Chapter 11 · The Price of Resonance

"Touch his throat again and I’ll break your hand before you finish the cut."

Kane’s voice came from behind the black-robed stranger.

The ritual blade stayed against Cillian’s skin. One small movement and the edge would open him. Cillian couldn’t move. The stolen curse had turned every muscle in his body into locked iron, and the stranger’s blood-call still pulsed through his bones like a second heartbeat.

Kane stood three steps away, one hand pressed to his ribs. Blood ran between his fingers. His face had gone pale, but his eyes were sharp enough to cut.

The stranger tilted his head. “You’re in no shape to threaten anyone.”

“Try me.”

“You can barely stand.”

“Then come closer and see what I can do from the floor.”

Cillian wanted to tell Kane to run. He wanted to tell him the stranger was using the curse as a leash, that every word from the black hood made the pain inside Cillian twist tighter.

What came out was a broken breath.

Kane heard it anyway.

His gaze snapped to Cillian’s face. “What did you do to him?”

“Your surgeon did this to himself.