Chapter 16 · The Covenant Underneath

"Adrian, don't."

Mara's voice cuts through the hum of the breach, sharp and raw, and I freeze with the black key already pressed to my chest. The three rifts hang above the dead zone like open wounds, spilling cold light across the wreckage. The air tastes like burnt copper and something older. Something that's been waiting.

"It's the only way," I say. My voice sounds steadier than I feel. "The lock needs a keysmith. It's always needed one. That's what my dad figured out too late."

"Then we find another way."

"There isn't one." I take a step toward the center rift. The pressure drops like I'm sinking underwater. "Mara, listen to me. The breach isn't just breaking the seals. It's pulling the whole grid down. If I don't anchor it now, the dead zones will reach the residential blocks by morning. Your people. My sister. Everyone."

She moves fast. Grabs my wrist before I can take another step. Her fingers are cold, and I feel her pulse hammering against mine.

"You think I don't know what you're doing?" Her eyes are burning. "You think I didn't see the way your hand shook when you carved that key?