Chapter 19 · The Hostage Trade

The smoke cleared just enough for me to see the hole in the floor.

Not a crack. A hole. Wide as a cart, edges still glowing red. Below it, screaming. Kids screaming.

Felix grabbed my arm. "We have to go. Now."

I pulled away. "There's forty-three people down there."

"And you're barely standing."

He wasn't wrong. My legs shook. Blood dripped from my nose, my eyes, probably my ears too. Every breath tasted like copper and ash. But I'd opened those cells. I'd told them to run. If they burned because I couldn't finish the job—

"Evira." Felix's voice cracked. "Please."

Footsteps. Heavy, coming fast down the corridor behind us. I spun, knife already in my hand, but it wasn't Vivian.

Marcus stumbled out of the smoke.

His shirt was soaked red on the left side. His face was gray. He had one hand pressed to his ribs and the other gripping his sword like it was the only thing keeping him upright.

"You're supposed to be bleeding out," I said.

He gave me a look. "So are you."

Fair.

He leaned against the wall, breathing hard. "Vivian?"

"Gone. For now." I gestured at the hole.