Page 51 of Zenith Tower

Hale looked at Kieran.

“Not yet,” Kieran said. “Give it a moment.”

The steward remained until Kieran’s breathing steadied, then returned to his post. He kept watching us.

I crouched in front of Kieran.

“Did I hurt you?”

He shook his head once. “Not at first.”

I looked at Hale. “Did you feel anything?”

“No.”

“What did you feel?” Hale asked Kieran.

Kieran opened his eyes and looked at me. “A pull.”

“From where?” Hale asked.

“My shoulder. Toward Astra.” Kieran flexed his right hand. The last two fingers lagged behind the others. “The numbness is back.”

Hale saw it. “Back?”

“It happened this morning too. It passed before the reader arrived.”

Hale’s jaw tightened. “Anything else?”

“No.” Kieran let his hand fall.

Hale did not answer. His hand remained firm beneath Kieran’s arm.

“I never touched Hale,” I said.

Caspian knelt beside me. “We are not doing it again.”

“No,” Hale said. “Not until we understand why Kieran’s Mark reacted when Astra moved toward me.”

By the time the steward called the end of the hour, the numbness had eased. The pain had not.

Hale helped Kieran stand. Caspian took his left side before the stewards could object.

I took Kieran’s hand while they were still deciding how to move him. His skin was cold.

“Ask them,” he said quietly.

“I will.”

His fingers tightened once before the stewards separated us.

On the walk back, I held my marked wrist against my chest.

The green-gold line was still hot when my door locked behind me.

Astra

Kieran caught his foot on the threshold of the review chamber.