Chapter 22 · If you're going to stare

She grabbed his collar and hauled him beneath a low stone awning as three more creatures crossed the avenue. Cane's chest pressed against hers. Their suits scraped together, and her breath touched the side of his throat, quick and cold.

For one second, neither of them moved.

Her hand was still twisted in his collar.

His palm was braced against the wall beside her head.

The swarm passed less than ten feet away.

Lyra's eyes dropped to his mouth, then snapped back up.

Cane felt the pause and hated that he noticed it.

"If you're going to stare," she whispered, "at least pretend it's tactical."

"I'm watching your cracks."

"Sure you are."

"They're spreading."

Her fingers loosened. "Don't say that."

"You need to know."

"I know."

"How much time?"

"I don't know."

"You always say that when you do know."

Lyra pushed past him. "And you always ask when you already decided to do something stupid."

Cane caught her before she stepped into the open. "The city has a center. We find it."

"Why?"

"Because the creatures aren't hunting at random."

She stared at him.

Cane pointed at the streets. "They passed three bodies to reach us.