Chapter 24 · Same Beat, Two Hearts

Marcus hit the ice floor hard enough to crack ribs. Blood was already soaking through his shirt from the gash Cassian's blade had opened across his side. The mirror-ice portal was still shimmering behind him, and somewhere on the other side, Cassian was laughing.

"Move." Ayla dragged him by the collar, away from the portal. Her hands were shaking. "He's coming through. You know he's coming through."

"Yeah." Marcus pressed his palm against the wound. Red seeped between his fingers. "I know."

The rune-circle they'd activated was pulsing weakly in the center of the chamber, throwing pale blue light across the walls. It wasn't enough. The whole damn network was dying, and Marcus could feel it in his bones—the way the cold bit deeper, the way the air tasted like ash and rust. This world was maybe two hours from complete collapse.

Ayla knelt beside him, her breath coming fast. "You said you could fix it. You said if I gave blood to the first node, you could fix the rest."

"I can." He coughed, tasted copper. "Just need to not die first."

"Then don't."

Her voice cracked on the last word, and Marcus looked up at her.