Chapter 26 · No Loop Ten After This

"Give me that."

Sona rips the ledger out of his hands before he can blink. She's already reading, finger jammed under the line like she can hold the ink still.

"What's tonight." Not a question. "Rhys. What's tonight."

"Nothing."

"Don't." She grabs his collar with her free hand and hauls him down to her height. Close enough he can smell blood and bell-metal on her. Close enough her breath is hot against his jaw. "You've lied to me eight times over. I counted. Don't make it nine."

"It's my name in the book. That's all it says."

"That's not all it says and you know it." Her knuckles go white around the fabric. "Every other name in here got a date and a way it happens. Where's yours."

He doesn't answer.

That's the answer.

"There's no way listed," he says finally, "because I don't think the ledger's decided yet."

Her hand doesn't let go. It should. Nothing about this line worked before — not with Ethlin, not with the three in the tower.