The more things ged, the more they stayed the same. Me, a Watterrogation room, and the w trying to pry the truth out of me in any way it could.

  Thinner wrists chafed less in Watch restraints, which was a nice ge. I also weled the ck of torturers. Although they might e out ter.

  Then again, maybe the stifli and ck of air were repts for those torturers. That and the feeling of the table’s edge pressing into my stomach. The interrogation room stretched maybe four feet by six, with the bay chair set against the wall and the table between me and the interrogator taking up over half the room. Already, my stomach rebelled against the pressure. Empty as it was, it might expel both my breakfast and the mead from the Hells' Own if the table pressed in any further.

  Across from me stood my interrogator, a middle-aged man in Watch coat and bowler hat, pierg eyes staring sullenly from underh the brim. Papers clutched in his hands, he’d chosen to stand, pag bad forth between shot-off questions trying to find a target. The dots in his hands were for theatrics. He hadn’t taken his gaze off my fa this interview.

  The interrogation was standard. I’d done several as Fara and many more as Malvia, and nothing had ged i years. Different faces opposite me, a different topic, same questions, and style. Well, some differences.

  I was a little insulted even. Only oerrogator? The standard ba my days as Malvia had been at least two.

  “-furthermore, witnesses cim you were versing with the other Infernal for quite sometime before the fight. You still cim you were only talking about the circumstances of his injury?”

  “Healing people isn’t an easy process, detective,” I said. “I o make sure I was getting to eajury, sewing them up properly. We did discuss his pursuers, but that was because I wao be prepared if they showed up. Which they did.”

  “You didn’t discuss why he’d been stabbed, the tents of the box he was carrying, any of that?”

  “I broached the subject, but he didn’t seem willing to answer. sidering the urgency of the situation, I didn’t feel it necessary to front over.”

  “Just feeling charitable that day then? Helping a stranger with no idea what yetting into.”

  I shrugged as much as the restraints would allow. My arms had been tied back behind the chair, my ankles shackled to the chair. If I wasn’t already familiar with the process, I’d suspect they knew of my are talents beyond Alchemy. This was just how they operated.

  “I try to live by the ideal, but he also was rather insistent. Truth be told, I thought refusing would likely result in him attempting to stab me.”

  “You had multiple ons on you, and you were afraid of a bleeding out criminal being a dao you.”

  I dragged down my annoyance. I o be the epitome of politeness. Irritating the wat was a good way to end up here “on suspi” of something. Being held while they ducted some sham iigation was not something I could afford.

  “Yes, because just because I’m armed is not a guarantee, Detective. I may still end up dead.”

  Rotting away in some cell 'til I started ging colors and they realized who I really was? Not an option.

  “So you decided to instead fight six other people?”

  “I didn’t have much of a choice then. Again, when he inally approached me he just wanted help in finding a safe pd healing for his wounds. He figured I either knew someone or was capable of it. Not too many dress this finely in the District.”

  I could hardly reach out to my patrons for help either. Lord Montague’s rea would probably be to immediately have my residence robbed to try and find the doses of elixir. That or hire another alchemist. If he weighed the knowledge of his son's poisoning being revealed to his rivals against it ing out he leaned och to free me, I may as well prepare for a life in the Coffin.

  “Why didn’t you take him to the Watstead? You could have just brought him to us.”

  “Well, firstly time was of the essence. I wa him to a retively empty pd heal his wounds as best I could. Otherwise, I don’t think he would make it very far. Sedly detective, with no offeehe presence of the Wat the district is a little light on the ground.”

  Lady Karsin would be more polite but her heir was cured. Short another successful poisoning attempt, her use for me was at an end for now. She might sider freeing me iure if she needed me. That se would st 'til my true face was revealed.

  “Let’s turn to something else,” the Detective said, admitti for now. We’d beehis same point a few different times. He kept trying different angles, but ultimately failed to find what he looked for.

  I would be out of here by now if this were just handling the aftermath of a simple street fight. Sure, multiple murders were attached, but that was nothing new for the Infernal Quarter. The Watch being in the Infernal Quarter already arture from the nolvar’s box had to be the reason to keep trying to make me crack. But they hadn’t asked about where it was now once.

  “Iory was done on your belongings. We have a few questions on them.”

  “Yes?” I asked, already knowing this would not be just be a few questions. Based on past experiehis would be an enduraest of questions over the potential legality or illegality of everything they sidered of note on my possessions. They’d once questioned my choice of boots and asked about who made them.

  That ended up being because they’d tried to slip magical tracers in my pair at the store. It’d taken a week before I made the e.

