Chapter 17 · Fuse and Family

"Don't touch him!" Mara slammed both palms against the tower door.

The metal buckled under her hands. Calder caught her around the waist before the recoil threw her backward, his arm locking across her ribs.

"You have three seconds," he said against her ear. "Pick me or pick the contract."

"Get off me."

"Not happening."

The door stood six feet tall, covered in old brass numbers and fresh black lines that crawled like cracks through glass. Behind it, Mara could hear the fuse burning.

Not loud. Not fast.

Just a tiny, steady hiss.

Her brother was on the other side.

Eli.

The time-link punched through her wrist scar so hard her fingers went numb. She felt his panic without hearing his voice. A hard pull. A trapped breath. Then a silent scream that hit her teeth and made her vision jump.

"He's in there," she said.

Calder tightened his hold. "I know."

"Then let me go."

"So you can run straight into a contract trap?"

"So I can save my brother."

"The door wants a life, Mara. Yours or mine."

She twisted, driving her elbow into his side. Calder grunted, but he didn't release her.