Chapter 38 · The Liar’s Judgment

"Don’t move, Mara." The blade stopped a breath from my throat.

Dax stood three steps away, one hand locked around the oath-forged hilt. Black lines crawled from beneath his collar, across his jaw, and down the wrist holding the weapon. The blade itself was pale silver, but dark letters crawled along its edge like insects.

I kept my fingers on the open ledger. Its pages shook against my palms.

"You’re pointing that at me," I said.

"I’m trying not to."

"Try harder."

His mouth tightened. The blade moved closer.

Behind him, the archive chamber groaned. Shelves leaned inward, packed with sealed records and dead names. The stone floor had split around the judgment dais, exposing a circle of red light beneath it.

The old archive voice rolled through the room.

"The volunteer stands beside the liar. The liar stands before the blade. Judgment begins."

Dax’s eyes flashed silver. His grip jerked.

I shoved the ledger against his chest.

The blade snapped sideways and struck the stone beside my head. Sparks jumped across my cheek. Dax caught my wrist before I could pull away and drove me back against one of the shelves.

His body blocked mine.