Chapter 28 · Because I'm tired of seeing things I value get broken

He was behind me in a heartbeat. He didn't touch me this time, but his presence was like a physical weight. "Better. But still sloppy. You're fighting the air, Ivy. Fight the fear. Let it burn. If you don't let the fire out, it'll just eat you from the inside."

I stopped, chest heaving, sweat dripping down my neck. I turned to face him, my hair wild, my eyes probably glowing with the latent power I didn't understand. "Why do you care? If I'm just a liability, why spend hours teaching me how to fight?"

Silas stepped closer, his gaze dropping to my trembling hands. For a second, the mask slipped. I saw something—regret? Longing? It was gone before I could name it. "Because I'm tired of seeing things I value get broken."

I blinked. "You value me?"

"Don't make me say it twice," he snapped, the coldness returning instantly. He reached out, his fingers grazing the back of my hand, almost a caress. "You're mine to protect. And mine to break. No one else gets to touch you until I say so."

The possessiveness in his voice should have terrified me. Instead, it made my stomach flip.