Chapter 17 · Ten Steps

"Don't turn the page." Riven caught my wrist so hard the ledger nearly slid out of my hands.

His palm was burning. Not black fire burning. Fever burning. His fingers shook against my skin, but his grip still had enough strength to hurt.

I looked at him. "You want me to stare at the page forever?"

"I want you to stop touching things that can kill us."

"That rule would've helped about five minutes ago."

His eyes dropped to my hands. Thin black lines crawled under my skin, fading toward my wrists. The fire had left him, but it hadn't left me clean. Every breath scraped my chest. My left knee felt weak, and a white strand had fallen across my cheek.

Riven saw it too.

His face changed.

Not much. Just a small tightening around his mouth. His thumb stopped moving over my pulse.

"What?" I snapped.

"Your hair."

"It's attached. Congratulations."

"Talia."

That tone made me pull my wrist free. "Don't use my name like you own it."

Behind us, metal slammed against the records-room door.

Evelyn's voice cut through the wood. "Open the door, Quill. The district seals in thirty seconds.