Chapter 8 · You did well

He yanked me backward by the hair, forcing me to stand. I was shaking so hard I could barely keep my balance. He stepped into my space, his chest nearly touching mine. He reached out, his thumb brushing a smudge of blood off my cheek. The gesture was almost tender, which made it a thousand times more terrifying.

"You did well," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "Now you're officially mine. No more ghosts. No more mentors. Just me."

I looked up at him, my eyes burning with a hatred so pure it felt like a physical weight. "I'll kill you. I swear to God, I'll find a way to rip your heart out."

Kael smiled. It wasn't a kind smile. It was the smile of a man who had just won a game he'd been playing for years. "I'd expect nothing less. But first, we have a cleanup to handle."

He turned to leave, but as he did, he tapped a command on his wrist device. The serum injector hissed, delivering a heavy dose of the stabilizer.