Chapter 25 · Burning Hearts

"Don't touch me." Mara slapped Cael's hand away before his fingers could close around her wrist.

The black fire under her skin answered with a sharp twist.

She bit down hard enough to taste blood.

Cael caught her other arm and shoved her back against the brick wall. His coat pressed between them, cold from the alley, while his body stayed hot and solid in front of her. His face was inches from hers.

"You're shaking," he said.

"I'm standing. Learn the difference."

"You can barely keep your knees locked."

"Then stop looking at my knees."

His eyes dropped for half a second. Not to her legs. To the black marks crawling beneath the skin of her forearm.

They had started at her palm. Thin lines at first. Now they reached her elbow, branching like burned cracks in glass. Every pulse dragged them higher.

Toward her heart.

Mara pulled against his grip. "Let go."

"No."

"Cael."

"Still no."

"I swear, if you don't move your hand—"

"You'll do what? Stab me again?"

The words hit harder than his grip.

For one ugly second, she saw the blade going into his chest again. The flash of silver.