Chapter 12 · He Was Made This Way

"You knew." I shoved the ledger at his chest. "Patient One. That's you."

Kael didn't move. Didn't deny it. Just stood there in the doorway with blood still drying on his knuckles and that empty look I was starting to hate.

"How long?" My voice cracked. "How long have you known my mother turned you into this?"

"She didn't turn me into anything." His voice was flat. "She tried to fix what was already broken."

"Don't." I stepped back. "Don't make her sound like some saint. She poisoned you. The serum in that lab, the one that's supposed to suppress the shift? She made it. For you. And it's killing you."

He finally looked at me. Really looked. His eyes were still half-gold from whatever had happened in the vault. "Your mother saved my life when I was nine years old. The rest of it? That's on me."

"The rest of what?"

He moved past me, heading for the sink.