Gideon looked from her to his pistol, his eyes inscrutable.
“The barrel’s empty. You need to reload.”
Is he messing with me?
“Go ahead.” He nodded. “Fire away.”
“You think I won’t?”
He smirked.
Rune narrowed her eyes. Fine. She would call his bluff.
Lowering the gun a few inches so she’d wound him, not kill him—or so she hoped—Rune pulled the trigger.
The pistol clicked but didn’t discharge.
She pulled again, but no bullet fired.
Ugh!Who infiltrates a heavily fortified palace with only one bullet in their gun?
Throwing down the pistol, Rune grabbed the casting knife strapped to her thigh and held it out in front of her, making it clear she was still armed and he better not try anything.
Gideon glanced at Ava’s body on the floor, unconcerned. “Someone will have heard that.”
Rune crossed the room to the door. “Which is only one ofmanyreasons we need to get out of here.”
Cracking it open, she glanced out into the hall.
The sight of distant guards running straight for them made her quickly pull it shut again.
“They’re already on their way.”
With no way out, her only option was to use her invisibility spell,Ghost Walker. But doing so would leave her Crimson Moth signature behind—letting everyone know Rune was responsible for this.
Unless I conceal it.
Rune scanned the powder room, fixing on the door of a small closet.
Pointing to it, she said, “Get inside.”
Gideon, who was at the sink washing the blood off himself, looked to the closet. Then back to Rune. His eyes were doubtful.
“Not the best plan you’ve ever come up with.”
He must have buttoned his trousers when her back was turned.
“I can’t cast a spell out in the open.” She walked toward the blood pooling around Ava’s body. “Cressida will see my signature and know I helped you. I need somewhere to hide it.”
He stepped away from the sink, shaking his head. “You’re not putting a spell on me.”
“It’s only a Minora,” said Rune, scooping Ava’s blood into her cupped palm.
Gideon took another step back. “I’ve already been subjugated bytwospells tonight.”
Rune rose to face him. “If I don’t—”
Shouts from the hall interrupted her.
