Chapter 14 · The Command

“Put the blade down, Cade.”

Six swords pointed at Lena’s throat.

Cade stood between her and the institute soldiers, one hand clamped around her wrist, the other resting on the hilt at his hip. His grip hurt. Not enough to break skin. Just enough to remind her he could.

“Tell them to lower their weapons,” Cade said.

Captain Voss laughed. “You’re in no position to give orders.”

“I’m the executioner.”

“You were.” Voss lifted two fingers. The soldiers tightened their circle. “Now you’re a contaminated asset protecting a condemned criminal.”

Lena twisted against Cade’s hold. “Contaminated? Cute. That’s one way to say your lock is eating him alive.”

Cade’s thumb pressed against her pulse.

“Don’t.”

“What? Point out the obvious?” She glanced at the black lines crawling beneath his skin. They started at the spirit lock buried in his wrist and climbed his forearm like cracked ink. “Your captain came to drag you back before I could remove it.”

Voss’s face hardened. “The lock stays where it is.”

“Then it keeps killing him.”

“It keeps him useful.”

Cade went still.

There it was.

The truth had landed harder than any blade.