Chapter 19 · Remove that

She turned toward the far archway. A bronze door stood there, carved with the same black crown I had seen in the pit.

Three locks held it shut. One silver. One red. One made from something that looked like bone.

Lyra limped toward it.

I caught her elbow.

She glanced down at my hand. "Remove that."

"You're bleeding."

"I'm aware."

"And you're walking toward another seal."

"The exit is behind that door."

"Then we need a better plan than limping into it."

"Your plan was to punch a holy circuit until it screamed."

"It worked."

"It made the contract active."

"What does active mean?"

She tried to pull away. I tightened my grip, not enough to hurt her, but enough to stop her.

Her breath caught anyway.

"It means every wound we take is shared," she said.

"Every wound?"

"Cuts. Burns. Broken bones. Holy backlash. If one of us dies, the other follows."

"You left that out too."

"You didn't ask."

"I shouldn't have to ask if your deal comes with a death switch."

"You signed it with your own blood."

"You put a knife to my throat."

"And you put your hand on the contract.