Chapter 28 · The Price

Nolan’s hand locked around Evelyn’s throat before she got two steps through the open door.

His fingers were hot. Not skin-hot. Furnace-hot.

Black fire leaked between them in thin, crawling threads and wrapped around her jaw. It smelled like burned metal and old blood.

“Run,” Nolan rasped.

Evelyn shoved at his wrist. “Let go of me.”

“Ev.” His eyes had gone almost all black. “Run now.”

From inside the chamber, Finn screamed.

That did it.

Evelyn drove her elbow back as hard as she could. It caught Nolan under the ribs. He grunted, his grip loosened for half a second, and she twisted free.

Then she slapped the marriage mark on her palm against his chest.

The pact hit like a live wire.

Nolan jerked. Black fire snapped up his neck and into the stone ceiling. Every contract line carved into the tunnel flashed white, then red. Evelyn’s knees almost folded under her.

She saw him.

Not standing in front of her.