Chapter 16 · The Blood Seal

"That wasn't my order." Dorian caught my wrist before I could reach the speaker panel.

His voice still rang through the chamber.

"By command of the city guard, Mara Voss is to be executed at sunrise. Any officer who interferes will be treated as a traitor."

The speaker clicked off.

I twisted against Dorian's grip. "Take your hand off me."

He didn't.

His fingers burned around my pulse. Black veins crawled from the command seal on his wrist and vanished beneath his sleeve.

"Mara, listen to me. I didn't send that order."

"Your voice did." I shoved at his chest. "Your seal did. Every speaker in Hollowmere heard it. What part am I supposed to ignore?"

He took the hit without moving. His body stayed between me and the steel exit, broad shoulders blocking my only way out.

"The order came through the shield core," he said. "Someone copied my voice and pushed it through the city line."

"Silas?"

Dorian's jaw tightened.

That was answer enough.

I let out a sharp, ugly laugh.