‘You shouldn’t still be here,’ said a voice from behind me. 

I spun to see Vik’s military head of investigations coming down the final steps. The close-cropped hair. The silk green necktie (only the rich, like her, like Father, chose to wear a noose as an accessory). The grey military uniform (she’d opted for combat, not ceremonial; her early arrival was intentional). The dark, calculating eyes. Though Tassurians in the highest political echelons weren’t meant to be Dhaherite, this woman certainly was, and how she’d managed to get her position despite that worried  me. But the knowledge had also given me leverage. ‘Bain,’ I said with forced nonchalance. ‘You’re early.’

‘I’ll have to take you in.’

‘We agreed–’

‘You assured me I would find only bodies, not you and your boyfriend scuttling about in blood.’

Day continued his explorations, feigning indifference. We could feel one another’s intentions, and both of us knew better than to attack Corina Bain on a whim.

‘Well, how about you close your eyes for a second and we’ll be gone.’

She leaned her muscled frame against the wall, blocking the stairs. Knives glinted, black, along her thigh, and a gun sat at her hip. My knife was still in my hand, so I held advantage for the time being. 

Corina’s eyes slipped briefly round the living quarters. ‘More lightbulbs. Is that the great threat you were drivelling about in my office? Our city’s lighting system?’ 

‘You know it’s more than that. He already controls seventy percent of Tassuri’s energy stores. The money is going to go into more fuck ups like me, and I’m pretty sure you don’t want that.’

‘How can you be so sure?’ 

‘You’ll have to trust me.’

‘I don’t.’

I grinned. ‘You’re smart and you know how to survive. I struck out this time, but I’m close now, I know it. I’ll hit the right lab next time.’ 

‘I won’t be granting you a next time, Ellie. Your father has given the clear for your arrest. No more princess treatment.’

Rage spilled out through my veins like ice, driving me a slow step towards her. ‘Isn’t this proof enough that I’ve hit close? He’s spooked.’

Corina Bain smiled grimly. ‘I have work to do, and your family drama has become tiresome. If Eric Blake is indeed making human weapons, I’m sure justice will come to him when it’s due. Just as it will be served to you today.’

I moved on instinct, throwing my knife through the air, towards Corina’s neck, but she deflected it with her own and drew her gun. She underestimated Day’s speed. He tore across the room and broke the direction of her bullet so it whizzed past me. My ears rattled from the bang, but I was already racing towards them.

Corina turned her assault on him and attempted another shot. Blood sprayed and Day grunted, but he kept at his assault on her. My chest seared with rage. 

I reached them and kicked her knee in. We didn’t have time to be careful with her. Reinforcements would arrive at any moment. She hissed out and elbowed my head with a ferocity that nearly dazed me. But she stumbled. 

 The gun skittered away, along the tiles. Day had managed to disarm her, but he was clenching his bloodied shoulder, his usual serenity stripped away. The sight of it made me fall into the deepest vats of darkness that existed within me. It was a cold place, shrouded in mist and volatile flames. 

Swerving beneath another of Corina’s punches, I snatched one of the knives from her thigh and drove it straight into her left eye. 

The fight left her immediately. Screams filled the small basement room. Before she had fully dropped to the floor, I took Day’s hand and ran.