  “We took a look at your lise, and it appears to be legitimate, but even still some of the materials you were carrying seem quite peculiar to be walking around with.”

  Ah, that was good. I was hoping they wouldn’t take a close look at it. It could stand up to anything but alchemical testing, the watermarks had been duplicated so well. There had been the risk they’d run it to an alchemist for tests. They had apparently decided it wasn’t worth the money.

  “I’m an alchemist officer,” I said. “It’s my job to walk around with things in my pockets people would find peculiar.”

  He ignored me and actually shuffled through the sheets of paper. They wereirely a prop, then.

  “One saber, coated in blood, tinted with something that doesn’t look very pleasant, does it?”

  “Rat poison,” I answered. “Hardly illegal.”

  “Indicative of a cruel mind, striking someoh something like this. You like people bleeding?”

  “I prefer people not to attempt stabbing, shooting, or otherwise hurting me, stable, but I’ve learned over the years iy that some people will not stop unless firmly given a message.”

  “Various acids, potions, elixirs, including three mixtures that could be explosive if mixed properly.”

  Strange. No question about the Box, which is what I anticipated . “While true, so are the pos of gunpowder, and those aren’t sidered illegal. And the bination of many different chemicals produce explosives.”

  He grunted, deserted that line of questioning. He shouldn’t have too many more items on the list.

  “We looked through your purses, and found a rather rge amount of pounds in one of them.”

  “I expect I’ll be receiving it back much lighter then,” I joked.

  “An awful lot of s to be carrying around oreet,” the copper observed. The ers of his mouth hadn’t even flickered at my joke. They’d carved this o of stone.

  They were going to question every single one of my belongings, weren’t they? “I have retly e into a ission.”

  “Don’t suppose you ame who it’s with?”

  If I wanted Montague after my neck, certainly. “I ’t name who with, but you talk to Edward Edwards, the barte the Hells' Own, or Tolmaz, a fighter at the Holver arena. Both firm I was meeting with a t just before the attack.”

  “Saming scum. I know Edwards, and his word is trash. We’ll see what this Tolman has to say.”

  “Is that all?” I asked, iing just the right amount of weariness into it. Just enough to e off as tired but also uned about whatever they may find.

  “No, it is not,” the Watch officer replied with a scowl in his face. He gred at the doorway. “It appears one of the department’s sultants has taken an i and requested some time to interview you, so you’ll be in his hands for now.”

  “Now, Detective Mortray, o sound so glum. We’ll only be borrowing your witness for a short amount of time.”

  Two gentlemen, both in well-appointed suits, both approag their early forties. One of them was wide and short whereas the other was thin and tall. The short one’s mutton-chopped visage was topped with a bowler, while his taller shaven friend had a short mop of brown hair mixed with a nose like a hawk.

  Voltar and Dawes. Dramalsen’s premier detective and his faithful panion. Sworn rivals and enemies of Versalicd all in his employ. Personal bedevillers of criminals everywhere, but specifically the Bck Fme and all who were part of it. Includihey were the sultants.

  Oh. Fuck.

  There’d be no room for error. I seized the nerves in my fad forced it into an expression of excitement.

  “Mr. Voltar and Dawes! I’m such a fan of your stories, it’s su honor to meet the both of you in person!”

  Good, good Malvia. I’d almost vinced myself I’d believed that. Beaming so much I could melt a hole in the wall, I desperately tried to pull a hand out of my restraints.

  “I have a notebook, one of my alchemical field journals, iective’s possession. If it wouldn’t bother either of you, I would greatly appreciate it if Mr. Dawes could sign it? Your work in forensics is an inspiration to us all! Oh, and ynature as well, Mr. Voltar, if that’s not being too forward?”

  I’d burn the journal immediately after-no wait I’d o transcribe the tents first-actually scratch both of those thoughts ahe signatures to someone who actually wahem for some easy money. Although I wasirely lying about Dawes. The man was fiendishly good at his craft, and some of the articles he’d penned were very illuminating.

  They’d both fought me, both physically and in wits, many times in the past. I’d never won. Versalicci had, several times, and held it over my head each time.

  Voltar looked at me, slightly grinning in slight amusement. Arrogant bastard. “Miss, I believe you are here for an interrogation? Although maybe we discuss it after you’re released from custody.”

  “Oh, my apologies, detectives. Of course.”

  I was going to find whatever pit of hell Golvar’s soul had been sig it back here, sculpt his face till his eyes were crushed and his tongue ripping itself to shreds. Then I’d repeat it till I was satisfied. That dumb asshole had dragged me right bato everything I’d spent five years of my life trying to escape.

  And I’d cried over his death? I should have thrown his body into the chapel a holy fire e it.

