Chapter 26 · My mouth went dry

He looked toward the corridor. The guards were speaking in low, urgent voices now. One of them ran down the stairs.

Silas lowered his voice. "The people coming for me can't enter the keep while the old wards hold. But they can enter through a bloodline tied to the contract. Yours."

My mouth went dry. "They can use me to get inside?"

"They already are."

"How?"

"The note wasn't an escape offer. It was a trigger. If you step into the west tunnel, the ward recognizes your blood and opens."

I pulled away from him. "You knew this would happen?"

"I suspected."

"You suspected and let me walk around the keep?"

"I didn't know who was watching you. I needed them to believe you were unguarded."

"You used me."

"I protected you."

"You used me!"

The contract mark on my wrist flared again. Pain snapped through my arm, and my knees nearly gave out.

Silas caught me before I hit the table.

His arm wrapped around my back. My hand landed against his chest. His heartbeat was hard and fast under my palm.

"Let me go," I whispered.

"Not while the mark is burning."

"You said it wouldn't hurt me."