Chapter 9 · Heartbeat Countdown

The tower's counting.

Mara can feel it in her ribs. Every beat of her heart sends a pulse through the stone walls, and the walls answer back. The glowing script carved into the execution chamber floor flares brighter with each thump. One heartbeat. Two. Three. The tower's keeping score.

"We need to move." Julian's voice comes out rough. He's leaning against the doorframe, one hand pressed to his chest like he's trying to hold something in. His face is pale under the dim light, and sweat's beading at his temples. "Now."

Mara's still staring at the iron key in her hand. It's warm. Too warm. The inscription along the shaft is glowing faint red: One heart, one lock, one life. She wants to throw it. She wants to scrub her palm clean. She wants to rewind the last ten minutes and tell that faceless client to go to hell.

But the tower's still counting.

"I didn't know." Her voice cracks. "I didn't—"

"I know." Julian pushes off the doorframe, stumbles, catches himself. "Let's argue about it when we're not standing in a death trap."

He's right. The chamber's tilting.