Chapter 5 · You're about to fall

"You're about to fall."

"I said—"

His knees buckled.

Lia caught him before he hit the ground. The chain dragged her down with him. His weight slammed against her, and his breath struck the side of her neck, hot and ragged.

The masked woman stepped back. "The eclipse is taking him."

"No kidding," Sable said.

"You have thirteen nights," the woman said.

Lia looked up. "For what?"

The woman smiled. "Ask the enforcer what happens on the last one."

Cael's hand closed around Lia's forearm. His grip was strong enough to hurt, but not enough to break skin.

"Don't let her take me," he said.

It was the first thing he'd said that sounded like a request.

Lia stared at him. "You were going to kill me an hour ago."

"I know."

"You almost did."

"I know."

"Give me one good reason."

His forehead nearly touched hers. His eyes were bright with the wrong kind of light.

"Because you said my name," he whispered. "And it brought me back."

The masked woman fired.

Cael moved first.

He yanked Lia down and twisted his body over hers. The shot struck the wall behind them. Stone burst across Lia's cheek.

Sable kicked backward. Her heel caught the woman's knee.

The gun dipped.

Lia grabbed the chain with both hands and spoke the first binding word that came to her.

"Kneel."

The contract flared.

Cael dropped hard onto one knee.

The masked woman stumbled too. Her glowing wrist jerked down as if an invisible hand had seized it.

Sable tore free and sprinted toward the alley mouth.

"Run!" Lia shouted.

"Gladly!"

The woman ripped off her glove. Red marks spiraled over her palm.

"You little thief."

"Former thief," Lia said, dragging Cael behind a broken stone pillar. "I've upgraded to framed murderer."

Cael pressed his back against the pillar. His chest rose fast. Blood soaked the shoulder of his coat.

Lia saw the wound then. A silver shard had punched through the leather near his shoulder blade.

"You're hurt."

"I'm aware."

"Take off the coat."

His eyes sharpened. "No."

"That wasn't a request."

"You're not touching me."

"Then bleed quietly."

The masked woman fired again. The bullet struck the pillar inches from Cael's head.

He caught Lia by the waist and pulled her into the narrow space between his body and the stone.

Her back hit his chest.

His arm locked around her middle. His breath warmed her ear.

"Stay down," he said.

"Let go."

"When she leaves."

"She won't leave while she thinks you can break loose."

"You have a better idea?"

"Yes. Stop holding me like a shield."

"You're the one with the plan."

"You noticed."

His thumb pressed once against her side. Not gentle. Not careless either.

The masked woman called from the other side of the pillar. "Lia, bring me the chain, or I shoot Sable when she reaches the street."

Sable shouted back, "She's lying!"

"She has a gun," Lia yelled.

"And no aim!"

Another shot cracked. Sable cursed.

Cael's arm tightened. "Tell me what you're doing."

"I'm going to stitch your shoulder."

"Now?"

"Unless you'd rather faint dramatically in my lap."

"You couldn't carry me."

"I don't need to carry you. I need you conscious."

"Why?"

"Because the bond needs an anchor."

He looked down at her. His cheek brushed her hair as he turned.

"And I'm the anchor?"

"You're the stronger vessel. I'm the writer. If you lose control, the contract will follow your instincts instead of my commands."

"You can command me?"

"Apparently. Kneel worked."

His mouth tightened. "Try it again."

"I might."

"Lia."

Her name in his voice did something stupid to her concentration.

She shoved his arm away. "Give me the coat."

He held her gaze for a long second, then shrugged out of it. The movement pulled a sharp sound from him.

Lia caught the coat before it fell. "That hurt?"

"No, I enjoy being stabbed."

"Good. Then you'll enjoy this part."

She pulled a narrow sewing kit from her boot. Sable had forced it on her months ago, back when Lia still had enough money to own more than one pair of boots.

Cael watched the needle appear. "You carry medical supplies?"

"I carry things useful men forget."

"You call me useful?"

"Don't get excited."

She tore open the fabric around the wound. The silver shard was shallow, but the skin around it had gone dark.

Cael's fingers dug into the stone behind him.

"Hold still," she said.

"You enjoy giving orders."

"You enjoy pretending you don't need them."

"I don't need you."

"Then why are you still inside arm's reach?"

His eyes met hers.

Neither spoke.

The contract pulled them closer until her knee pressed against his thigh. Heat rolled through the thin space between them. His scent was leather, metal, and smoke. Her hand paused over his shoulder.

"Don't look at me like that," he said.

"Like what?"

"Like you're trying to decide where to cut."

"I am deciding."

"Liar."

The chain tightened.

Pain snapped through both of them.

Lia sucked in a breath. Cael's hand closed around her wrist.

"You lied," he said.

"I changed my mind."

"That wasn't what you said."

"You want exact wording? Fine. I was deciding whether to cut the wound or your throat."

The chain loosened.

Cael's grip remained around her wrist.

"There," Lia said. "Happy?"

"Not even close."

She pushed the needle through the torn skin.

Cael jerked.

The pain hit Lia a heartbeat later. It tore across her shoulder and down her ribs. Her fingers spasmed, and the needle scraped sideways.

"Damn it."

"You felt that?"

"You think?"

He grabbed her hand. "Stop."

"If I stop, you bleed."

"If you continue, you hurt yourself."

"That's the contract. We share the damage."

"Then break it."

"I'm trying."

She pulled her hand free and stitched again.

This time the pain came sharp and clean. Cael's breath broke against her temple. His shoulder pressed into hers as he fought not to move.

"Say something," Lia muttered.

"What?"

"Insult me. Threaten me. You seem good at both."

"You have terrible technique."

"Better."

"Your stitches are crooked."

"Your shoulder is moving."

"Your hands are shaking."

"Your pulse is racing."