Chapter 9 · The Anchor

"Mika, move!" Cade's voice cracked over the beam's rising whine, but my legs wouldn't take the order. Light closed around me like a fist. Everything past my skin went numb.

"I can't—"

The beam hit.

It didn't hurt. That would've been easier. My body locked mid-breath, my heart stuttering over a beat it couldn't finish. Somewhere beyond the white, Cade shouted my name.

Then heat tore up both my wrists. The Bond marks burned under my skin—his marks, my marks, the same marks.

"No. No, no, no." Cade's voice came closer. His hand clamped around my arm. The instant his skin touched mine, both marks flared gold beneath our sleeves. "Fight it. Come on, Mika. I'm not doing this without you."

"Cade!" Mom's voice cut through the beam. Sharp. Frightened. "Get her out of the radius, or the Bond drags you down with her!"

"I'm not letting go."

"Then you're both dead in ninety seconds."

Metal shrieked. Chains struck the floor.

My head moved an inch. Enough to catch Mom in the corner of my vision.

She wasn't unlocking the suppressor cuffs. She was tearing them apart.

Metal bit into her wrists.