Chapter 19 · The Bloodmark Wakes

"Stay down!" Mara's rifle cracked through the mine before Ivy could turn.

Cain dropped beside her.

For one frozen second, Ivy saw only the muzzle flash and his hand clamping over his side. Then blood spread across his shirt, hot and black in the weak lantern light.

"Cain!" She caught him before his head struck the stone. "Where are you hit?"

"Go." His breath scraped out. His eyes flashed gold, then faded. "Ivy, run."

Mara stepped into the shaft, smoke curling from her rifle. She looked as calm as she had behind the diner's counter.

"Keep your hands off him," she said.

Ivy ignored her. She shoved both palms against Cain's wound. He jerked, a rough growl catching in his throat.

"Don't touch the bullet," Mara warned. "It's silver. Thirty seconds, maybe less, and it'll lock his healing down."

"Then shoot me too," Ivy snapped. "Save yourself the speech."

Mara's mouth tightened. "You always this brave when you're scared?"

"You always shoot people after serving them coffee?"

"Only when they bring trouble into my town." Mara shifted the rifle toward Cain's head. "Move away from him."

Cain's fingers closed around Ivy's wrist.