Chapter 21 · Sparkbound - Chapter 21: The Eye in the Dark

"Take your hand off the core, Wren. Now." Draven's fingers locked around her wrist before the black machine could close over it.

"Let go. You are the one bleeding out."

"I noticed."

The tether between them flashed hard enough to throw both their shadows across the chamber wall. Draven's knees hit the metal platform. His grip stayed tight.

The machine had taken his blood first. Thin red lines crawled beneath the skin of his hand, spreading toward his elbow in branching streaks. The rot. Wren had seen it before, but never this fast.

The core pulsed under her palm.

Once.

Twice.

Each pulse dragged a matching beat out of Draven's chest.

"It is using us," she said.

"Then stop feeding it."

"I am trying."

"Try harder."

Wren yanked against his hold. He pulled her closer instead, his shoulder slamming into her ribs. Heat rolled off him despite the cold metal under their boots. His breath scraped near her cheek.

"You brought me here," she snapped. "You chained me to this thing."

"I chained us to it because the door was closing."

"That is not better."

"It kept the Combine from finding us."

"And now it wants to eat my spark."