Chapter 56

Mara's POV

Gideon's blood filled the carved palm. The young guard's grip loosened; from the stairs came the sound of him climbing with Lucien's help. I heard two more people moving above him.

Then the pressure struck Gideon. He gripped the basin so hard that his arm shook. Severin seized his coat and tried to pull him back, but Gideon bent over the stone and held his hand in place.

“Take it off,” Severin said. “You are stopping the protections along with the commands.”

“For a week,” Gideon managed. “They can choose what comes next.”

“They will choose badly.”

“Some will.” His voice broke on the words. “I did.”

I crossed to the stair and caught the young guard before he stumbled past me. His legs were his again, but they w