The Veil Between Lies

rs, each carved with the symbol of a city quadran

Coun

ally to deliver a closing argu

, he was

bove. The chamber was silent,

wor

Prosecutor. Council affiliate. Sworn enforcer of magical law." He

htened. He didn't

ilor Kestrel, though everyone just calle

. The rebel broadcast." She tapped her long, red nails on the

breath. "She was not

was t

firs

, highly magical, legacy-tier bloodline just happened to be in t

t flinch. "I'm suggesting

uinem," Harlan snapped.

edent. Section 77 of t

uote law to me, Counselo

even as the room tighten

gave you the assignment. Surv

weekly

," Kestrel said. "Y

t her within range. I maintained visibility. I

her

he had

'd helped

ack in her chair.

a room with execu

but there was

"We polished your record. Protected your reputat

asked for

ed. "You earned t

pause f

asked. "Where doe

't blink. "W

sn't

exac

t their la

ber – Minu

ripping from his wrists. His face in the mirror looked t

ed to the

r

ause she as

he wan

e door open

paralegal. Trust

t it," she

w," he

the internal sweep. Unauthorized blood acc

anned it quickly. A na

ative. Extraction

ht hours?"

r as an 'unstable magical asset.' The dir

note and tucked i

," Ivy said. "Do you

. If she reacts too early, they'

idn't

fly. "Careful, Cass. They're not watch

ndle it,

nt. "You can't pr

her," he replied. "I

Hall- Same

or Kestrel stood before the

" she sai

dded. "Of

ch means we don't need to qu

s looked

sm

r. Which means

"Which makes him

aid smoothly. "We just have to

-------------

k on the ride home.

his apartment, it f

ross the floor. The curtains were half-drawn, revealing New

oured himself a dri

the drawer be

e: a

lim-cut.

ir

ehind after the

y hadn't ev

hands. Her scent still lingered fai

w why he hadn

t proved someth

dn't all b

leaned back in his chai

idden-back to the fi

istry Archives, S

red the first t

masked, seductiv

Elira

on, hair up, scribbling annotations by hand when

shelving

ed rune stone like it still deserved reverence. She labeled each item by hand. She even whis

ed him then. Mos

notic

was hiding

in the doorway long

t powerfu

uiet. Dis

y she was

ection to the residuals from Project Revenant. She wasn'

orted

ould

he d

----------

but untouched. His tie hung loose around his neck. The wi

sk sat tw

to of Elira on the r

. The one they foun

t both for

owly, ca

e bracelet i

the photo

n boy of the Council, perfe

e his first

r

ext one might cos

The security clearance still accepted his finge

ile had b

ed. Not t

lass

nce to Subject: Extract

ren't planning to

preparing

he re

the bottom

- Revenant Awak

rsed under

t a witne

s a tr

ork. Internal agents. Enforcers. "Sanctioned" re

e flash

on - Task: Subdue Subject

at back,

giving her

ey'd ta

ill

--------

fed. Runes etched into the co

w the blinds, and sat a

at the monitor

ked the drawer where he kept the old things-the thi

si

al Revenan

link to a dead un

igil-a token of immunity from an old

esitated ab

in his overr

iles

peared at the t

gacy Threat. Extract

gone viral across shadow channels. Rebel groups

asn't preparing a

preparing

ightly as he opened the

it was

rders p

rofile. Left a single instruc

to check on her. Not as my paraleg

e message with

a blank file

en. The same kind used f

wr

t: Eli

cation:

Protect at

the page fo

into his se

d opened the false pan

a phoenix coin. Rebel-

stared

cked

coin between

ver be a rebel,

d it on

d out a bl

er, he wro

, El

s a t

s a c

n't stop the Cou

repare her for