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"Tell me where you got the seal, or I stop your heart again." Rowan’s hand closed around Tessa’s wrist and pressed her palm flat against the iron table.
The mark in her skin flashed hot.
Tessa bit back a cry. "You already asked that."
"You already lied."
"I said I found it in a dead vault. That’s not a lie. That’s the part you’re choosing to hear."
His thumb settled over her pulse. Warm. Steady. Way too close to the burning seal.
The door behind him shook under another impact.
Someone outside shouted, "Warden! Open up! Council authority!"
Rowan didn’t look away from Tessa. "Last chance. Who gave it to you?"
"Get your hand off me."
"Name."
"Rowan."
His eyes narrowed.
Tessa smiled through the pain. "See? I know yours. That makes us even."
The mark flared again. Her knees buckled, and his arm caught her before she hit the table. His chest struck her shoulder. For half a second, she felt his breath against her hair and the hard line of his body behind hers.
Then he shoved her upright.
"Don’t test me," he said.
"I’m not testing you. I’m testing the leash."
"What leash?"
Tessa lifted her burning hand between them. The seal pulsed under her skin like a second heart.
"This one. You said you can stop my heart when I lie. You didn’t say what happens if you try while I’m telling the truth."
A sharp crack hit the other side of the door. Metal bent inward.
Rowan’s jaw tightened. "You’re stalling."
"Obviously. You tied me to a chair, threatened to kill me, and locked us in a Council holding room. What did you expect? A confession and a thank-you card?"
He glanced at the restraints around her ankles. Then at the iron cuffs biting into her wrists.
Tessa saw it. The hesitation.
Small. Barely there. Still real.
"You can’t kill me," she said.
Rowan’s fingers tightened around her wrist. "Careful."
"No, you be careful. The seal isn’t only attached to me."
His gaze dropped to their hands.
Tessa leaned closer, lowering her voice. "When you trigger it, my heart stutters. Yours does too."
The room went still.
Outside, boots pounded across the stone corridor. More voices joined the first.
"Rowan Vale! Step away from the thief!"
"Open the door or we breach!"
Rowan’s eyes stayed on Tessa. "How long have you known?"
"Since you tried to make me lie."
"You felt my pulse?"
"I felt the seal. It copied yours."
He released her wrist and stepped back.
Tessa rolled her shoulder, hiding how badly it hurt. "That look is almost flattering. Did you really think I’d sit here and wait for you to figure out what you’re holding?"
"You don’t know what you’re holding."
"I know the Council wants it. I know you want it gone. And I know neither of you can touch it without touching me."
"You’re wrong about one thing."
Rowan crossed the space between them so fast the chain at her ankles snapped tight. He planted one hand beside her head and leaned in. His sleeve brushed her arm. The metal clasps at his wrist clicked against the table.
"I don’t need to touch the seal," he said. "I only need to keep you alive long enough to take you somewhere it can’t be used."
His face was close enough that she could see the faint scar cutting through his left eyebrow. His breath smelled like bitter coffee and smoke.
Tessa refused to move back.
"A prison?"
"A vault."
"That sounds worse."
"It is."
"You’re terrible at selling things."
"I’m not selling. I’m giving you terms."
She laughed once. "You really think you’re in charge?"
Rowan’s gaze dropped to her mouth, just for a beat.
Tessa caught it. So did he.
His expression hardened. "Don’t confuse proximity with permission."
"Don’t confuse a sharp jaw with authority."
The corner of his mouth moved. Not a smile. Almost.
Then the door exploded inward.
A Council enforcer came through first, shield raised. Rowan shoved Tessa down as a bolt screamed over her head and buried itself in the wall.
"Stay down!"
"You stay down!" she snapped.
Rowan drew the short blade from his belt and drove it into the enforcer’s shield. Blue light burst across the room. The man staggered.
Two more pushed through behind him.
Tessa twisted against the restraints. "My cuffs!"
"You’re safer restrained."
"They’re shooting at us!"
"You stole a living seal. Nobody in this building is safe."
One enforcer lifted a crossbow.
Tessa kicked the table leg. The iron table lurched sideways. The bolt struck Rowan’s shoulder instead of his throat.
He grunted and turned on her. "What the hell was that?"
"Saving your life. You’re welcome."
"You moved the table."
"You noticed. Cute. Now get these off."
The first enforcer recovered and swung his shield at Rowan. Rowan blocked with his forearm, but the impact drove him into the wall.
Tessa saw the key ring hanging from the man’s belt.
She pulled at the ankle chain. The iron cut into her boot, but the table gave her enough slack. She hooked one foot around the enforcer’s knee and yanked.
He went down hard.
The keys skidded across the floor.
Tessa lunged for them.
A gauntleted hand grabbed the back of her coat and hauled her off the table. Her throat tightened as she slammed against a broad chest.
