Chapter 28 · You keep provoking me

Julian's thumb shifted against his jaw. "You keep provoking me."

"You keep giving me reasons."

"One day, doctor, that mouth will get you killed."

"You say that like you aren't planning to do it yourself."

Julian's fingers paused.

The iron lock clicked.

Kael looked down.

The cage door swung open by itself.

"Back," Julian snapped.

Kael stepped out instead.

The circle flared. Heat slapped his face. The fire in the bowls turned from blue to red, and black threads shot across the floor toward his boots.

Julian caught his waist and hauled him back.

Kael's back struck Julian's chest. The impact knocked the air out of him. Julian's arm locked across his ribs, holding him tight while the black threads snapped against the stones where Kael had stood.

"I told you not to move."

"You said stay behind the bars. The door opened."

"You are impossible."

"And you're holding me too tight."

Julian loosened his arm by one inch.

Kael felt the change. So did Julian.