Chapter 51 · Cassian Breaks Rank

"Don't pull it out!" I slapped Cassian's hand away from the seal buried in my palm. "If you tear it loose, the west gate drops."

His fingers closed around my wrist.

Blood ran between us, hot against his cold skin, then vanished into the silver lines crawling up my arm.

Behind the glassy column of water, my sister screamed my name.

"Mara! Please!"

The image shook inside the core chamber. Her brow was split open. Blood streaked down her cheek as the last west gate lowered behind her.

Cassian looked at the projection.

Then at my hand.

His jaw locked. "You can't hold both gates."

"I know."

"Then choose the lower wards."

"Don't tell me what to choose."

"I'm telling you what happens if you hesitate."

The tower groaned beneath us.

Black water slammed into the outer walls. The floor tipped hard enough to throw Cyrus into a bank of shattered controls.

He caught himself on one bloody elbow. "The core's taking the lower wards first! Mara, the current's already committed!"

"I can feel that!"

"Then stop fighting it!"

"My sister is behind that gate!"

Cyrus shoved himself upright.