Chapter 33 · If you do this

He rose halfway, fighting the chains. His face was inches from mine now. The force of him filled the narrow space between us, but there was no threat in his hand this time. Only panic he couldn't hide fast enough.

"If you do this," he said, "the core may take the life you use and still keep the judgment."

"Then I'll break it after."

"You won't be standing."

"You don't know that."

"I know exactly what the vow is doing to me. I know what it does when the anchor is removed."

"Anchor?"

He stopped.

I saw the answer before he gave it.

"Dax. What anchor?"

His fingers tightened around mine. "The black vow is tied to the judgment."

"I know that."

"No. You don't. The oath isn't just eating my heart. It's holding it in place."

My breath caught.

"If the ledger takes your life," I said, "the vow loses its anchor."

"Yes."

"And?"

"And it won't let go cleanly."

The core flashed.

A dark mark appeared across his chest, visible through his torn shirt. It spread from the old wound beneath his ribs, branching toward his heart like spilled ink.

Dax doubled over.

"Dax!"

"Don't touch me.