A trail of dried blood crusting her side, her fingers and toes numb, either from being hung up or lack of blood, or both, Eliza opened her eyes to find she was still alive.

  Blinded in the morning light, the only thing she could see was the clock tower through the window, the one above the Chamber of Councils—the one built as a gift by the wizards when they were invited to join the government—if she remembered her history correctly.

  As her eyes adjusted, the room resolved itself. Less frightening by day, it was a simple holding cell made of stone blocks. The only evidence of where the ‘lump of flesh’ had laid was a damp trail leading up to a stone vent that sat just below the ceiling.

  She looked down at her body. Her naked skin looked gray, too gray.

  Metal whined as the door unbolted, and Josephine stepped in.

  “How did you sleep?” The inquisitor looked smug. She always looked smug.

  “Like you locked me in a room with a vampire.”

  “Well, yes,” Josephine scratched her neck, “interesting. I thought you’d kill him.”

  Eliza rattled her chains. “I can’t.”

  “Or won’t, but he’ll die either way. I’ll see to that. The question is, are you going to let him kill you first?”

  “Is that what this is about? Making me kill someone?”

  “There are a lot of possible outcomes, all fun for me. But I’m curious, if he does turn you, would that extinguish your spark? Maybe you’ll burn after all, just as the Silent Father intended.” She took a step forward. “You know… your ugly insides are starting to show on the outside.” Josephine ran the back of her hand along Eliza’s flame-balded head.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  That touch, Eliza knew it should have made her retch, but it didn’t, and she hated herself all the more for it.

  “I’ll finally be rid of you. One way or the other.” Josephine snorted.

  “Or you could try leaving me alone. Go off… anywhere. It’s a big world. You didn’t have to follow me to Greatwen.”

  “You think I followed you?”

  “You showed up a month after I got into the guild. What does that sound like to you?”

  Josephine ran a finger up Eliza’s throat. “Like me trying to end this.”

  “End what?” Eliza asked as Josephine’s breath tickled her face. She still smelled like Jo.

  The inquisitor’s eyes softened, gazing into Eliza’s, then hardened again. “I need to be rid of it, rid of you.”

  “Wait, what is ‘it’?”

  Josephine sneered. “This.” She raised two fingers, a snap of blue arcing between them.

  “And this.” She draped her arms over Eliza, touching lips.

  Their mouths interlocking, their breath entering one another, Josephine’s caress felt electric, and all Eliza could think was, ‘Please do not stop.’

  She felt the tiniest flick of the inquisitor’s tongue against hers, and then Josephine pushed away, moaning. “I know you put them there. I need to be free of them, free of—”

  “—I didn’t,” Eliza interrupted. “Whatever feelings, whatever spark you have. It’s all you. It’s always been you. I charmed you once, when we were younger. I admit it. But I asked you before I did it. You said ‘yes.’ And it was only fleeting. I can’t change how you really feel. I can’t put a spark into someone. If I could, I’d be rich.”

  “Liar!” Josephine spat.

  “Feelings are… about as controllable as they are convenient. I’m sorry this happened to you.”

  The old Jo looked at her with pleading eyes. “Do you still love me?”

  She thought about saying ‘yes,’ about how it might help her current situation. She thought of lying, lying to Jo. “It was always just lust.”

  Josephine trembled, her eyes watering, her face hopeless. She draped a clean cloth over Eliza’s shoulders, covering her body, then spat in her face and left the room.