Élise woke with Adrien's name on her lips.
Her wrist throbbed, not with pain, but with awareness—sharp, insistent. Before she could sit up, she felt it: him. Not the sound of movement, not a touch, but a presence pulling gently at her chest, like a tide.
"You feel it too," Adrien said.
He was already awake, sitting at the edge of the bed, staring at his wrist. The mirrored mark glowed faintly, responding to hers.
"Yes," Élise whispered. "It's like… I know where you are."
Adrien stood and took a step toward the door.
Her breath caught.
"Don't," she said instinctively.
He froze.
The pull tightened between them, sharp enough to steal the air from her lungs. Adrien staggered, gripping the wall.
"So that's the first rule," he said grimly. "Distance."
They stood there, breathing hard, until he stepped back closer. The pressure eased immediately.
Élise swallowed. "We can't be far apart."
"No," he agreed. "And that's not all."
He met her gaze. "I can feel your fear. Your heartbeat. Even your anger."
Her pulse spiked—and he flinched.
"Sorry," she muttered.
A bitter smile touched his lips. "You're not. That's the point."
Silence settled between them, heavy with understanding.
The city had bound them as one.
---
They didn't plan to leave the apartment together.
But the moment Élise stepped into the hallway, the mark burned again—this time, warning.
"Someone's here," she said.
Adrien nodded. "I feel it too."
The stairwell lights flickered as they descended. At the bottom, near the exit, a figure leaned casually against the wall, hands in their pockets.
A woman.
Short dark hair. Sharp eyes. A crescent mark visible at her wrist—cracked, as if shattered and stitched back together.
"Well," the woman said, smiling without warmth. "The city finally made a mistake."
Adrien stiffened. "You're dead."
She laughed softly. "That's what it wants people to think."
Élise stepped forward. "Who are you?"
"Name's Mara," she replied. "I was chosen. I survived. And then I broke the rules."
Adrien's voice dropped. "That's impossible."
Mara lifted her wrist. "Looks possible to me."
Élise's heart raced. "How?"
Mara's smile faded. "By paying the price it didn't warn me about."
The lights dimmed. The air thickened.
"You two are bound," Mara continued. "That means the city's watching closer than ever. It won't forgive hesitation. And it hates loopholes."
Adrien clenched his jaw. "Why are you here?"
"Because," Mara said, meeting Élise's eyes, "you did something new. You chose love."
A low hum vibrated through the building, like a distant growl.
Mara's expression hardened. "And now it's angry."
The shadows stretched along the walls.
"Rule number two," Mara said quickly. "The city always collects."
The floor trembled.
Outside, a clock began to chime.
Adrien grabbed Élise's hand. "We need to move."
Mara turned toward the exit. "Run if you want. Hide if you can."
She glanced back at them, eyes sharp.
"But understand this—the city can be cheated."
The final chime echoed.
"And it will demand blood for the lesson."
The door burst open.
Darkness rushed in.