Black-green water burst through the Bone chime grate and struck Jiang in the breast.
The loose healer cloth tore away. He slid across the tilted floor until Aylin caught the green cord still tied around his body.
Behind her, the four surviving Last Party shapes advanced together.
Iron bars grew across the tower doors. Glass hooks pulled at every breath. Rootwood chains climbed the cracked supports. Bone drew a white bowstring between Aylin's funeral line and Kedra's.
Bronze had no body left. Its tower kept ringing anyway.
"The Roadwright load moved into the conductor," Valea said. She braced one foot against the chime grate and caught the bronze cable running beneath it. "All five crafts are in there."
Varn's source chain jerked at the floor break. "And they are pulling from below me."
Hest forced his bent gate bar between the grate and the wall. The next surge bowed the iron but left a gap wide enough for Jiang's head.
