Chapter 35 · Unbound and Unleashed

“Don’t you dare close your eyes, Lyra!”

Cain’s voice cracked. It was a raw, jagged sound that tore right through the ringing in my ears.

I couldn't move. Couldn't even scream. The shockwave from Victor’s shot had slammed us both backward, leaving the world a blur of grey dust and screaming metal. Then I felt it—the soul-bind. It pulsed like a dying star between us. Every ounce of agony Cain felt leaked into me, a hot, searing tide that made my vision flicker.

“Get away from him!” I tried to shout. It came out as a pathetic wheeze.

Victor stepped through the smoke. His boots clicked on the cracked floor, rhythmic and steady. He looked bored. That was the worst part. He wasn't even sweating, while Cain was coughing up blood, his chest heaving in a way that made my own lungs ache.

“Such a waste of a perfectly good Enforcer,” Victor mused. He didn't even look at Cain. He looked at me. Or rather, the core humming beneath my ribs. “The bond is fascinating. You’ve fused your essences. Now, when I peel the core out of your chest, I get two for the price of one.