Chapter 17 · Lethal Broadcast

"Move, Vira! Now!"

Ronin shoved me through the maintenance hatch just as the tunnel ceiling buckled behind us.

Metal screamed. Dust punched into my mouth. I hit the grated floor on one knee, caught myself, and spun back toward him.

"Kellan's still behind you!"

"He can't run."

"Then carry him!"

Ronin's jaw tightened. Blood ran from his shoulder beneath the torn black uniform. His burned hands curled around the hatch frame, claws pushing through his skin before he could hide them.

For one ugly second, he looked less like the academy's executioner and more like the masked brute who had pinned me in the fight pit.

The same heat snapped through my wrist.

Our reverse oath-mark flared under my sleeve.

Ronin saw it. His gaze dropped to the red glow, then rose to my face.

"Don't start that now."

"I didn't start anything. You did."

"I saved your life."

"You shoved me out of the blast and nearly got yourself killed. That's not the same thing as saving me. That's you making decisions for me again."

Another impact slammed into the tunnel. The floor jumped under my boots.

Behind Ronin, Kellan groaned.

I turned.