The star-lance crossed the water without slowing.
White fire wrapped a bronze spear longer than a Skykeel street. A chain uncoiled behind it from the seven-pointed ship, each link turning inside a clear sleeve of air. The weapon should have flown straight.
It bent toward Kaul.
Jiang saw the reason ahead of the burning point. A filament as thin as a hair moved through the star-water, pale at one end and black-green where it reached the center. It had found the living hook beside Kaul's ruined voice box.
Kaul felt it too.
His body twisted against the frame. Wet breath burst through the city copper mouths, but no warning traveled with it. His injured adult bell spread over the hook and covered as much of the red strand as its pale body could reach.
The filament passed through the animal.
It was following the root beneath both bodies.
Aylin grabbed the center line. "Can we cut that thread?"
