Chapter 29 · The Marriage Clause

"Take your hands off him!"

I slammed my shoulder into the soldier reaching for Dorian's collar.

Two rifles crossed in front of my chest before I got close enough to touch him.

The armored train lurched. My boots shot out from under me, but Dorian caught my wrist and hauled me upright.

"Mara, stay behind me."

"You don't get to order me around while they're tearing you apart."

Three judgment soldiers had him pinned against the carriage wall. One held a pistol under his jaw. Another clawed at the black insignia fixed to his coat.

Dorian wasn't fighting.

That scared me more than the rifles.

His lip was split from the bridge blast. Blood streaked his cheek. He breathed hard through his nose, but his eyes never left mine.

"Don't make this worse," he said.

"They already made it worse. They put a gun to my husband's head."

The carriage went silent.

Even the soldiers froze.

Dorian's fingers tightened around my wrist. His skin burned against mine. His thumb pressed once over my pulse—