Chapter 21 · The Voice Below

The chain around Caden's chest tightened, and the crack under his feet opened another inch.

"Nora! Move!"

She had Milo over her back, one arm locked under his knees and the other gripping the ring. His blood soaked through the front of her shirt. It was hot. Too hot. Every breath he took scraped against her neck like a match being struck.

Caden dropped hard onto one knee. Black metal chains wrapped his ribs, his throat, his wrists. Each link had a white mark burned into it. The marks pulsed every time the thing under the city moved.

The tunnel shook.

Nora nearly fell with Milo. She slammed one palm against the wall and kept herself upright. Dust filled her mouth. Somewhere behind her, Selene screamed at the dead machine.

"You did this!" Selene shouted. "You little thief!"

Nora looked back.

Selene stood beside the shattered Council device, one hand clamped around her bleeding wrist. The fire that had been crawling over her skin was gone. Only thin gray smoke curled from her fingers.

"You stole it from me," Selene said. "Give it back."

"Get in line."

Milo's head rolled against Nora's shoulder.

"Nora," he mumbled.

"I'm here.