearly. But runes have to be, well,carved. There was no one in the room with me and a burning knife in hand, that’s for sure.”

I glanced down at my skin, the memory of that night still fresh. “I have never seen anything like that, or heard of it before. Carving someone’s skin at a distance? All my research leads to a big, fat nothing. When I saw Gideon’s file, I figured I should bring you up to speed.”

“You should have told us on day one, Kley.” Gideon scratched his chin. “But well, before today, I would have figured you could handle it too.Fuck. Maybe I should call Lucian.”

“Lucian?” Silver frowned. “Thenecromancer?”

That title made me roll my eyes. I was ninety percent certain it was just a rumor meant to scare people. There was no way he could actually raise the dead. Was there?

Not that it mattered.

I opened my mouth to caution Gideon. I knew my best friend. She was pissed, frightened on my behalf, and on top of that,already predisposed against, well, anyone by the name of Regis. Like half of the city, even my family.

No,especiallymy family. I didn’t see my parents often, but rants about the founding families and their rights were one of the primary topics that came up when we had to do small talk. Especially from my mother. I’d heard my father argue with her a few times.

Yes, they were immune to all laws of men, but this was on purpose, so the founding families could take it upon themselves to protect the city as they saw fit—and there was little argument that this was what most of them did.Be good, or the Nachtigall will come for youwas a threat as common in town as the Krampus and Baba Yaga were outside our walls. And there was no denying that the fear of actual fury descendants was more efficient as any evil spirit.

My mother always countered by mentioninghim. Cassius Regis, Lucian’s grandfather. The cautionary tale. The man who attempted—and would no doubt have managed—to murder every new blood in the city.

Then my father would say that was exactly the point, because thefoundersstopped him eventually. They had a purpose in a city so full of powerful entities: reminding everyone that crossing the line would lead to consequences.

After that sort of shouting match, my parents would stop talking to each other for another blissful month.

Silver, like my mother, often parroted her annoyance over the fact that some people were above the law. I guess I never saw it as a black and white issue because I was prone to listen to my father rather than my mother. He made sense. Without the fear of a powerful authority able to take action, what would this city be? A living nightmare was my guess.

Gideon nodded to Silver. “Yeah, he’s a rune expert. As Kleos was clueless, he was my next call this afternoon. I have anappointment to speak to him on Monday. Kleos, you should come with me. He should take a look at those runes. Maybe he’s seen them before.”

I quickly agreed, trying not to appear overeager, and ignoring the sudden shiver that ran along my skin. Because it had nothing to do with fear.

“Wait a minute. That guy, who was around at the time, is a rune expert, and you’re just having a chat? Instead of, I don’t know,arresting him?”

Gideon stared at Silver, shocked. Me, not so much. I tried not to sigh.

“Silver…it’s not him. It’s just not.” Gideon’s argument was certainly lacking.

I bobbed my head in agreement. It wasn’t Lucian. The end.

“What the fuck? He had access to her, the means, the motive?—”

“He has no motive,” Gideon said.

Again, I nodded.

“Are you blind? Weren’t you at the Silvervine last week? Hefanciesher.”

I flushed. “That’s nonsense.”

“I mean, sure,” Gideon responded at the same time. “But he wants to bang her, not fucking kill her.”

“He’s anecromancer, with a death touch!” Silver snapped.

“Neither of which are rune magic,” he reasoned. “I’ve read about his power; it absorbs all vitality, basically mummifying the victim, if they’re sucked dry. None of those bodies had any sign of that kind of magic. Just…abuse.”

I decided not to ask what that meant, exactly. I truly had enough nightmares already.

She crossed her arms around her chest. “He’s a murderer, too.”