"You’re coming with us," the enforcer said.
"I’d rather not."
She drove her head backward.
His nose cracked. His grip loosened.
Tessa dropped, snatched the keys, and rolled beneath the table.
Rowan caught the second enforcer by the collar and threw him across the room. The man hit the barred door and went limp.
"Key!" Rowan shouted.
Tessa tossed the ring. "Catch!"
He caught it without looking. "You could’ve freed me first."
"You have a sword. I have a chain. Figure out which of us needs help."
The remaining enforcer raised his crossbow again.
Rowan moved in front of Tessa.
The bolt hit his blade and split apart in a spray of sparks.
Tessa stared at his back. "You just blocked that for me."
"Don’t make it sentimental."
"I was going to say stupid."
"Say it after we leave."
He kicked the fallen man’s weapon away and unlocked Tessa’s wrist restraints. The moment his fingers brushed her skin, the seal pulsed.
His breath caught.
Tessa felt it in her own chest.
One beat.
Two.
Their hearts stumbled together.
Rowan looked down at the mark. "It reacts to contact."
"It reacts to you."
"That’s not better."
"It’s not supposed to be comfortable."
The corridor alarm began to howl.
Red light strobed across Rowan’s face. He caught Tessa by the elbow and dragged her toward the side passage.
She dug in her heels. "Where are you taking me?"
"The vault entrance."
"You said the vault was safer."
"I lied."
The seal flashed.
Rowan stopped so sharply that Tessa collided with his chest. His hand shot to her waist to keep her upright. The contact lasted one breath too long.
Heat ran through the fabric between them.
His eyes lowered to hers.
Tessa’s fingers tightened around the front of his coat. "Did it hurt?"
"No."
The mark flashed again.
Rowan’s face went cold. "Don’t lie to me."
"I’m not."
"Then why did it trigger?"
Tessa looked past him at the bodies on the floor. "Maybe it doesn’t like your voice."
"Maybe it knows you’re hiding something."
"Maybe you’re scared."
His grip shifted from her waist to her upper arm. Not rough, but impossible to ignore.
"I don’t get scared," he said.
The seal went white.
Rowan’s hand jerked away as if burned. He bent over, one palm braced against the wall.
Tessa stared at him. "That was a lie."
He breathed through his teeth. "Keep moving."
"You can’t trigger the seal when you lie either."
"I said keep moving."
"You’re not the only one holding a blade here."
Rowan pushed away from the wall and faced her. The alarm made the metal in his eyes look almost silver.
"You want honesty? Fine. The Council has sealed every city gate. They’re sweeping the districts for you. If they catch you, they’ll cut the mark out of your hand. If they catch me with you, they’ll hang me beside you."
Tessa’s mouth went dry. "And you still plan to drag me into a vault?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because the vault has one entrance and no Council signal. We can hide there until I figure out how to break this chain."
"You mean until you decide whether to kill me."
"If I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t be standing."
"That’s not reassuring."
"It wasn’t meant to be."
A blast shook the passage. Dust dropped from the ceiling. Somewhere ahead, a gate began to grind shut.
Rowan grabbed her hand.
Tessa yanked back. "Don’t."
"If we separate, the seal will pull us toward each other."
"You tested that?"
"You did. When you ran from me in the holding room."
She remembered the sudden wrench in her chest. The way the mark had dragged her backward before Rowan caught her.
Tessa glared at him. "You could’ve mentioned that."
"You could’ve stopped running."
"You had a knife at my throat."
"You had a forbidden seal in your hand."
"I had a debt collector at my door and three days to pay him. Forgive me for not filing a report."
For the first time, Rowan’s attention shifted from the corridor to her face.
"Three days?"
Tessa cursed under her breath.
"What happens in three days?" he asked.
"Nothing."
The seal stayed dark.
Rowan’s eyes narrowed. "That answer was true. You’re hiding the rest."
"You’re learning."
"Talk."
"No."
His fingers closed around hers. His palm was rough and hot against the seal.
Their pulses matched.
Tessa’s chest tightened. She hated how easily he could feel every tremor in her hand. She hated that he didn’t squeeze harder. He didn’t need to.
"Tell me," he said quietly, "or I let the Council take you."
"You won’t."
"Try me."
She looked at the corridor behind him. More boots. More voices.
Then she looked at the vault gate ahead.
"The seal gave me a countdown," she said. "Three days until Greyharbor falls."
Rowan went very still.
"Falls how?"
"It didn’t explain."
"You saw words?"
"Burned into my palm. Yes."
"Why didn’t you tell me?"
"Because you were busy threatening to stop my heart."
His jaw flexed. "You should’ve told me."
"You should’ve asked like a person."
The outer gate slammed down behind them.