  “I’d be happy to help su esteemed pair, especially since you are so polite, unlike some people.”

  If the detective was bothered by my barb, it didn’t show. The Doctor frowned while the Detective’s polite smile remained precisely the same.

  “Well, if that’s the case, we have been listening to your current interview. You don’t mind some further questions?”

  Interview. What a nice way to put it. I did notice the Watch officer’s face glower at the admission others had been listening in. No love was lost there.

  “Of course, not a problem.”

  “Your story starts in the Hells' Own tavern. You say you ’t he t you were meeting with?”

  “A matter of fidentiality.” That, and wanting my head to remain atop my neck. I possessed no illusions about what Lord Montague would do if I revealed who I’d beeing.

  Finding out I’d revealed it to the stabury and the Empire’s most famed detective would probably just slow the process of removing my head.

  “Uandable. I don’t think it’s of much importao this case. The other infernal-blooded who was dead, do you know he is?”

  I shrugged. “I think he said his name was Gavlolvar? Something along those lines. He accosted me in the alley. At first, I thought it was simply someorying to mug me with a trick, but he was injured and asked for help. I did my best to patch up his wounds and was going to take him bay apartment to stitch him up after stabilizing him. Then we were jumped along the way by the six others.”

  “How altruistic of you to so willingly take another into your home to heal them.”

  I gave him a sheepish grin. “I must admit altruism wasn’t on my mind. He cimed to be from a rather wealthy group and a rather rge payment iurn for being healed. I figured at the worst, I could hand him off to the Watch after and see if there was some kind of bounty on him.”

  “You assumed he was a criminal?”

  “People with knives practically spilling out of their pocket and a dozen holes in them don’t tend to be your average, w-abiding citizen, Mr. Voltar. Also, the tattoo was something of a giveaway.”

  “Are you?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “A w-abiding citizen. Would you sider yourself one of those?”

  “As much as I mahese days.” I thahe Hells, the Heavens, and every little spe between in the ic circle I wasn’t a moron like so many were and relied entirely on Sculpts or potions to do my ag and lying for me.

  “A trying task for all in your environs, I’d imagine.”

  My smile lessened a little, and that wasn’t just ag. “We do the best with what we are given, Mr. Voltar.”

  “I didn’t mean to imply anything, Ms. Fara. Back to the matter of the dead Mr. Golvar, which is his name, did you know he is a member of the Versalicci gang?”

  “I ’t deny that I did. He had the fming ram right on his arm. But that only meant I’d more likely get something from helping him.”

  “No issues with being paid by criminals?”

  I did my best to look embarrassed. It wasn’t that hard, sidering I actually was embarrassed over being dragged into this.

  “A girl does have to eat, Mr. Voltar. And also rent apartments, buy clothes, and occasionally, when she has time, does other things as well for personal enjoyment. Until the gang caught up with us, I thought I would just be ensuring he didn’t succumb to his wounds.”

  “A reasonable assumption to make.”

  “Is this all, Mr. Voltar?” I asked. “Apologies, but I just have other errands I o run today. I realize this is clearly a critical case to involve you, but I holy ’t think of anything else worth telling you.”

  It was a lie, but I wanted out of this and bae as quickly as I could manage. I did not care about Versalicci’s schemes to bedevil his longtime adversary, and the same was true in reverse. I wao head home, collect my issions, and avoid both of them.

  That polite smile repced the thoughtful frown as soon as I fialking. “But of course, Ms. Fara. Just two more questions, and I think I’ll have all the answers I need.”

  “Ask away then, and I’ll again do my best to answer.”

  “Thank you. You have remarkably good aim with that acid. Did you craft those vials yourself?”

  “No. It holy wasn’t that far a distao throw them, Mr. Voltar. A dozen paces, maybe. I get you in touch with the manufacturer if their design is somehow relevant?”

  “No, it’s fihe sed question, has a Biosculptor modified you?”

  My blood froze. Voltar suspected something. That wasn’t an idle question for no reason. The Watch hadn’t examined yet, so he couldn’t have known for sure. Yet he clearly did. And I couldn’t say no. The Watch had the facilities to check for Sculpts; they just took lohs of time, time I thought too precious to them to spend on me.

  My struggles to think of an ao dodge weren’t leading anywhere.

  Something roared in my veins, an urge building in my stomach. Bite the foolish human’s face off before he discovers anything. Gnawing hunger built inside, waiting for flesh to fulfill it a free.

  I’d frozen my nerves and hurriedly focused oective's fastead. Outwit him, don’t bite him, and don’t feed what was currently trying to make it’s way out of my gut.

