Chapter 15 · The Third Exchange

"Sixty-eight hours." The timer on my phone flashed red between my fingers. "That's all we've got."

Adrian stood across the room beside the window, the recording still paused on his phone. My father's voice had been looping in my head since he played it.

*Don't trust the Council. Don't trust Adrian.*

The bond jerked beneath my ribs. I gripped the couch arm before the pain could fold me in half.

Adrian's gaze dropped to my hand. "Lynn. We need to talk about the exchange."

"I know."

"Seventy-two hours. If we don't complete it—"

"We die." I shoved the phone into my pocket. "Yeah. Got that part."

He came closer, slow enough to make it clear he wasn't going to touch me. "I'm not going to force you."

"You keep saying that like it's supposed to make this better."

He stopped three feet away. His hands stayed in his pockets, but exhaustion had carved dark hollows beneath his gray eyes.

I looked him over. "You look like shit."

His mouth twitched. "Thanks."

"When's the last time you fed?"

"Four days ago."

I stared at him. "Four days? That's before the second exchange."

"I'm fine."

"You're barely standing."

"I've gone longer.