City of Burning Shadows (Apocrypha: The Dying World) by Barbara J. Webb

disc to me.  
    When my fingertip touched the metal side, the disc lit up and then went dark. It stuck to the end of my finger; I had to pry it off. “Thanks.” I dropped it into a small pocket inside my shirt. No way was I wearing this thing to go meet with Copper.
    Back out on the street, once I’d made it a couple blocks from the Jansynian compound, I ducked around to the shadowy side of a building and sat down against its wall. It wasn’t the best spot—the alley smelled of baking metal and I had to pull my hood up against blowing sand—but it was out of sight of the Crescent and that’s what mattered. I slid the data stick into the hidden pocket alongside the security disc. There they would both be safe from getting lost or stolen or accidentally discovered.  
    Just to be safe, I summoned the security pattern and worked the magic to make sure neither of Seana’s presents were broadcasting anything back to Desavris. Not only didn’t I want Seana’s people following me, but Copper seemed to have some way of picking out Jansynian spy devices, and wouldn’t that look suspicious if she found one on me? Both the data stick and security disc lay dormant. Good.
    It felt like this morning had lasted a lifetime already, but when I checked the time, I was still on track for my meeting with Micah. Assuming he showed up at all. I hadn’t seen him on my trip back down the lift, so for all he knew, I was still a prisoner.
    The warehouse was easy walking distance, even as the late-morning sun set the street temperatures to broil. I’ll admit I was distracted, my brain volleying back and forth between the magic Seana wanted and thoughts on Seana herself.  
    Stupid—I’d lived in Miroc all my life and I should have known better. Even in bright sunlight, even on an empty-looking street, I should have been paying attention to my surroundings.
    I heard the click of the gun readying above my head. I squinted up to see Copper on the edge of a nearby roof, a serious-caliber weapon pointed in my direction. “Micah says I should hear what you have to say. Micah says I should trust you.”
    Her arm straightened. “But given the state of things, if the Jansynians decided to let you live, I’m pretty sure that means I have to kill you.”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    Plans within Plans

    I heard all three sounds at once. The scream, the screech, the explosive release of a three-burst round. I had trouble connecting those with the sight of a dark object streaking towards Copper from above, of Copper bringing the gun around, but not fast enough to stop Iris from ramming into her. Iris, shifting as she dove, from falcon to tiger. She landed atop Copper and knocked the gun away with one swat of a massive paw.  
    Another shift and Iris was Iris again, sitting with a knee on Copper’s chest. “Ash! Are you okay?”
    I had to look at myself to be sure. I still stood. No blood I could see. “I think so.”
    “Good. Now what the hell?” Iris stood and pulled Copper up with her. Twice the Fyean’s size, Iris had no trouble overpowering her.  
    “Don’t hurt her.” I spotted a fire escape I could use to get up there. “I can explain.”
    “He betrayed us!” Copper struggled against Iris as I climbed. “The Jansynians let him go!”
    Iris pulled Copper’s wrists behind her back, held her still. “What Jansynians?”
    I pulled myself up over the edge of the roof. “They grabbed me in the tube station. Took me up to the Crescent. I spoke with Director Seana Desavris .”
    Iris’s eyes widened and a wave of white rippled through her hair. She was as surprised to hear Seana’s name as I’d been to see her. “Listen to me, Copper. Listen to me . We have to talk to them. To protect your sister, we have to find out who’s after your sister, and this is the best way to do it. I swear, I didn’t tell her anything about you or Spark.”
    Copper had stopped squirming. A cold look passed through her eyes, quickly hidden behind a considering