Chapter 32 · Bone for a Brother

"Hold him down!" I drove my elbow into Varan's shoulder as his body bucked against the stone table. "Kaiser, if you move that line, I'll break your hand."

"You already threatened that three times." Kaiser crouched beside me, one gloved hand pressed to the black vein crawling up Varan's throat. "I'm starting to think you don't mean it."

Varan's teeth snapped inches from my face.

His breath hit my cheek, hot and rotten. The marrow rot had reached his jaw. Black cracks spread beneath his skin, pulsing with every violent beat of his heart.

"Get off me," he growled.

"Gladly." I shoved his chest back down when he tried to rise. "The second you're no longer dying."

"I'm not dying."

"Your ribs are splitting open."

"They do that."

"Not twice in one week."

His yellow eyes locked on mine. Even half-rotten, Varan still had enough strength to crush my wrist. His fingers closed around it, burning through my sleeve.

"Sula," he warned.

"Don't use that voice on me."

"Then stop touching me like you own me."

"I am trying to keep you alive. There's a difference."

Kaiser gave a short, humorless laugh.