Chapter 22 · Shared Wounds

"Get your hand off me, Dorian."

His fingers tightened around my wrist instead of letting go.

The shard had cut through my glove and buried itself in my palm. Blood ran over its black edge, thin and hot, while the vault walls shook around us.

"You're bleeding through the bone," he said.

"Then stop staring and pull it out."

"I tried."

"Try harder."

Dorian's jaw locked. He braced one hand against the stone beside my head and leaned closer. His coat brushed my shoulder. Heat came off him, sharp against the cold vault, and his breath touched my cheek.

The oath mark around my wrist burned between us.

Not like a brand this time.

Like a live wire.

"Mara, listen to me." His voice dropped. "The shard is feeding on your memory."

"I know what it is doing."

"No, you don't. You keep fighting it, and it will strip everything clean. Your name. Your mother. Me."

I shoved at his chest. He barely moved.

"Don't put yourself in that list."

His eyes cut down to my mouth, then snapped back to mine. "You think I want to be there?"

"You dragged me here."

"Because Calder sealed every exit.