Make no excuses. Admit nothing. Those were street rules from way back. Somehow, he and Micah had to get through these next days together.

“I’m sorry,” Han said quietly. “I don’t have any answers for you.”

“They were my family,” Micah persisted, his voice ragged. “They were all I had. Fiona and I—we protected each other growing up. And she cared for you. She made mistakes, but she didn’t deserve to die for them.”

That pinged a nerve. The image of Mari’s charred body floated before Han’s eyes.

“My little sister didn’t deserve to die, either. And I have your father to thank for that.” Han went to brush past Micah, but Micah took hold of his arm, jerking him around.

“Let me see your amulet,” Micah hissed. “I’m betting it’s Waterlow’s. The only way you’d get it back is if my father is dead.”

Han easily broke Micah’s grip, slamming him up against the wall, his arm pressed against the boy’s throat. He could feel the thrum of Micah’s pulse against his forearm. His pain and rage bubbled to the surface, and it was all he could do not to act on it.

“Touch me again and I’ll forget that I’ve decided not to kill you,” Han said. “Given my upbringing, I just don’t have that kind of self-control.”

For a long moment they stood nearly nose to nose. Then Han took a step back, turned, and walked away, not looking back.

C H A P T E R  F I F T Y

POOR CHOICES

The problem with having friends, Raisa thought, is that they tend to gang up on you. Usually with the excuse that it’s for your own good.

These days it seemed that everyone—Amon, Cat, Hallie, Talia, and Nightwalker—was singing off the same sheet. It had gotten to the point that Raisa avoided being alone with those closest to her because she knew what the topic of conversation would be.

“We cannot wait any longer,” Nightwalker said. “If the Bayar made it out, then we can too.” Meaning him and Raisa.

“We don’t know that Micah made it out,” Raisa countered. “We haven’t heard from him since. Anyway, he had magic to help him. I don’t.”

“We know what will happen if you stay here,” Amon said. “If you leave, at least there’s a chance.”

“It’s a slim chance,” Raisa said. “Karn will be looking for me to try to escape. I’d rather die defending the city than be shot in the back like a coward.” Or be taken alive, she thought.

Amon tried a different tack. “With you and Mellony penned up here, Karn can concentrate all of his efforts on the city, and ignore what’s going on in the mountains. If you’re in the highlands, then he has to split his forces and his attention.”