Chapter 50 · You stole my line

She glanced sideways at him.

"You stole my line."

"It sounded better from me."

The sunlight touched her face. The hard commander mask was still there, but it had cracks now. Her shoulders had lowered. Her sword hung at her side instead of pointing at his heart.

Raven looked at the tether.

The iron links were still wrapped around their wrists, but the metal had changed. No longer black. No longer burning. They were dull silver, etched with tiny lines of gold.

Seraphina noticed his stare.

"The bond survived."

"Barely."

"You sound offended."

"I was promised a dramatic death."

"You were promised nothing."

"The system disagrees."

A faint red window appeared in his vision.

ASHEN SYSTEM PRIMORDIAL CORE ABSORBED NEW RANK: VOID-FORGED BOND STATUS: STABLE UNKNOWN EFFECT: PENDING

Raven blinked.

"What?" Seraphina asked.

"Nothing."

"You just made that face."

"I have several faces."

"You have three. Angry, smug, and about to do something stupid."

"You know me well."

"Unfortunately."

Below them, the kneeling crowd began chanting.

"Commander! Commander! Commander!"

The sound rolled up through the broken cathedral.

Raven leaned against the ruined seat.

"They have the wrong idea."

"They have the right one.