Harper looks at me. Something about the steadiness in his gaze helps ease my nerves. “Yeah.” He nods once. “Concordia is holding Rowan. They have our statements. There’s nothing else we need to do right now.” He turns to Marlow. “The authorities in Brighton have been filled in. Your alleged victim is alive and well. You’re not a murderer.”
Marlow goes still for a second and now he’s the one struggling to process what he just heard. “So, my name’s cleared.”
“The authorities know you’re innocent. You won’t be arrested in Brighton,” Harper says, and there’s the faintest pull at the corner of his mouth. “Well, not for murder. If you’ve done anything else…”
“I can really go back,” Marlow says like he’s testing the weight of the words.
Harper nods. “Anytime you want.”
Wynn turns to look at Marlow with a soft smile. “You’re officially a free man.”
Marlow shoves his hands in his pockets, trying to play it cool, but it takes a few more seconds before the easy charm falls back into place and the demon offers Wynn his arm. “Shall we go celebrate?”
Wynn laughs under his breath and takes it, and they toss a goodbye over their shoulders as they stroll off together. Iggy pats my shoulder, then pushes off with a flutter of wings and glides after them.
When I turn back to Harper, he’s still wearing that stunned look.
I poke his arm. “Your face still hasn’t caught up yet.”
He blinks and focuses on me. “The higher ups had a conference call to discuss what’s next with Rowan gone. The Brighton department needs to move in a new direction.”
Oh. That is surprising news. But welcome. “Like one that’s actually fair to everyone? Less keeping others out and more holding all people to the same laws and standards?” I say. “It’s about time.”
“They offered me the role.”
I stare at him. “What role?”
“Chief of police,” he says. “Interim chief for Brighton, but it could become permanent if all goes well.”
“Okay,” I say distantly. Holy crap. “Now I understand your face.”
He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Relax. I didn’t accept.”
That snaps me out of the shock. “Why not? Brighton needs someone like you!”
“Because I needed to talk to you first.” That part he’s steady and sure about. “Brighton isn’t the most accepting place. I wasn’t sure you’d want to go back there. Wasn’t sure it would be fair to ask.”
Oh.
I look down at the pavement for a second, turning that over. The city, the attitudes, the way people there thought about ‘dark’ powers, none of it was good. Necromancers weren’t allowed inside the walls, not officially, not ever, so I’d had to slip in uninvited. But Concordia was supposed to be different, a welcoming supernatural city, especially for anyone with magic. And even here, there wasn’t a single necromancer coven. Maybe there was no safe space. We’d have to build one.
Danger comes in all shapes and sizes, and one’s powers have nothing to do with malicious intentions. Brighton will probably understand that a lot better once they realize how corrupt their old chief was. This could be a fresh start for the city. And for me.
“I hadn’t thought about it,” I admit. “But if Brighton is open to all supernatural people again, things will change. And if you’re the chief… Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.”
“The attitudes there aren’t going to change overnight, Dodger.”
“I know.” I hold his gaze. “But we could do something meaningful and create a home for ourselves at the same time. If we’re both there working on it, the city will improve.”
Harper is quiet for a moment. “Are you an optimist now?”
“No,” I say flatly. “I just have faith in us.”
He smiles at that. “Me too.”
Making it Official
