Was it really wise to leave Killian out here alone? What if a human accidentally offended him, and he decided to maim them?

I peered up and down the street, hoping a Drake vampire would emerge to watch their leader, but I didn’t see any in the swirl of people walking up and down the sidewalks.

It was really easy to tell who was supernatural and who was not. Anyone familiar with supernaturals glanced at Killian, paled, and moved to walk on the other side of the street. Only oblivious humans walked past him. Two young women even tossed their hair and giggled at him as they strutted past.

Conversely, they didn’t seem to hear Killian’s phone call, or it might have put a dampener on their interest.

“I don’t care. Fail me again, and I’ll have you staked under the noon sun,” Killian said in his too-pleasant voice that always meant pain was coming.

I shivered, but relaxed when I recognized Manjeet and Sigmund—two Drake vampires—crossing the street.

“We had to park,” Sigmund said when they reached me.

“No worries. Wish me luck!” I winked and slipped through the revolving bank door, holding my breath when I stepped into the fluorescent script of the dragon seal. It was a burst of heat on my skin, but faded as soon as I passed through it.

The interior of Tutu’s vaguely resembled an old-fashioned bank. Tellers stood behind gorgeous wooden stands that were fenced in with iron bars, and velvet ropes indicated where lines began.

Everything looked beautiful—the stands had elaborate carvings of dragons and piles of money, and the iron bars had fancy decorative swirls at the top and bottom—but there was no hiding that every bar, every piece of furniture was covered with seals and wards. Even the frames of the artwork hung on the brick walls had dragon seals plastered to them.

This is what made Tutu’s safe. No one—and I mean no one—could break in and survive.

I waited in line for a teller—a lean young man who was probably a werecat based on the unnatural luminescent green of his eyes and his silent movements. He smiled and set his hands on the glossy wood stand. “Welcome to Tutu’s, how can I help you?”

“Hello.” I smiled politely as I set my folder—which contained the House deed and other official papers—on the stand. “I’m Hazel Medeis. I inherited my parents’ vault, and I wanted to open it up today.”

“Of course. I assume you have the necessary legal documents and a photo ID?” the teller prompted.

“I have the documentation.” I opened the folder and slid it in the rectangular gap left between the wooden stand and the iron bars for that purpose. “Unfortunately, I don’t have any ID, and I can’t really get any right now.”

I’d left my wallet behind in House Medeis. Mason went through my room and took my wallet, phone, and personal stuff when I fled, so there was no way I was getting it back until I kicked him out.

The werecat frowned. “That is going to be a problem.” He opened the folder and flipped through the documents. He found the document that proved I had inherited the vault, then turned to his sleek black computer and pounded on the keyboard for what felt like forever.

“I can verify that Rand and Rose Medeis have Hazel Medeis listed as a beneficiary, and your paperwork confirms that Hazel Medeis has inherited everything as is proper. However, without any legal ID confirming your identity, we cannot give you access to the vault.”

Chapter Four

Hazel

“Could I bring my parents’ lawyers and have them confirm my identity?” I asked. “Or do you have a wizard on staff who can confirm my wizard mark?”

“We need legal documentation, unfortunately,” the teller explained. “Fae glamor can be used to trick others into believing you are someone else, and your wizard mark proves you are a wizard, but not your personal identity unless you get a confirmation from Wizard Registration that proves the match. If you don’t have a voucher from Registration, we need a photo ID and then use a magic process to test your blood.”

“I can get my ID, but I need to get into the vault first to get my signet ring so I can reclaim House Medeis,” I said.

“I’m afraid we can’t allow that,” the teller said. “Company policy.”

“Can I make an appeal for a special case?”

“Yes, the appeal process usually takes several months.” The werecat ducked behind his stand, then reappeared with a packet of papers.

I took them, holding in a sigh at the size of the stack, and took my folder back, too. “Thanks for the help.”

“It was my pleasure—though I am sorry we cannot do more.”

I nodded and was about to step back, but then paused. “No one besides me can be granted access to the vault, right?”

The werecat glanced at his computer. “Hazel Medeis is the inheritor, but the Adept of House Medeis automatically has access as well.”

