Chapter 15 · The Bell's Command

The black-iron chain snapped for my throat before I could raise my knife.

I ducked. It screamed over my head and smashed into the stone wall.

"Move, Ivy!" Cain barked.

"I'm busy!"

A hunter charged through the broken gate, silver-tipped spear aimed at my chest. I caught the shaft with both hands. The metal burned through my gloves and bit into my palms.

The hunter grinned behind his iron mask. "Drop it, girl. Your blood belongs to Silas."

"Tell Silas to come collect it himself."

I twisted hard. The spear tore sideways. The hunter stumbled, and I drove my knee into his ribs.

He folded with a grunt.

Cain hit the next man so fast I barely saw him move. One second, the hunter had an arrow drawn. The next, Cain had him by the collar and slammed him against the gatepost.

"Where's the bell?" Cain demanded.

The hunter spat blood onto his boots. "Go to hell, beast."

Cain's fingers tightened.

"Cain."

His head turned toward me. Gold burned through his eyes in the red light spilling from the altar.

"Don't kill him," I said. "Not yet."

"He was aiming at you."

"So was half the forest.