Chapter 23 · The Last Blood Clause

The blood chain burned hotter with every second that passed.

Vivian could feel it crawling deeper into her veins, threading through muscle and wrapping tight around her heart. Her palm was still bleeding where the silver blade had gone through. She'd dropped the blade somewhere on the council floor. Didn't matter. The damage was done. The substitution law had saved Lucas from execution, but Cyrus had turned her into something worse than a prisoner.

A weapon.

She had three hours before midnight. Three hours before the chain forced her hand and made her kill every council member who'd stood against Cyrus tonight. Starting with Lucas.

"You need to go." Her voice came out rough. She was still on her knees. Lucas was crouched in front of her, one hand hovering near her wrist like he wanted to touch the chain but didn't dare. "I mean it. Get out of here."

"No."

"Lucas—"

"I'm not leaving you."

She wanted to scream at him. Wanted to grab him by the collar and shove him toward the door.