The sound of the gunshot was a thunderclap in the small stone room.
But the bullet didn't hit Caleb.
Elena didn't even think. Her body moved on pure instinct, a primal reflex that overrode all logic and self-preservation. She threw herself in front of Caleb, her arms spreading wide to shield him.
The impact hit her like a sledgehammer.
The bullet tore through her left shoulder, spinning her around and slamming her into the cold steel of the vault door. She cried out, a sharp, agonized sound that was swallowed by the stone walls.
"No!"
The scream that tore from Caleb’s throat was inhuman. It was the sound of a soul being ripped in half.
Silas lowered the gun, his eyes wide with shock. He had expected the Prophet to flinch, to bargain. He hadn't expected the woman to take the bullet.
