Chapter 30 · Untitled Chapter

“What are you willing to pay?”

The thing under the dock said it in my voice.

Not close to my voice. Not kind of like it. Mine. Every ugly little edge of it. Every tired note from too many double shifts and too much pretending I wasn’t scared.

The black water below the moon platform slapped against the pilings.

Elara hung over it in chains.

Her boots kept scraping the concrete as she fought the pull dragging her toward the crack in the dock. Black links ran from her wrists into that split, disappearing down into a dark that didn’t look like water anymore.

“Mara,” she gasped. “Don’t answer it.”

Dorian took one step toward the platform.

The silver line around the edge flashed.

He hit it like he’d run into a truck.

His body slammed backward across wet concrete. Blood spread beneath his shoulder. He made a sound low in his throat, not quite a growl, not quite human either.

“Stay back,” Sable snapped.

Dorian pushed himself up on one elbow. His face had gone gray under the blood. “Get her off that altar.”

“Great plan,” Sable said. “Maybe throw yourself at it another six times.