  Diabolism. Reignited since I’d bitten into that human’s front. I could not let it have a scrap of power. As bad as revealing my Sculpting would be, doing any diabolism would result in my head being taken off my shoulders.

  “I’ve had a few sculpts doly. Trying to look better for my ts, eties, to well…look more human for them. I had a small additional stomach added, lio ara pipe in my throat. I spat its tents at one of the gang members earlier today.”

  “Those are all of them?” Voltar asked.

  “The only ones currently installed in me, yes.” The nerve trols were mainly used for etic purposes, so it was not teically a lie. That would be my cim if they did do the testing process. Curse the fact Sculpts were detectable. The rare shapegers could adjust their bodies without a sign of dete, but Sculpture always leaves a mark; you just o look deep enough.

  He nodded. “Then I believe our interview is done. You are free to go.”

  The Wat sputtered as Voltar stood up. “What nonsense is this, Voltar? That is not your decision to make!”

  Voltar had already left the room, and the Wat followed after, leaving me alone in my room. Well, he certainly hadn’t ged a bit.

  There was an argument going oher side of the door. Heated but too low for me to make out words. I could guess what was being argued over. The Watch detective wanted me examined now, especially to see what would happen if my etic Sculpts were reverted. Voltar arently arguing against that for reasons I couldn’t begin to guess.

  I couldn’t wait for that versation to finish. It was too high of a risk. Esg the Coffin would be…tricky but better than waiting for potential doom. I shifted in my chair and tried to figure if I could slip out of these by dislog my hand. It would be a tight fit.

  The watch officer came back with two other members of the watch. “You’re free to go.”

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  His expression, already stormy, quickly resembled a typhoon. “I said you’re free to leave. Haskell, Morris, free this one a her out of here.”

  Being escorted out of the Coffi like being in a waking dream. I nodded politely to Mr. Dawes and tinued following the two officers through a small maze of corridors and rooms. They hadn’t adjusted the yout since I’d st been there. We collected my belongings along the way.

  To my shock, they had not lifted a single pound. What strange maise gripped the Watch these days?

  “Miss Fara, please wait a moment?”

  “Mr. Dawes?” I turned back to look at the anatomist.

  “You wanted my signature?”

  “Oh, yes. Thank you for reminding me. I fot after the interview with Mr. Voltar.”

  “He does have that effe people at times,” Dawes remarked as I pulled out one of my field notebooks. He briefly read the first page. “You walk the Underground?”

  “On occasion. The best ingredients require effort when is g.”

  Partly a truth. My effort found some of the best ingredients. Grave robbing made up a good k of the rest.

  “Maybe we’ll meet again, and you tell me about it. I’ve only been briefly.”

  “Maybe.”

  Hopefully never. I’d had my fill of these two already. A swift exit to anywhere else might be in order.

  The night sky greeted me outside. How long had I been io lose this much time? No matter. What things I’d meant to get dooday would keep 'til tomorrow.

  “Do you want an escort home, Miss?”

  “Hrrm?” One of my escorts had spoken up, orcish blood, much taller than my current body, very well-groomed. She also seemed quite ear with that miss, so maybe the Watch was beginning to ge. At the bare minimum, ‘Foulspawn’, ‘Devil’s Get’, and a few other ones I didn’t like even thinking seemed less frequent a word.

  “Mr. Voltar said we were to escort you home by carriage if you wao, miss?” she asked.

  “No, thank you. I’ll walk. The night sky is rather enjoyable to me.”

  We both looked up at the yers of smog currently occupying the night sky and helping obscure the stars from sight.

  “Well, oer nights, but I prefer to walk regardless.”

  “Alone, oreets?” The other wat observed. “Foulspawn ain’t likely to be seen kindly, and women oreet alone are never safe.”

  Ah, there was what I’d expected, although he hadn’t seemed too vitrioli tone. And bless her heart, his partared at him in a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

  I spoke first before an argument could start. “I think I handle myself, stable, although I do appreciate the . Do thank Mr. Voltar for his kindness if you could? It is much appreciated.”

  “It” was most likely to pinpoint precisely where my dwelling was. The Watch probably had snue while I was inside. I’d have to check all my possessions for tracers. And my coat and dress, which by now were both filthy. Dried blood, stains of something I didn’t want to identify. I’d take them to ers tomorrow but they were likely both ruined. I had bigger problems on my mind. Empire’s-greatest-detective shaped problems.

  I was unsure if he knew I was Malvia, but he suspected something. I bid my goodbyes to the two watch officers a out into the street. It was te in the evening, and as I made my way to the end of it, not a soul stirred.

  No one being oreet didn’t ge a thing; I was being followed.