Chapter 44 · His grip tightened around her wrist

She laughed once. It came out rough.

"There he is. The great Kael Rusk. The ruler who never kneels. Turns out you were just another scared boy signing whatever your father put in front of you."

His grip tightened around her wrist.

"Careful."

"What? You might get offended?"

"You might make me stop being careful."

The words landed low between them.

His eyes held hers. His breath warmed her cheek. For one stupid second, Sera noticed the exact distance between his mouth and hers.

She hated that she noticed.

She shoved her knee between them, not enough to hurt, enough to break the angle. Kael stepped back. The knife came free with her.

"Don't threaten me with your restraint," she said. "You gave it up when you gave me the chip."

"I gave up the throne. Not my instincts."

"Your instincts say what?"

"That if you keep standing under that core, it will turn you into its trigger."

The red symbols on the wall snapped into a single line.

Sera's shackle answered with a sharp click.

Her fingers opened.

The knife flew from her hand and slammed into the console.

"No."

She lunged for it.