“You’re lying.” I bit it out through numb lips. I could feel the blood draining from my face in equal parts horror and sudden, startling anger. His eyes never left mine. Wide, streaked with the red of lost sleep and too bright after his tears. And so very, very frightened. I took a step forward as he shook his head back and forth. “You’re lying! You know, you have to know!”

  Because if he doesn’t know, then what can we do? How will we save her? She’s alone and cold and scared and she needs us to find her!

  “I swear it, lady. I swear it; I don’t know where she takes them.”

  Renner leaned forward, eyes narrowed to slits, and snarled, “Oh, he’s definitely lying.” Gil grimaced at him, yellow teeth flashing in the dim light. “You heard him earlier; he left you. Means he was planning to take you somewhere, and I’ll bet his worthless hide that it was straight to whatever monster has its claws in this damned place.”

  I stared at the stablemaster, thoughts churning. Renner’s guess sounded logical- or at least, as logical as it could, given the nightmarish circumstances. It was the same awful thought I’d chased away earlier, the one I could scarcely wrap my mind around; that this grim, haggard man had indeed intended to harm me last night.

  His tears were real. That awful look on his eyes when he saw my magic… that was real. He ran away last night and drank himself into a stupor and now he’s telling me to run. And his hand… gods, whatever’s going on, I don’t think he wants to be a part of it. I think he is a victim.

  I didn’t have much evidence, beyond the man’s behavior, to reinforce the thought. A dark voice in the bowels of my mind whispered that, for all I knew, he was playing us. Perhaps every tear was a well-crafted lie; perhaps his grief and pleas for us to run were just an attempt to throw us off the trail.

  Renner probably assumed that’s exactly what it all was. I wasn’t so sure.

  Gil’s voice was dry and strained as he ground out once more, “I don’t know where she takes them.”

  Renner balled one hand into a fist and, too fast for me to do anything but cry out, rammed it into the man’s stomach. Gil doubled over with a heavy wheeze. Glass shattered as a bottle behind him was knocked to the floor, and sweet-smelling liquor pooled around Gil’s scuffed boots. He swung his good hand out, as if to ward the younger man away. Renner swiped his knife-hand against the blow, and his fist curled again…

  “Stop!” I lunged, grabbing his arm and yanking backwards with all my might. It was enough to pull him off balance as Gil shoved away, and the two of us tumbled backwards.

  Renner steadied himself, half-turned, and pushed me back. Not hard, and the motion didn’t hurt- but the expression on his face certainly did. It was the same look he’d worn outside, during our walk up. Brutal. Too eager for violence.

  “We tried this your way, ladyship. We asked nicely, and it’s getting us nowhere.”

  Gil slumped against the counter again, mangled hand clutching at his ribs. His breath was coming out in heavy gasps. He was watching Renner with the tense, wary stillness of a wounded animal.

  “It’s not!” I cried, practically throwing myself between the two men. Or at least, I tried to; Renner’s free hand shot out and he shoved me back again. There wasn’t any malice on his face when he did so, and his eyes remained fixed on Gil. Still with that coiled readiness to him, as if he expected the stablemaster to produce a blade or stretch out his hands and erupt in wicked magic.

  But Gil just stood, breathing hard and looking impossibly weary. I felt like screaming.

  “We already know more than we did! Gods, Renner, he might be just as much of a victim as Teela! We don’t know the full story- it’s not right to-”

  “I’m not a victim.”

  My voice died in my throat and I looked past Renner. Behind him, the stablemaster straightened and squared his shoulders. The look he leveled at me was so solemn that, once again, for a moment I could’ve sworn it was Durst standing in this dingy little home.

  “I’m a… a wretch and a liar; everything your friend says, lady.” His lips quivered, and once again his eyes were too bright. Renner glowered at the admission. “And gods’ help me, I’m a coward to my core. But I won’t stand here and let you call me a victim.” He swore the word like a curse, as though it tasted foul on his tongue.

