Chapter 22 · You're in my space

She shoved one charge pack into his hand and stepped close to fasten the second one against his belt. Her knuckles brushed his stomach plating. The touch lasted half a second too long.

Kael looked down at her.

"You're in my space," he said.

"I'm saving your life."

"You keep doing that."

"Get used to it."

Her fingers paused on the buckle. His heat reached through the gap between them. She looked up, and for one dangerous second neither of them moved.

The speaker crackled behind them.

"Sil. He'll leave you when the codes are gone."

Sila's eyes stayed on Kael's. "Will you?"

The question had no armor on it.

Kael's hand came up and covered hers against the buckle. "Try me."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the one you're getting."

"Coward."

"You want a promise?"

"I want the truth."

"The truth is, I don't know what I'll become when the system finishes waking up."

Her fingers went still.

"But if I leave," he continued, "it won't be because I found someone better. It'll be because I thought staying would get you killed."

"You don't get to make that call alone."

"Then don't let me.