Page 64 of The Unweaver

Definitely a terrible idea. Abort.

Cora beat a hasty retreat. Better empty-handed than no-handed if Mother caught her. Whatever was inside her flat, she could steal again. She took a circuitous route back to Bane’s house, unable to shake the feeling someone was following her. The sun had risen over the squat buildings by the time she found the brick warehouses again. In a panicked rush, she realized the house wasn’t there.

Shit. Had the house already traversed away?

Her eyes swept the street. Losing her wits was the last thing she needed right now. The Realmwalker’s house could only be found if it was seen and only seen if it was found. She stared hard at the space where the house should be, squinting her eyes and willing it into existence.

There. The Gothic house appeared, squeezed between the warehouses.

The flutter of wings caught her attention. On a branch overhead perched a magpie with a bright red berry in its beak, its white and black plumage stark against the grimy snow. Tilting its head, the magpie watched Cora with a near human intelligence and an unmistakable eyeshine.

Cora froze. Fear spiked through her.

Mother.

No matter where Cora went, Mother would find her. And Cora had led her straight to Bane’s doorstep.

The magpie dropped the red berry at her feet. Eyes not leaving the bird, Cora bent to pick it up. Her fear turned to panic.

A Deathshade berry. Every part of the plant was poisonous, and mages used its fruit as a death marker. Mother was officially claiming the right to kill her.

The magpie continued to watch her, paralyzed on the sidewalk with a sodding berry in her hand. Cora dashed up the icy steps to Bane’s house, slipping and crashing onto her knees. She fumbled to get the key in the lock. Wings fluttered at her back.

“Shit shit shit.” Cora shoved the door open, dove inside, and kicked it shut.

Kevin sat in the entryway as if he’d been expecting her like an unwelcome guest. She stumbled past the cat, calling out Bane’s name, but heard only her own pounding heartbeat in reply. He wasn’t there. Of course he wasn’t there.

How long before Mother made it past the door? While the house had been repaired, Bane’s wards hadn’t been much of a barricade for Verek. Why not Mother too?

If there was another ambush, Cora couldn’t defend herself let alone the house on her own. She needed the Realmwalker.Breathing hard, she turned the Portal Key right and rushed through the door.

She burst into the Emerald Club office. “Bane! Something’s happened. I—”

Two pairs of eyes swung to her. Bane’s irritated gaze and another man’s, keen as a hawk. She skidded to a halt. Blood drained from her face.

The other man turned in his seat to scrutinize Cora in her stained coat. With nondescript features and an average build, he was ambiguous looking except for his crisp navy uniform.

A copper.

And by the many polished insignia on his starched jacket, a high-ranking copper.

Something like recognition sparked in the copper’s eyes. Shrewd eyes that had seen it all and missed nothing. Did he know who she really was? Could he see all the deaths on her hands?

Cora stiffened. Coppers never showed up when you were doing something right. She fisted the Deathshade berry, the burning pain in her palm all but forgotten. Mother had finally made that one call, cashing in on her blackmail and death marker while Felix’s ghost gloated.

Was Mother breaking into Bane’s house at this very moment?

“To what do I owe this intrusion?” Bane ran a critical eye over her from behind his desk. “Are you hurt?”

The staccato rhythm of her heart made response difficult. “Er, emotionally, maybe.”

“We’ve all got our problems today.” Bane’s gaze slid over her shoulder to the open door, where his house incongruously was, not the club.

She kicked the door shut. The slam was not as subtle as she’d hoped.

The copper’s eyes narrowed, flicking between Bane and a fidgeting Cora.

“A new member of your gang, Mr. Bane?” His tone was measured in a way that managed to be both condescending and deferential. He’d probably had to climb the ladder to his position the hard way.

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