  I wasn’t sure how to answer. “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

  “I’ve made my own choices. Not proud of them. Not… not gonna make excuses for them.” He slashed his hurt hand through the air with a little growl. I watched the motion and felt something cold swell in my stomach. His eyes went to Renner. “I’m a liar, it’s true. But I’m not telling you any more. Your friend’s dead, and there’s no… no helping it. No changing things.” Renner grew very still beside me, and the knife glinted in his hand. “One dead’s a sorrow. It is. But all three of you? Gods. Senseless. Leave, lady. Leave and tell folks to stay far away from this damned place.”

  Silence hung like a fog. I opened my mouth several times, head shaking back and forth in furious denial, but I couldn’t seem to form any words. The quiet crept between all three of us, choking my breath away as I fought to make sense of this nightmare.

  Renner finally broke it. His tone was flat. Dull. “Maybe she is dead. Salt, it’s been two hours since sunrise. She probably is. But, as far as I’m concerned, that makes your life forfeit.”

  I moved forwards immediately. “No,” I ground out, pulsing racing, as once again he shoved me back. I pushed futilely at his arm. “No. We are not giving up hope, and you are not killing this man.”

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  “Not sure that term applies, ladyship.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but Gil spoke first. “Won’t help.” He coughed out a breathy, harsh laugh. “Won’t end with me. She has others. Salt, I’m the one who…” He dipped his head, shaking it back and forth, and passed a hand across his eyes. “The Watch won’t find anything. I’ve tried.”

  Renner snorted. “Wasn’t planning to involve them.”

  The older man’s eyes flashed. “Gods, I’m not… fine. Damn you, fine. It won’t bring your friend back, but if that’s the justice you want, lady, I won’t fight it. Maybe the gods will have mercy on my soul, sent before your eyes.” His gaze swung towards me, and I staggered beneath the weight of his proclamation.

  I put a hand over my mouth. “Sir, you can’t mean that. I… there should be justice for whatever crimes you’ve done, but I’m not the one to decide that.” I seized Renner’s shoulder again and added, somewhat wildly, “And neither are you!”

  He looked down at me and dragged his tongue across his lower lip. “No? Because I don’t see anyone else offering.”

  Gil slammed his hand down onto the counter. The sound made me jump. “End me, or don’t. But, whatever else, you need to go. Don’t stay another night.”

  I shivered as the silence crawled between us again, tense and heavy. Renner continued to stare down at me, his mouth twisted into a hard slash and his jaw tight. Then his eyes glinted.

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” His voice was low and lethal. “Why you’re so concerned. Because she’s a runekeeper.” He spat the word and I flinched back, wondering at the sudden venom. Gil flinched, too, and his face clouded with shame. “Didn’t warn us ‘til you saw the magic. Were you just gonna… what? Keep playing dumb?”

  Gil swallowed. “I ain’t-”

  Renner bared his teeth in a vicious smile. “He values your life, ladyship. Didn’t before, but he does now. Isn’t that nice? He was ready to drag you off to gods’ know where last night, but now that he knows you’re blessed…”

  I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. Gil’s shoulders hunched and he turned his face away.

  The knife remained still in Renner’s hand, but he may as well have stabbed me with it as he added, almost casually, “Too bad Teela wasn’t special.” I could have hit him. I almost did. My hands clenched. He moved forwards, invading my space. “I wonder if she’s the first. Probably not. I bet she was scared. Probably wanted her mom. Do you think-”

  “Stop!” I shoved him back, hard, and his lips twisted into another feral grin. “I know what you’re t-trying to do! I won’t… we can turn him in to the p-proper authorities, but we are not going to hurt him!”

  Renner sneered. “How many?”

  “Wh-what?”

  He turned away, ignoring me. Gil’s weathered face was the color of bone and there were tears sliding into his matted beard.

  “How many? The tears, the smashed bottles… she wasn’t the first, was she?” The older man wheezed a moan and turned away, one hand dragging through his hair. I felt my chest tighten and Renner continued mercilessly, “Nah, the state of this place, the state of you. This is years of guilt. How many people are dead because of you? And how many more,” he shot a grim look towards me, eyes flashing, “If we just leave him?”

  “That doesn’t make it right,” I choked out, struck numb by the stricken look on Gil’s face. The words nearly caught in my throat.

