Chapter 14 · The Girl in the Bell Cage

The forge district smelled like burnt iron and something worse. Rowan knew the scent. Fear sweat. The kind that stuck to brick.

Mara had her hand on her blade before they turned the corner. "How many?"

"Don't know." Rowan kept his voice low. "But if Crowe's got my sister in a bell cage, he's not keeping her alone."

"Bell cage?"

"You'll see."

He hated that he knew. Hated that he'd died enough times to recognize the setup. The cages weren't for holding. They were for breaking.

The street opened into a yard ringed by dead forges. Most of the smiths had cleared out when the lockdown hit. Smart. The ones who stayed were either stupid or paid.

Rowan saw the cage in the center. Black iron. Bells hanging from every bar.

And inside, a girl with her knees pulled to her chest.

"Lila."

Mara caught his arm before he could move. "Wait."

"That's my sister."

"I know. And if you run in there, you're dead."

"Then I wake up."

Mara's grip tightened. Her fingers were cold through his sleeve. "You die, I'm alone. You wake up, I'm still here. Alone. With whatever's waiting."

Rowan looked at her.