Chapter 11 · Hold still

He shifted his grip.

Not on her wrist. On the Core.

He lifted it high, over both of them, and before Augustus could move, before Selena could scream, he brought his other hand up and crushed the shell with his bare fingers.

It didn't crack. It shattered.

Black glass exploded outward, then sucked inward, a cold nova that screamed without sound.

"No!" Augustus snarled and lunged—

Cane slammed the broken Core straight down onto Selena's chest, right over her brand.

Light and dark collided. She arched off the stone, a raw gasp tearing out of her throat. Her back bowed, her hands clawing at his forearms, nails digging in hard enough to draw blood.

"Hold still," Cane growled, pinning her down with his weight, one knee beside her hip, his palm flat over the mess of shattered shell and light bleeding into her skin. It burned. It froze. It tried to throw him off. "You don't get to die. You hear me? I haven't allowed you to die, Selena."

"Cane— it hurts—" she choked out, eyes rolling, tears spilling sideways. "It hurts—"

"I know," he said, low and right against her ear, his breath hot on her cheek.