Chapter 14 · Trust Me for Ten Seconds

"Trust me for ten seconds."

Evelyn stood with her back to the archive doors, my broken chain glowing between us. Guards crowded the corridor behind her. Vale had one hand raised, and every council pin in the stone walls burned red.

Her eyes searched mine. "I don't trust you."

"I know."

"I trust that you hate losing more than you hate me."

"That's enough."

"For what?"

I tightened my grip on the chain. "For this."

I drove it into the glowing council seal.

The stone split.

Power ripped through the archive. Shelves slammed into the walls. Glass exploded from the upper windows. Guards flew backward, shouting. Vale hit the corridor wall hard enough to crack the stone behind him.

The chain shattered in my hand.

For half a second, nobody moved.

Then every council pin went dark.

Mine included.

The warden's chain broke apart into black fragments. One piece sliced my palm. Another struck Evelyn's boot and spun across the floor.

She stared at the wreckage. "You actually did it."

"You sound surprised."

"I'm deciding whether to slap you or drag you out before they kill you."

"Pick the second one."

"Don't tell me what to pick.