Page 47 of Turncloak

Jebat scoffed bitterly. “As long as there’s corruption inside the system, those involved will do anything to ensure they aren’t incriminated.”

Auria crossed to the mirror and studied Riv through the one-way glass. The black-cloaked Practer was humming a folk song about large appendages. “I’d love to look at the witness reports from the other Broad Row murders. Go through them with a fine-tooth comb and—”

“Marriosan,” Jebat interrupted, with an air of apology. “The autopsy results came back on the victim. There was a Bloodmoon loyalty brand over their heart.”

Dread sank into Auria’s stomach. “A targeted attack?”

“Ordinarily, this might not be enough to suggest as much. The victim was still clothed when they died, so it’s unclear whether the suspect knew what lay beneath. But two of the other victims this week were wearing dark red cloaks, and another was a known Whitewing. This is a clear feud between the whites and the Bloodmoons.”

Auria stared up at the ceiling. “Which means…”

“I’m sorry, Marriosan. Karvas insisted we take you off this case.”

She tossed her careful notes onto the floor with a petulant scoffing sound. “But the whites and the scarlets are so embroiled at this point that it’s going to be impossible for me to find a Whitewing case clearly delineated from—”

“I know, I know. You have every right to feel frustrated. But you can still be of immense importance to the Whitewing operation. There’s a location within your patch that’s seen a lot of white cloaks coming and going of late. I’d like you to stake it out for at least a month, gather as much intel as you can. Then deliver a report on whether you believe it to be a drophouse or headquarters of sorts.”

“Fine.” Auria gestured to the mirror on the wall. “Enjoy unpicking the rest of this yarn. I almost had it.”

Jebat bowed his head, and she sensed from his expression that there was something else.

“What is it?” she asked, fear darkening inside her like a storm cloud. A little over a month ago, Aspar had told her, in a conversation not unlike this one, that her grandfather had been found murdered at the hands of a Bloodmoon. What terrible news was Jebat steeling himself to tell her?

He gave her an odd smile.

“Nissa Naszi is awake.”

24

• • • •

What Is Lawful, What Is Right

“Why in the name of all the hells are you crying?” Nissa groaned, as though Auria’s tears were a personal affront.

Auria was sobbing too hard to respond.

“You don’t even like me. Disdain would be too generous a word.” Nissa sighed, resting her head back on three stacked pillows. She looked, quite frankly, appalling. Her usually shiny black hair hung around her sallow face like lank tendrils of seaweed, and her collarbones cut severely through her pale blue tunic. There were bleeding pinholes in the crooks of her elbows from when she’d woken up, spotted the intravenous fluids, and pridefully yanked them out.

“I know,” Auria whispered, tasting warm salt. She took a seat at Nissa’s bedside, and a velvine leapt immediately into her lap, sensing she might need a breath of pleasure. Auria stroked the creature’s sleek black fur, its piercing purple eyes surveying her face. “I abhor you in most meaningful ways.”

“You must have been so bored without me,” Nissa went on, the antagonism bolstering her by the minute, like a plant who’d spent many weeks without water and was suddenly being fed.

“Something like that.”

“Come on, Marriosan. Why are you so overcome?”

Auria looked around to avoid meeting Nissa’s dragonesque gaze. The hospital wing was dotted with golden lanterns and fur pelts, its walls adorned with salacious murals. Orchestral music played softly from an unseen source, and every bedside table and medicine cabinet was stuffed with bowls of candied citrus peels and honey-roasted chestnuts. Beyond the arched windows, a sickle moon hung over Atherin.

“I thought I’d lost everyone, alright? Two months ago, we were all still together as a cohort, bright-eyed and full of wonder at what our futures might hold.”

“Speak for yourself.”

“But now…my grandfather is dead, the captain is dead. Alirrol too. Sebran is missing in action. And Tiernan…”

“Karvas told me. I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” Auria laughed bitterly. “You thought he was a weak-chinned fool.”