The White Knife came down.
It should have killed me.
Every story said White Knife kills false vessels. It cuts the echo out, leaves the jar empty, breathing but hollow, a human with no soul.
It came down in a straight, beautiful, terrible line, right for my heart - right for Silas's mark over my heart.
Kade screamed. I heard him. I heard all four of them scream my name at once in my head through the marks: ELARA!
I didn't close my eyes.
Lyra didn't either.
NOT THIS TIME, she howled.
The blade touched my skin.
And stopped.
A centimeter above Silas's mark. It vibrated, humming furious, unable to go further, like it had hit invisible steel.
The High Priest frowned. Pushed harder. The void-blade screeched.
My heart mark flared - cold soul light, silver-violet, and a voice that wasn
