Chapter 7 · Enough flirting

She shoved him back.

The bond snapped tight between them. Pain flashed through both bodies. Elias caught the railing behind him. Nora grabbed the edge of a control panel, teeth clenched.

Above them, the hunters reloaded.

"Enough flirting," one of them called. "The council wants the warden breathing. The outlaw can be broken."

Elias's expression changed.

"That sounded personal," Nora said.

"They've tried before."

"And you survived?"

"Barely."

"You hide it well."

"You notice too much."

"It's how I stay alive."

"Not tonight."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs.

This time, Nora went with him.

They climbed fast. The metal steps shook under their boots. A hunter dropped from the catwalk and landed ahead of them.

Nora hit him first.

Her blade caught the weapon strap. She ripped it loose and drove her shoulder into his chest. Elias caught the hunter from behind and slammed him against the railing.

"Left," Elias barked.

Nora ducked left.

Elias hurled the hunter into the second attacker. Both crashed through a loose section of railing and vanished below.

Nora stopped at the landing. "Did you just throw two people off a platform?"

"They landed on the maintenance net.