The lion's teeth grazed her skin.
Sharp pain flashed across her wrist.
Blood welled up.
Kian's tongue touched it.
The effect was immediate.
His whole body convulsed.
The chains screamed.
The black pulse near his mouth flared so violently that several guards shouted and stepped back. Cyrus dragged Isabella halfway back, but she clung to his arm and did not let him pull her fully away.
Kian roared.
The sound was no longer only rage.
It was pain.
It was rejection.
It was the false imprint burning.
Isabella's blood hit the corruption like fire poured into rot. The dark mark beneath Zara's wrist flashed at the same time, and even though Zara was still unconscious, her body jerked in the guards' hold.
Zyran's shadows tightened around the chains. "Hold him!"
Osiris rushed forward and grabbed one chain, his arms burning with fire as he braced himself. "He is going to break it!"
