Chapter Fifteen

Summary

• Chapter 15 focuses on the tension between Bryce and Hunt, an angel assigned to protect her.
• Bryce, frustrated at the intrusion on her privacy and the disruption of her day, denies Hunt access to her apartment, making him keep watch from the nearby rooftop.
• Hunt struggles with his role, feeling Bryce does not take the investigation of the murders seriously and not privy to her personal involvement in the case.
• Bryce resents Hunt's attempts to dominate and instruct her, and repeatedly challenges his orders, starting with refusing to comply to his persistent demand that she compose a list of suspects and the deceased Danika's activities in the last week before her murder.
• Ultimately, Hunt does not trust Bryce fully and suspects she may be more involved in the crimes than she's willing to admit.
• The chapter also introduces the character of Lehabah, a fire sprite enslaved to work in an art gallery's library. Lehabah wishes to be bought and freed by Bryce, who she sees as lonely and could use her assistance and company.
• Bryce, aware of the complexities of politics, ownership, and the repercussions of asking for Lehabah's freedom, rebuffs the idea, even though she empathizes with the sprite's plight.

• Something seems to disturb a book in the library, to which Lehabah the living flame responds by restoring the book back in place.
• Bryce receives a call from her boss, Jesiba, who informs her that a client is coming at two o'clock and orders her to keep Lehabah focussed on her job.
• The library's bookshelves are also home to small tanks and terrariums housing common animals, like lizards, snakes, turtles, and rodents, which Bryce sometimes wonders were people who annoyed Jesiba.
• Lehabah has named all the animals, with the geckos being named Nutmeg and Ginger and a black-and-white snake called Miss Poppy. However, she hasn't named anything in the largest tank, which is currently empty.
• Jesiba once refused to get iris eels for the big tank, instead buying a pet kelpie. Bryce, disapproving of the kelpie's behaviour, quickly gave it away as a gift to a client.
• Bryce is concerned about the work she has to do that night, fearing the reaction of Athalar when he finds out what she is planning.