Chapter 6 · The Soldier Who Won't Stay Down

The first corpse lunges before Mara can finish her warning.

Rowan drops, rolls left. The dead guard's sword carves air where his throat was. He comes up with his blade drawn, heart hammering so hard his ribs hurt. The thing shambling toward him wears city patrol colors and a face slack as wet dough. No breath. No blink. Just the grinding shuffle of boots dragging stone.

"They're not staying down," Mara snaps. She's already moving, positioning herself between him and the second corpse rising from the blood-slick cobbles. Her blade catches moonlight, clean and sharp. "Don't let them corner you."

"Yeah, I'm getting that." Rowan sidesteps, keeps his back to the alley mouth. The screen in his vision pulses red. Five hours forty minutes until city reset. His hands are still shaking from the last death. The rope burn around his neck feels like it never left. "How many?"

"Four down here. More up top." She doesn't take her eyes off the shambling guard. "You die again, you leave me alone with this."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"You weren't planning on the gallows either."

Fair point. The dead guard swings again. Rowan parries, feels the shock rattle up his arm.