Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. “No. I mean, I don’t know, okay? You killed the other spy because he threatened to destroy everything you and the Legion have worked so hard for. If I did the same, why wouldn’t you kill me, too?”

He sighed and held the ring up before him. His expression was blank, unreadable. “You’re under my protection. I swore an oath to you. I would rip a man’s spine from his body if he tried to harm you. And then I would grind up his bones and give them to the fae.”

“Oh.” I blinked, cheeks flushing. “Well, that was oddly specific.”

“I mean it, Mia.” He curled his fingers around the ring and then pocketed it. “I wish you’d told me sooner. I can’t trust you if you can’t trust me, and I’ve told you how important loyalty is to me. But this ring certainly explains a lot.”

“Explains what?”

“The carving on the signet. That’s my demon seal. It holds power. My power,” he replied. “It explains why you were able to hold your own against the killer that night in the alley. You used it against him, didn’t you?”

“I did. I think,” I admitted. “I didn’t really know what I was doing. All of a sudden, I just kind of threw him away from me with an invisible…fireball? But when I tried a second time, nothing happened.”

He nodded. “It’s because you don’t know how to use it. You got lucky, Mia. Most humans wouldn’t have been able to tap into the power without being taught how. If you hadn’t been carrying this ring, he would have claimed another life.”

My heart dropped. “Az, he is going to claim another life. Read the note.”

Frowning, he unfolded the paper. A few moments passed before he said anything. It was only then that he seemed to notice the shredded map, the scattering of pins. He crumpled the note and hurled it against the wall.

“Dammit!” His voice boomed, echoing down the silent hallway of the club. A moment later, the Legion appeared in the doorway. We quickly filled them in on what had happened. One by one, they shuffled into the room and dropped into a chair. The night had begun with eager excitement. Now, every eye was hooded and dark. The killer had won. Again.

“What are we going to do?” I whispered, heart thumping.

“We aren’t going to do anything,” Az replied through gritted teeth. “I’m taking you back to my apartment, and you’re staying there until we have a plan.”

“But—” I started.

“But nothing,” he insisted, turning to the others. “Serena is alive and well. He wouldn’t have made a bargain with her life if she wasn’t. We have time to find her and put a stop to this.”