The lift chimed.
The doors slid open.
I braced for fire. Gold light and screaming rage. Instead, she held up her badge.
Selene stepped into the room.She wore a heavy coat over a woollen jumper, her hair tied back in a severe knot. Her face was pale, eyes rimmed with red, but her expression was composed.
Behind her, four tactical officers fanned out, weapons pointed at the floor. A controlled entry.
Varessia slid off the desk, her smile faltering just a fraction. “Detective Rowan. You look… terrible.”
Selene ignored her. She scanned the office—the desk, the view, Korenth standing by the window. Finally, her gaze landed on me.
I waited for the hatred. Nothing. Her eyes were flat. Dead. She looked at me with total indifference.
It hurt more than the magic she’d slammed into my chest yesterday.
Reaching into her coat, she withdrew a folded paper.
“Varessia Quinn,” she said, her voice steady. “I have a warrant for your arrest.”
Varessia laughed. “For what, darling? Hurt feelings?”
“Corporate Manslaughter,” Selene said. “Gross Negligence resulting in the death of an employee.”
Korenth turned from the window, frowning. “What?”
“Miller Cross,” Selene said. “Private security contractor. Employed by Aegis Logistics, a subsidiary of Quinn Enterprises. Found dead on company property with unauthorised, lethal medical augmentations in his system.”
She stepped forward, slapping the warrant onto the glass desk.
“You hired him. You insured him. And you killed him.”
Varessia stared at the paper, baffled. She had braced for a magical strike, only to be blindsided by a liability lawsuit.
“This is absurd,” Korenth said. “Call Morrow. Have him remove this rubbish.”
“ACD has no jurisdiction here,” Selene cut in sharply. “This is a labour violation involving a civilian contract. It’s a police matter.”
Selene signalled the uniformed officers. “Cuff her.”
Two officers stepped forward. Varessia stiffened, her eyes flashing violet.
“Varessia,” Korenth snapped.
She froze.
“Go with them,” Korenth said. He looked at Selene with a new, cold interest. “My lawyers will have you out before the ink dries on the booking sheet. Don’t make a scene.”
Varessia relaxed. She smiled at Selene—a shark baring its teeth. “Fine. I could use a change of scenery.”
She held out her wrists, and the officer cuffed her.
I watched her in silence, stunned by the sheer audacity of the manoeuvre. She had marched straight into Highspire, stood up to the most dangerous woman in the city, and brought her to her knees with paperwork.
Selene turned to me.
Her hand went to her belt, pulling out a second pair of cuffs.