“I’m the Adept, but I’m guessing I need legal proof?” I asked.

“You need a photo ID and to be the registered Adept, yes,” the teller said.

I finally let a sigh escape me. “Go figure. Thanks anyway.”

“Of course. Have an enjoyable day.”

I clutched my papers as I left the building through the revolving door—the dragon seal dropping a kiss of warmth when I passed through.

Killian was still on his phone. I don’t know if he could smell my nasty-scented blood, but he turned around when I stepped onto the sidewalk.

I smiled at Manjeet and Sigmund—who backed up a few steps.

Just before I reached Killian, he wordlessly hung up his phone call. “That was faster than expected.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t get to see the vault. They need a photo ID, and I left all of mine in House Medeis when I was fleeing for my life.”

“What will you do next?” Killian asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve got time, though. The ring has to be in that vault, and Mason can’t open it since he’s not the Adept, so he can’t claim it either. Can we go home?”

Sigmund jogged off—probably to get one of the cars.

Killian studied me. “You are upset.”

“Frustrated.” I puffed my cheeks out with my sigh. “It just seems like I can’t get anything to go right with House Medeis.”

Killian stared at me. In fact, he stared at me so long, I was starting to feel awkward, so I peered out at the street, which was gold with the setting sun. “Did you finish your phone call?”

“No.”

I whipped back around to gape at Killian. “Then you just hung up on them?”

“Yes.” He tilted his head as he stared at me. “Have you started wearing perfume?”

“No,” I sourly said. “Rupert already complains enough about the smell of my blood. He’d be unbearable if I tried to cover it up with a human scent. Why?”

“Hazel?”

Recognizing the voice, I whipped around and almost dropped my papers. “Momoko?”

Momoko booked it down the street. She craned her neck, wildly looking around, as she skipped the last few steps to me. “Hazel, thank goodness.”

She reached out to grab me, but Killian—with his hands on my shoulders—tugged me out of reach and managed to half scoop me behind him.

“You know this human?” he asked me.

“Momoko—it’s fine, she’s one of my best friends,” I said.

Killian stared at her. “Your best friend from the House that betrayed you?”

“Everyone from Medeis saved me—Mason was the traitor. Come on, you know she’s safe. You let her visit me in Drake Hall.”

“Do you really think I bothered to remember the faces of random wizards?” Killian asked.

“Yes,” I bluntly said.

Momoko had shrunk during our conversation, but at my response she bulged her eyes at me in shock.

Killian also turned slightly so he could look back at her. “Don’t take too long.” He released his hold on my shoulder and let his hand slide down my arm before stepping away to speak to Manjeet in a lowered tone.

Momoko threw herself at me, wrapping me in a fierce hug.

Tears stung my eyes, and I sniffed as I hugged her back.

When Momoko finally released me, she left her hands on my elbows. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I wiped at a tear—seeing Momoko was like crashing into a wall of homesickness. Exhaustion and determination had kept it at bay, but seeing her made me realize how much I missed everyone, and how much I missed House Medeis.

Momoko didn’t look convinced. She scratched her arm—the blasted magic-blocking cuffs Mason made the whole family wear so they couldn’t use their magic and fight him glittered in the fading light. “I’m so glad I saw you—I was about to leave.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we overheard Mason say you’d gone to the lawyers we knew it wouldn’t be long before you’d come to Tutu’s. We’ve been taking shifts hanging around.”

I frowned. “Why don’t you just come to Drake Hall?”

Momoko winced. “Mason found out about that, so it’s not really an option anymore.”

I stiffened. “Did he punish you for coming to see me?”

Momoko ignored the question. “I don’t have much time—I’ve been out too long already. But you need to know: at the next Wizard Council session, Mason is going to request that he be made Adept of House Medeis.”

“That’s impossible,” I said. “I’m still alive! And besides that, the council can’t change who inherits the House!”

“He’s going to try,” Momoko said grimly. “He’s trying to frame it that you abandoned House Medeis and are an unfit leader. Even if the council agrees, he can’t be made Adept without the signet ring—which I assume you have now, as well as all the paperwork,” Momoko said. “You need to hide it so he can’t get to it.”