House of Earth and Blood

Bryce is at work when she receives a call from Jesiba, who needs a file to be sent to her. The assistant trudges upstairs to her boss’s office to find the document, unnerved by the sight of the Godslayer Rifle. This is an artifact that can kill anything. Jesiba has it mounted and displayed behind her desk, just to remind her clients who is in charge.

After Bryce completes her task, Hunt contacts her about another body found ripped apart by the kristallos. When the two arrive at the crime scene, Bryce nearly collapses. She is having a painful flashback to the night of Danika’s murder. Ruhn gets to the spot a few minutes later and reproaches Hunt for his insensitivity in dragging Bryce there.

The victim was an acolyte at Luna’s Temple. All three investigators realize that she was killed shortly after they left the building. Hunt asks Bryce about the night she survived the kristallos. During their conversation, he reveals that the archangel she saved was Micah.

Bryce is angry that Hunt withheld this information about Micah. She is also angry that his insistence on taking her to the crime scene has stirred up so many bad memories. She goes for a very long run to clear her head and then dashes inside the White Raven.