Chapter 18 · You're not my commander

"You're not my commander."

"I'm a paladin commander."

"And I'm the condemned man you threw into the breach. Looks like we're both having a bad night."

The chamber shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. Behind them, the hunters hacked at the broken hatch.

Seraphina's breath came faster. Her fingers trembled against Raven's chest.

"How much ash did you take?" she asked.

"Enough."

"That wasn't an answer."

"Seven percent."

"Seven percent of what?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know what you put inside us?"

"You were there. You watched me pull it out of the rift."

"I watched you touch something that killed six men in three seconds. Then you dragged me into a soul tether and called it a rescue."

"You're welcome."

Her stare could have cut steel.

Then the poison twisted through her.

Seraphina's shoulders jerked. Her hand flew to her ribs, and she folded against him. The tether carried the pain into Raven's side, sharp enough to make his vision jump.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"Don't—" She bit down hard. "Don't say my name."

"I didn't."

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you can see inside my head."

"I can see you're losing control.