Chapter 43 · One Breath From the Mark

Rayne's hand closed around my throat before I could reach the blade in his chest.

His fingers were hot. Too hot. They squeezed just enough to lift my heels off the cave floor.

"Don't fight me," he growled.

"Then stop trying to kill me."

His eyes flashed silver.

Not the hard gray of Ironfang steel. Not the gold that belonged to him. Silver. Empty and bright and wrong.

The broken shard under his ribs pulsed against my palm.

"Sera." His voice cracked. "Move."

"You're not giving me orders."

"I'm giving you one chance to get away from me."

"You dragged me into your cave."

"You followed me."

"You were bleeding all over the snow. What was I supposed to do? Leave my commander to turn into a monster?"

His grip tightened.

My back slammed against the stone wall. Pain shot through my spine, but I kept my hand pressed to his chest. The metal buried beneath his skin scraped my fingers every time his heart kicked.

"Call me a monster again," he said, lowering his face until his breath burned across my mouth, "and see what happens."

"Fine. Monster.