Chapter 24 · The Brother's Seal

"Hold on to me!" Cedric's arm locked around my waist as the vault floor dropped out beneath us.

The locked file slammed against my ribs. My fingers dug into its metal case, but the edge of the weapons pit rushed up below us—blades, broken gun parts, and black iron spikes waiting in the dark.

"I'm holding the file," I snapped. "Not you."

"You can insult me after I keep you alive."

His boots struck the side of the pit. The impact twisted us hard. Pain tore through my shoulder, and the file nearly flew from my hand.

Cedric caught the back of my coat and shoved us toward a narrow maintenance ledge. His body took most of the hit when we landed. I heard his breath leave him, rough and sharp, but his arm stayed around me.

Above us, black fire crawled across the broken vault floor.

"The passage is collapsing," I said.

"I noticed."

"Your deputy did this."

"I noticed that too."

A beam snapped overhead. Burning dust rained down. Cedric pushed me flat against the iron ledge, covering my head with his shoulder.

His chest pressed against my back.