Chapter 11 · Heartbeat in the Cage

The gate opened like a mouth.

Heat rolled through the tunnel, carrying the smell of hot metal, old blood, and something sweetly rotten. Eve stood at the threshold with acid still smoking from her clothes. Her left shoulder burned beneath the torn fabric. Every breath scraped her ribs. Across from her, Cain leaned against the wall, one hand clamped over the hole in his chest.

The amber light beneath Eve’s skin had gone quiet, but not cold. It pulsed in time with her heartbeat.

Thump.

The tunnel answered.

Thump.

Far below, machinery groaned awake.

Nora’s voice crackled through the comm clipped to Eve’s collar. “Eve, don’t go in.”

Eve stared beyond the gate. A long stairway descended into darkness, each step marked by a strip of pale blue light. “You said this was the only route.”

“I said it was a route. I did not say it was safe.”

Cain pushed away from the wall. His knees nearly buckled. Eve caught his elbow before he hit the floor.

His eyes dropped to her hand.

“Don’t,” she said.

“I wasn’t going to thank you.”

“Good. You look terrible when you’re sincere.