Chapter 33 · That wasn't marrow-manipulation

She walked toward me, her steps slow and deliberate. She didn't look afraid; she looked like she had just found a gold mine in a trash heap. She stopped inches from me, the toe of her boot touching my knee. She leaned down, her face inches from mine. I could see the gold flecks in her eyes, the way her pupils dilated.

"That wasn't marrow-manipulation," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of disgust and desire. "That was consumption. Pure, forbidden consumption. You're not just an outcast, Cain. You're a parasite."

"Is that a compliment?" I asked, my voice a low rasp.

"It's a death sentence," she replied, but she didn't move away. Her hand reached out, her fingers hovering just a fraction of an inch from my cheek. The tension was electric, a wire stretched to the breaking point. "If the High Council finds out what you are, they won't just strip your marrow. They'll erase your entire bloodline from history."

I smirked. "Good. I'm not a fan of my family anyway."

Sela let out a short, sharp laugh. "You're insane. You're a walking disaster. And somehow, you're the only thing in this wasteland that doesn't bore me."