Chapter 15 · Third Person in the House

"Get them out of my sight."

Kael didn't move from where he stood, three feet between us, his wrist still bleeding slow from the cut he'd offered me. Outside the window the three figures stayed down, heads bowed, necks bared like I was supposed to know what to do with their submission.

"They're not leaving," he said. "Not until you tell them to."

"I don't command anyone."

"Then why are they on their knees?"

I turned away from the glass. My legs shook. The bond still hummed under my ribs, pulling toward him, wanting what he'd tried to give me. His blood. His stability. I'd almost taken it. Almost pressed my mouth to his wrist and let the moonbond seal us tighter.

Stupid.

"You knew," I said. "You knew they'd come here and do that."

"No." He wiped his wrist on his sleeve, eyes tracking me as I moved toward the kitchen counter. "I knew they were tracking you. I didn't know they'd bow."

"Liar."

"Sienna." He took a step. I grabbed the first thing in reach—a coffee mug, cold, half-full from this morning—and threw it. He caught it one-handed, set it down on the table without breaking eye contact.