Chapter 16 · The Five-Pace Cell

"Stop moving, Raven. One more step and I break your leg." Seraphina's hand clamped around the back of his coat and yanked him into the narrow sewer crawlspace.

His shoulder slammed against brick. Her blade came up under his jaw, cold steel pressing through the grime on his skin.

"You already tried that," Raven said. "It didn't work."

"I wasn't trying to break your leg then."

Behind them, a crossbow bolt punched through the opening and buried itself in the wall beside his head. Stone chips sprayed across his cheek.

Seraphina shoved him lower. Her armored shoulder scraped his chest as she forced both of them into the dark gap. There was barely room for one person to crawl. With two, their knees tangled, their boots pressed together, and every breath hit the other person's face.

"Quiet," she whispered.

"You first."

Another bolt shrieked over them. It struck the iron grate above the entrance with a hard, ugly clang.

Raven grabbed Seraphina's wrist before she could push his head down again. Her pulse jumped against his fingers. Fast. Too fast.

"Your soldiers are still shooting," he said.

"They're not my soldiers."

"They wear your crest.