Chapter 30 · Say It Free

Ronan's scream cuts off.

Mara lunges forward. The bond between them is a live wire now, sparking pain so sharp she can't tell where his chest ends and hers begins. The black-silver thing crawling out of him twists in the air like smoke given teeth.

Silas stands over the crack in the floor, smiling.

"Stop," Mara says. Her voice comes out raw. "Stop it."

"I already did." Silas tilts his head, watching the beast fragment coil around Ronan's shoulders. "He's free now. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Ronan's on his knees. His hands are clawing at the stone, fingernails splitting. The fragment sinks back into his skin, and this time it doesn't look like it's trying to escape. It looks like it's burrowing deeper.

Mara moves before she thinks. She drops beside him and grabs his wrist. His pulse hammers under her fingers, too fast, too hard. "Ronan. Look at me."

He doesn't. His eyes are all black now, no gold left.

"Mara." Inez's voice comes from somewhere behind her. "You need to get back."

"Shut up."

Ronan's breath comes in short bursts. He's shaking. The bond between them is screaming, and underneath it she can feel something else.