Tessa flinched at the boom. Rowan pulled her against the wall as another volley struck the bars. Metal rang inches from her head.
His body covered hers. His arm locked beside her shoulder. The front of his coat pressed against her chest, and his breath warmed the side of her face.
"Don’t move," he murmured.
"You’re the one pinning me."
"You’re welcome."
"You’re enjoying this."
His eyes held hers. "You keep saying things you can’t prove."
"You keep standing too close."
For one dangerous second, neither of them moved.
Then something slammed into the outer gate hard enough to bend it.
Rowan stepped back. The loss of his heat hit Tessa before she could stop it.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
"Vault," he said.
"Still hate that word."
"Run."
They sprinted down the passage, hands locked because the seal kept tugging whenever their grip broke. Tessa stumbled over a broken rune plate. Rowan caught her under the ribs and shoved her forward before the next impact hit.
"Left!" he barked.
"You said right!"
"I changed my mind!"
"You’re a terrible guide!"
"You’re alive!"
"Barely!"
They reached the vault door as the city’s inner gates began to slam shut one after another. The sound rolled through the stone under their feet.
Rowan jammed a black metal key into the lock.
Tessa looked over her shoulder. Council soldiers flooded the far end of the passage. Crossbows rose. Blue bolts gathered at their tips.
"Open it!" she shouted.
"I’m trying."
"Try faster!"
"The seal is fighting the lock."
"Then make it stop!"
"It listens to you."
Tessa pressed her burning palm against the door.
The metal groaned.
A thin line of red light opened down the center.
Rowan seized her wrist. "What did you do?"
"Opened it."
"You don’t know what’s inside."
"Neither do you?"
His silence answered.
The vault door split wider. Blackness waited beyond it, thick with growls and scraping claws.
Tessa looked at him. "Monsters inside. Guns outside."
"Pick one."
"I pick neither."
"Then pick death."
The first bolt flew.
Rowan dragged her through the opening. The vault door slammed behind them, and heavy locks dropped into place.
Tessa spun on him. "You trapped us."
"I kept us from getting shot."
"You locked the door!"
"Because they were seconds behind us."
A growl rolled through the dark.
Tessa backed into the door. Rowan moved in front of her, blade raised.
"Stay behind me," he said.
"No."
"That wasn’t a request."
"Then ask better."
His hand reached into his coat and came out holding a narrow iron clasp marked with the warden’s crest.
Tessa’s stomach dropped. "What is that?"
"A limiter."
"Put it away."
"It keeps the seal from spreading."
"You said you could break the chain."
"I said I’d figure it out."
"That’s not the same thing."
"No. It isn’t."
The growl came again, closer this time.
Rowan stepped toward her with the clasp open in his hand.
Tessa raised her fists. "Touch me with that, and I’ll break your nose."
"You already tried."
"I can do it better now."
"Maybe. But if the seal reaches your throat, you’ll have less than an hour."
Her hand went cold despite the heat under her skin.
"You’re lying."
"Test it."
"You first. Tell me what the limiter does to you."
He stopped.
There it was again. That tiny pause.
Tessa pointed at his chest. "It binds both of us, doesn’t it?"
Rowan’s face gave her nothing.
She stepped closer. "If you lock it on me, you get locked in too."
"Yes."
"And if I run?"
"Your heart stops."
"Mine?"
"Both."
The answer landed between them.
Tessa swallowed. "So you’re not putting me on a leash. You’re putting us in the same cage."
"Call it whatever helps you hold still."
"I’m not holding still for you."
She swung.
Rowan caught her fist inches from his jaw. His other hand closed around her wrist, pinning both arms between them. He was close again, heat bleeding through their coats, his breath rough against her cheek.
"Let go," she said.
"No."
"I’ll bite."
"Do it."
The words dropped low and dangerous.
Tessa stared at him. His grip didn’t hurt, but it gave her no room. His thumb rested against the inside of her wrist, right over the racing pulse.
"You really enjoy ordering people around," she whispered.
"You really enjoy pretending you’re not afraid."
"I’m afraid of plenty. You’re not on the list."
"Liar."
The seal flared.
Both their hearts slammed hard enough to steal Tessa’s breath.
Rowan bent his head, forehead almost touching hers. "Don’t lie when I’m holding you."
"Then stop asking questions you already know the answers to."
His gaze stayed on her mouth for one beat.
Tessa felt the pause. Felt the choice he didn’t make.
Then he shoved the iron clasp around her wrist.
She fought him, twisting hard. "Rowan—"
"Hold still."
"Go to hell."
"After you."
The clasp snapped shut.
Heat punched through both their wrists. Rowan’s hand locked around hers as the seal surged bright between them, and he leaned close enough to whisper, "Tell me, Tessa—who taught you to open a living seal..."