The inside of the bolt hole reminded Jen of a small flat; they’d even brought in a cheap carpet to cover the stone floor. There were two cots against the back wall. The unconscious woman lay on one, a blanket tucked around her. Her burns had healed enough that only white patches of skin remained and those would flake off in short order. Even her nose had grown back. Whatever healing supplies they cached here must have been potent.

A fire burned in a little iron stove in the far corner, a full coal scuttle beside it. The stovepipe went through the side of the cave wall to vent who knew where. Rhys sat on a three-legged stool beside his patient, a half-full coffer of healing potions at his feet.

Jen sat cross-legged beside her cot. “How is she?”

“I rubbed three vials on her burns and she woke up long enough to drink three more. I think she’ll be fine, but I’m no expert. I heard fighting.”

Talon and Edward leaned on either side of the tunnel back to the secret entrance. Alec had drawn guard duty and stood just inside the entrance to make sure no one snuck up on them. Jen had no idea how many members the Unkindness had, but she didn’t plan to take any chances.

“Yeah, the thugs found us. This bunch had a new trick.” She described the black fire. “It made them a damn sight tougher than the last group.”

“Sounds like the goblins,” Rhys said, echoing her earlier thoughts. “How do you suppose they gained access to power like that?”

She shook her head. “You got me. We need to find Master Shen. I’m so far out of my depth I’m drowning.”

The woman groaned and tried to sit up. She failed and flopped back on the cot. “Thirsty,” she said in a rough voice.

Rhys shrugged off his water skin and handed it to her. She tried to sit up again and he put a gentle hand on her back, easing her into a sitting position. She drank deep and sighed. “Thank you.” Her voice sounded better already.

“You’re welcome. I’m Jennifer St. Cloud. My squad and I were sent to find Dominic Santen. Master Shen said we could find help at The Mermaid.”

She laughed, dry and bitter. “That didn’t work out very well. I’m Mariela. I was sent to consult with the observation team a week ago. I’m not sure how much I can do to help you, but anything within my power is yours for the asking.”

“Are you a sorcerer?” Jen’s heart leapt at the thought of getting some extra power on their side. Maybe she wasn’t as strong as Damien, but even a weak sorcerer would be a huge asset.

Mariela laughed again. “Hardly. I’m a scholar. I specialize in supernatural threats, demons and angels, along with their cults. The team had seen an increase in cult activity in the city and wanted my opinion. I wish I’d told them to take a flying leap.”

Rhys chuckled and Mariela smiled up at him. Now that her face wasn’t a mass of burns Jen realized she was an attractive woman with bright blue eyes, full lips, and prominent cheekbones. When her eyebrows and hair grew back she might even be beautiful. They looked close in age, maybe Rhys had found a girlfriend.

Jen cleared her throat. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“Sure. I was reading in the back bedroom when something exploded. I stuck my head out and saw a girl standing in the flames. Marco, our lead sorcerer, lay dead at her feet. The other two members of the team were slumped against a wall bleeding out. She spotted me. I slammed the door, but she punched through it and stabbed me with a blade of power that surrounded her hand. The next thing I remember is seeing you standing over me.”

Jen frowned. “What did the girl look like?”

“Pretty, petite, short curly hair. She wore a short black dress and went barefoot of all things.”

Jen nodded, sounded like the servant girl was a sorcerer. “What happened to Master Shen?”

Mariela shook her head. “No idea. He gave us a report about the attempted assassination and your search for Dominic. He said you should receive any help you needed and left. He mentioned something about spying on ravens. It made no sense to me.”

It made sense to Jen. Master Shen had gone to spy on the Unkindness and ended up captured or killed. That wasn’t good, but at least now they had a place to start looking for him. “Can you tell me anything about Dominic Santen?”

“Not much. He was the head of the local cult of The Binder in Chains. Many of the richest merchants are members. It’s as much social club as cult.”

“I’m not familiar with that demon lord. Can you tell me anything about him?”

Mariela smiled. “The Binder isn’t a demon lord, he’s an archangel. His cult preaches absolute obedience and always following through on a contract. That’s what makes him so popular with merchants.”

“Tyrants and slavers too, I imagine,” Talon said.

“Yes. The Binder’s teachings are unleavened by any mercy or kindness. He’s considered the harshest of the archangels. Some of the paladins I correspond with think if he doesn’t find some way to soften his message he may fall.”

Jen shuddered. A fallen archangel would be a horrible threat, easily as great as any of the five dragons. “Do you think Dominic was a willing participant in the assassination attempt?”

“No. Absolute obedience, remember? Turning against the king would be a breach of his beliefs.”

Jen didn’t laugh, but it took some effort. She’d seen more than once that belief often gave way to ambition.