Chapter 38 · The Gravity Cage

"Get off me, Raven. You’re crushing my ribs."

Seraphina’s voice came out thin beneath him, but her hand still had enough strength to shove at his shoulder.

Raven rolled sideways just as the iron platform dropped another level.

The cage screamed.

Not the metal. The air around them.

Gravity slammed down again, pinning both of them to the black floor. Raven’s cheek hit the grate. His teeth clicked together. Across from him, Seraphina’s silver armor buckled with a sharp crunch, and the breath punched out of her lungs.

A red line appeared along the inside of Raven’s vision.

SYSTEM ALERT: GRAVITY FIELD—TENFOLD. SOUL-TETHER STABILITY: 31%. SHARED LIFEFORCE LOSS: 8%.

“Tell me that number is wrong,” Seraphina rasped.

“It’s not.”

“Then stop staring at it and move.”

“You first.”

She turned her head. Her pale braid had come loose, strands sticking to her cheek. Blood ran from the corner of her mouth, but her eyes were still sharp enough to cut.

“You’re the one lying on top of me.”

“Because you fell on me.”

“I was thrown into you.”

“Same result.”

The cage dropped again.

Raven’s shoulder slammed into Seraphina’s chestplate.