Chapter 50 · Her Powers Weren't Stolen

"Don't touch her."

Julian's voice cracked across the control room just as the black restraints cinched tighter around his chest.

Silas smiled behind him. "Still giving orders? That's cute."

The machine drove Julian to one knee. Metal bands locked around his wrists and throat, not cutting skin, but close enough to make every breath look like work. Blood ran from the cut above his eyebrow and dropped onto the glowing floor.

I lunged for him.

A shockwave slammed into my ribs and threw me against the control panel. My shoulder hit first. Pain flashed down my arm.

"Vesper!" Julian jerked against the restraints. "Stay back!"

"You don't get to tell me where to stand."

"For once, listen."

The countdown above the central screen dropped from six to five.

Silas tapped one finger against the display. "At zero, the contract chooses which soul keeps the power. The weaker one gets emptied."

My fingers curled. "You built this place to drain us."

"No. The League built it. I only learned how to use it."

That landed harder than the shockwave.

Julian's eyes snapped toward me. "Don't listen to him."

"Why?" I shoved off the panel.