Chapter 15 · Is Selene here?

Tess looked at the dark doorway. "Is Selene here?"

Nobody answered.

That was answer enough to make her skin prickle.

The scanner's beam returned, brighter than before. It passed over Tess's face, her throat, her chest, and stopped at her wrist.

The mark burned in a perfect black ring.

[SCAN PHASE TWO: TIMER]

[SCAN PHASE THREE: BOND]

[SCAN PHASE FOUR: AUTHORITY]

Tess twisted toward Nima. "What happens when it reaches authority?"

Nima pulled a knife from her boot and pressed it against the golem's exposed joint.

"Then we find out whether your watcher can feel you scream."

The words barely left her mouth before the bond answered.

A pulse hit Tess's wrist.

Another pulse came from the hall.

Someone stood outside the gate.

The masked man whispered, "That signature isn't coming from the contract."

Nima's knife lowered by an inch. "No."

Tess fought to keep her breathing steady. "Then where is it coming from?"

The door latch clicked.

A familiar voice came through the metal, calm and close.

"Open the gate."

Selene.

Tess's wrist burned harder. Nima stepped in front of her, but Tess caught the back of her coat.

"Don't," Tess said.

Nima looked down at her.