Chapter 15 · The Hand That Sealed It

"She's bleeding out." Theo's voice cracked. "Jace, she's bleeding out, and none of them are waking up."

Jace hit the floor beside Mina. Her hand was locked around the smallest kid's wrist, fingers white. The thread he'd ripped out of himself was gone—burned into her, maybe, or into the five children sprawled across the concrete.

"Let go," he said.

Mina didn't move. Her eyes were open, fixed on the boy's face, but she wasn't seeing him. Blood seeped through her jacket, dark and spreading from a wound Jace hadn't noticed.

"Mina." He shook her shoulder. Nothing. "Mina, let go of him."

"She can't." Theo crouched across from him, hands hovering. "It's the transfer. She's holding the line open so they don't crash."

"Then close it."

"I don't know how!"

Jace looked at the children. They were breathing, but barely. The oldest, maybe twelve, had his mouth open like he'd been about to scream. The youngest had tear tracks drying on his cheeks.

None of them moved.

Jace grabbed Mina's wrist and pulled. Her grip didn't budge.

"Stop!" Theo caught his shoulder. "You'll kill them."

"She's dying right now."

"So are they if you rip her off.