Page 10 of The Sin Binder's Chains

Luna turns to him sharply. “That’s an actual thing?”

He gestures at the oncoming horror. “You tell me.”

I don’t waste breath on explanations. There’s no time.

We need to move.

Elias must think the same, because he steps forward, cracking his neck with a lazy roll of his shoulders. “Don’t say I never do anything for you,” he mutters before lifting a single hand.

And the world slows.

It’s not immediate. It’s a drag, like something resisting, like the Hollow itself is reluctant to obey even him. But then the air thickens, not literally, not in the way lesser minds would describe, but in a way that means something is wrong.

The stampede stretches in front of us, hooves frozen mid-strike, manes whipping in unnatural slow-motion, their distorted cries dragged into something unearthly.

Elias exhales, turning back to us with a smirk. “I give us thirty seconds. Make it count.”

Luna, to her credit, barely hesitates. “And by make it count, you mean?”

I gesture at the wraith horses. “Transportation.”

She stares at me. Then at the undead fucking creatures. Then back at me.

“No.”

I don’t dignify that with a response.

She crosses her arms. “I am not getting on one of those things.”

Elias laughs. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re adorable if you think you have options.”

Luna glares. “I’ll run.”

“You won’t,” I correct. “Because we don’t have time for you to be stubborn.”

Her jaw tightens, but I can already see the war happening behind her eyes. The logic is fighting her absolute refusal to comply. The spark of rebellion igniting, the same one that’s been getting under my skin since the moment I met her.

I don’t have time for it now.

“Elias,” I say smoothly, turning to him, “she’s riding with you.”

His amusement vanishes.

“What?”

I level him with a look. “You’re the only one who can keep her from falling off.”

Elias scowls. “That sounds like a you problem, leader.”

“It’s about to be your problem.”

Luna scoffs. “I don’t need a babysiter.”

I ignore her, stepping toward Elias, lowering my voice just enough. “Keep her on the damn horse, Elias.”

Elias exhales, rubbing his jaw. “You know I don’t like people touching me, right?”

I meet his gaze, unflinching. “Then make an exception.”

---