Chapter 6 · The Third Lock

Cade’s hand closed around Lena’s throat before she finished saying his name.

Her back slammed into the iron door. The third lock burned between them—a black coin of spirit metal trapped in Cade’s palm. Blue light crawled up his wrist like veins.

“Cade. Let go.”

His fingers tightened.

“You told me to kill you,” he said.

His voice was flat. Too calm.

Like the man who’d put a blade beneath her ribs on Night Two, then apologized before twisting it.

Lena drove her knee into his thigh. He barely moved.

“I told you the lock was lying.”

“You told me I was the key.”

“Both can be true. Now get your hand off my neck.”

His gray eyes stayed on hers. The blue light pulsed beneath his skin.

Her lungs started to burn.

“Cade.” She forced the word out. “Look at me. Not the lock. Me.”

His thumb shifted against her pulse.

For one sharp second, his grip loosened.

Then a bell rang below them.

Cade’s head snapped toward the sound. His body moved before his mind caught up. He shoved Lena aside and drew his execution blade.

The iron door exploded inward.

Three spirit soldiers stormed through the gap.