Chapter 38 · The Memory Auction

"Take your hand off her." Kael's voice cut through the auction hall before the guard could press the shock rod into Mira's neck.

The rod sparked against Mira's collar. She gasped, knees buckling, but the guard held her upright by the back of her coat. A silver control band circled his wrist. The same band glowed at Mira's throat.

Sera shoved through the crowd and put a knife against the guard's jaw. "Touch her again and you lose the hand holding her."

"You have three seconds to lower that blade," the guard said.

"You have two seconds to stop counting."

Kael caught Sera's wrist from behind. His palm closed around her skin, warm and hard, locking her arm before she could draw the knife across the guard's throat.

"Let go," she snapped.

"Not while you're standing under six loaded pulse rifles."

She twisted against him. His chest hit her back. His breath brushed the side of her ear, close enough to make the bond under her collarbone flare hot.

"I don't need you to save me," she said.

"Good. Then stop making me."

Across the circular hall, memory dealers froze behind their glass counters.