Chapter 25 · Soul Bleed on Deck

"Don't touch that gate!" Valerie slammed her palm against my chest and drove me back before my hand reached the control plate. "Your deck is already overloading. If you trigger the seal, it will tear through your spine."

"Cute warning." I caught her wrist. Her pulse jumped beneath my fingers. "Now move."

"Let go."

"Open the gate."

"You think I can open a High Board mana gate while your illegal deck is chewing through the lock?"

The black cards orbiting my forearm spun faster. Blue sparks snapped between them. Under my skin, heat crawled from my wrist to my elbow, sharp enough to make my teeth grind.

The gate stood between us and the arena's service tunnel. Six armored panels. Three glowing sigils. A red countdown burning above the lock.

00:41.

Behind us, boots pounded across the mag-train platform.

The Syndicate hunters had found us.

Valerie twisted against my grip and drove her knee toward my ribs. I turned just enough to take the hit on my thigh.

"Still trying to kill me?" I asked.

"Still giving me reasons?"

"You already shot me twice this week."

"You survived. Don't get dramatic.