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there was one mystery explained. Probably everyone in the Brotherhood had them, confirming for me that my talent as a human lie detector was unlikely to get me far in my search for a leak.

Chapter Eight
    After a couple hours of letting a strange Gryphon draw all over me with magical inks, I understood why this was a multi-day process. Who wanted to sit longer? Especially when the guy doing the drawing was not very talkative. I made multiple attempts to get Theo to tell me more about Le Confrérie , thinking I might learn something useful in my leak-hunt, but he primarily answered in monosyllables.
    Finally, I gave up and turned my attention to worrying about my evening. The satyr from the Upper Council had arrived, and he’d asked to meet me.
    Around eight o’clock, with my back itching from the half-finished glyphs, I paused outside my apartment building. True to his word, Lucen had arranged with Dezzi for two satyrs to guard me, and they’d be arriving in about forty minutes to escort me to the restaurant where I was supposed to meet everyone for dinner.
    I still felt somewhat ambivalent about having babysitters everywhere I went, and so I was enjoying my last solitary trip between home and office. My last time feeling like an adult. I opened the door as I caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye, and my hand clenched around my keys.
    The fury I’d nicknamed Mace-head had come out of the drugstore down the street, and he was cutting across the sidewalk. I swallowed, watching him, and a ridiculously stupid idea formed in my head.
    Mace-head—technically, his name was Nyles—was the local fury lieutenant. And, as someone had once explained to me, everything a Dom knows, their lieutenant would know too. In fact, it was Nyles who’d saved my ass just last week and had hinted at big plans for me. Taken together, I had to assume that whatever was going on with the furies, Nyles had information. About me. About Mitch. Possibly, even about how the furies were tipped off to the Phoenix trip.
    I wanted that information.
    No, I needed it.
    I patted my hip, reassuring myself that I carried my knife, and I took off after him. Lucen would kill me for this, but I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to dig for information. Besides, with Misery at my side and heavy charms covering my skin, I’d be fine. Right? Surely I could question a single fury in a public place without worrying about being kidnapped again.
    Nyles turned a corner, and I put on an extra burst of speed. The sun was creeping below the tallest buildings, and dusk further dulled Shadowtown’s muted colors. Dressed in his usual all black, Nyles blended in with the scenery. Thank dragons for his unmistakable hair.
    A few preds gave me funny looks as I hurried past. Nyles wasn’t running, but he was walking like a man with a purpose, and he didn’t seem to realize I was following him. I called out his name as he paused at an intersection for a truck to go by.
    His face lit up when he saw me approach. “Well, lookie here. So glad to see you’re okay, girlie. I heard you got in an accident in Phoenix.”
    If I’d needed confirmation that Nyles knew anything, I guess I’d gotten it. “Where’s Mitch Johnson?”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œYou know who. The guy your people kidnapped in Phoenix. Where is he?”
    Nyles shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. “Do I look like I’m in Phoenix?”
    â€œYou look like someone who has answers about Phoenix.”
    His half smile broke into a shit-eating grin. “But, assuming you’re right, do I look like someone who’d share them with you? Sorry, girlie. Whatever you’re asking about, you’ve got the wrong guy. If you don’t believe me, get your friends to ask. It’s been a while since I’ve been treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Gryphon Headquarters.”
    I started to retort