Chapter 13 · The Stone Below

"Don't move." Calian's hand locked around my wrist before I could reach the window.

"The whole city just saw my name," I snapped. "You don't get to tell me where to stand."

His fingers tightened. Heat pressed through my skin, sharp enough to make me suck in a breath. The red countdown still flashed across every screen outside.

SACRIFICE CONFIRMED: LIA VALE.

The number dropped again.

"I'm not telling you where to stand," Calian said. His voice was low, rough from the blood running down his side. "I'm telling you the trackers have our exact location."

A gunshot cracked through the wall.

Noah shouted from the front room. "They've breached the lower floor! We have maybe two minutes!"

"Two minutes for what?" I yanked against Calian's grip. "For you to drag me into another locked room and call it protection?"

"For me to get you somewhere they can't reach."

"You said that before the city marked me for death."

His jaw flexed. "I didn't mark you."

"You wore the damn oath. You knew what would happen.