Chapter 23 · Sera caught him under the arm. “You good?”

Sera caught him under the arm. “You good?”

“Ask me something less insulting.”

“You’re heavy.”

“You’re short.”

“Keep talking.”

“I’m trying to distract you.”

“From what?”

“The fact that the bridge is gone.”

Sera looked ahead.

The central platform ended at a broken span. On the other side, the core chamber doors were opening one inch at a time. Blue-black light leaked through the gap.

Behind them, Oren’s boots struck the metal floor.

“You can’t outrun the tower,” Oren said. “You can’t outrun what you are.”

Sera tightened her hold on Kael. “Can you jump?”

“With one leg?”

“I didn’t ask for a medical report.”

“Barely.”

“Then jump when I do.”

Kael looked down at her hand on his arm. “You trust me now?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“You’re going first.”

He gave her a hard look. “Of course I am.”

Sera ran.

Kael pushed off beside her. They cleared the gap by inches. His boot struck the far ledge, slipped, and sent him over the edge.

Sera dropped flat and caught his hand.

The broken floor bit into her ribs. Kael hung below her, one arm stretched toward the darkness.

“Don’t let go,” he said.

“Wasn’t planning to.”

“You’re bleeding.