  Is he right? Is he? It’s not our place to decide what his fate should be, but… doesn’t it make sense? If killing him saves lives…

  What if they were just… normal people who messed up?

  Teela had said that. She’d looked so thoughtful and so sad, red eyes dull and rainwater sliding down the sharp angles of her face. Wondering at the actions of criminals, at whether they were truly monsters. Showing empathy in a world full of people who despised her for no reason other than… no. For no reason that mattered. No reason at all.

  “He left,” I whispered. My eyes were wide and my hands were trembling, but I managed to meet the stablemaster’s gaze. “You… you left. Last night. Before you knew I was blessed, when you thought I was just a normal person. You chose to leave. And I saw you… I saw you weeping. Sir, I won’t call you a victim. But I don’t think you’re a coward. I think you… I think you just need help to be brave.”

  There it was again. That little light in those empty, soulless eyes. Like he could see hope.

  “Please. Please, be brave. Tell us where it took her. There might still be time…” my voice caught, too thick with sorrow to continue. Beside me, Renner gave a little growl.

  The pallor on Gil’s face didn’t wane. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Truly. But I’m not… it’s too late.” His hoarse voice cracked. “And I’ll not send you to your death. I have no more answers.”

  I closed my eyes, tears spilling out, and sucked in stale air. Then there was a rustle of motion, fast and precise and near-silent. I snapped my eyes open and grabbed at Renner’s arm with a cry.

  I wasn’t fast enough. He lunged. The knife flashed silver, straight for Gil’s throat. He lifted both hands and cried out, staggering back, and crimson blossomed along one forearm. Silver and red flickered again, lower, sinking into the man’s faded tunic, and there was an awful, wet gasp-

  “Veth!”

  I did it without thinking. Foolishly. Fire sprang forth, a blaze emboldened by my fear and desperation. I saw white and the flames dwindled almost immediately, dying at my fingertips as spots danced across my vision. But it was enough- too much. The countertop lit with blinding heat, and the spilled liquor at both men’s feet was ablaze in a heartbeat. Renner howled and threw himself back, his boots smoldering and flickering with orange, and Gil crashed to the floor only inches from the burning pool.

  It’s too close, oh gods he’s going to catch-

  I traced and threw myself forwards. “Alar! Alar, gods, I didn’t mean to, Alar!”

  The world spun and my vision went black and my chest roared with heat and fire was scorching my throat, Too much too much I’m burning oh gods what’s-

  The cold came like a shock. I gasped as the world came back into focus, first as a pinprick of white light and then, slowly, the dim expanse of the kitchen. There was water everywhere. It hadn’t been a little rainshower, it had been a torrent. I was soaked, and the flames were fully doused.

  Renner was white-faced on the other side of the room, stamping out the last smolders of his clothing. He was shaking. I gasped for air, praying I hadn’t actually hurt him, but couldn’t seem to form the words to ask.

  His head snapped up, eyes narrowed towards me, and the expression on his face… cold fear twisted through my insides. It was that lethal, predatory look again. Violent. Ruthless. Looking at me like I was an enemy.

  I didn’t have time to dwell on how frightened I suddenly felt. The world tilted sideways and I crashed to the floor. My heart thrummed like a trapped bird. Gil moaned beside me and I twisted my head to the side, trying to see if he was okay…

  The fire was no longer a danger, and it didn’t look like he’d been burned. But the knife… I could see its dark hilt embedded in his side. The cloth beneath was soaked black. He was staring at me, ashen-faced and slack-jawed, nostrils flaring with each heavy breath. His eyes were shining.

  I stretched shaking fingers out, pressed my palms against the damp wooden floor and tried to push myself upright. I failed. Both arms buckled. Spots danced in front of my eyes again and I felt, very distantly, the hard impact as my forehead hit the floorboards. I shut my eyes and saw white.

  As if from far away, Gil said something. A question. Breathless. Concerned. Asking if I was alright? My head swam. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t feel alright. I felt like I was falling.

  And then another voice, taut with fury and much too close, and a leather glove scraped against the back of my neck and…

  The world fell away.