Chapter 6 · It actually worked

He felt the Oath snap into place. It wasn't a gentle transition. It felt like a gear finally catching after years of slipping—a brutal, mechanical click that resonated in his very bones. The golden light surged, wrapping around his wrist and then leaping to Lena, forming a shimmering, translucent chain that pulsed in time with his heartbeat.

For a heartbeat, the world went silent. The noise of the city, the distant sirens, the hiss of steam pipes—everything vanished. There was only the sound of their shared breathing and the hum of the bond.

Lena stared at the chain, her expression unreadable. She reached out, her fingertips grazing the glowing link. "It actually worked," she murmured. "The old texts said the cores were too unstable for a dual-bind. You're a freak, Milo Crane."

"Thanks," he panted, slumped against the wall, drenched in sweat. "You're a real charmer, Voss."

"Get up," she said, her tone returning to its usual sharpness, though she didn't pull her hand away immediately. "The stabilization only lasts for a few minutes. We need to move before the signal spike alerts every sensor in the district."

"Wait," Milo said, squinting. "What signal spike?