Chapter 27 · Stay with me

She gasped. "Finn!"

Elias dragged her against him as the memories ripped past. His hand pressed between her shoulder blades, keeping her upright.

"Stay with me."

"I heard him."

"I heard him too."

"Then let me go!"

"No."

She shoved at his chest. The broken heart flared under his coat, and pain burst through both of them. Elias folded around it with a rough sound.

"You said you could handle it."

"I said I could get us through."

"You're bleeding."

A dark stain spread beneath his shirt. Nora's hand went there before she could stop herself. Heat soaked into her palm.

His gaze dropped to her fingers. "Worried?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Your hand says different."

She tried to pull away. He caught her wrist again, not hard, but firm enough to stop her.

"Nora."

"What?"

"If you forget me, don't trust the version of me the grid gives you."

"And if I forget Finn?"

"You won't."

"You don't know that."

"I know you."

The words landed between them. His thumb moved once over her pulse. A tiny touch. A dangerous one.

Nora's breath came short. "You don't get to say that."

"Why?"

"Because you don't."

"That's not an answer.