Chapter 42 · What are you doing?

He drew the short oath-blade from his belt. The metal was dull, almost gray, but the moment it touched the mark, the whole bridge screamed.

I grabbed his wrist. "What are you doing?"

"Cutting the bond."

"You said the bond keeps us alive."

"It keeps the oath alive. Not us."

"You don't know that."

"I know enough."

"No, you know how to sacrifice yourself. That's different."

He tried to pull free. I held on with both hands.

The blade shook between us.

"Let go," he said.

"Make me."

His eyes sharpened. "Lia."

"You heard me."

"If I don't cut it, the command finishes."

"Then we break the command together."

"There is no together in this."

"You don't get to decide that either."

The oath-blade pressed into his palm. Blood ran over his fingers and dripped onto the black mark.

The mark drank it.

Calian jerked as the pain hit him. His knees nearly folded.

"Calian!"

"Don't touch me."

"Too late."

I wrapped one arm around his waist and shoved my shoulder under his. His weight crashed against me.