Chapter 6 · The Hollow Cure - Chapter 6: Blood Pays Blood

"Hold still, or I'll accidentally carve out a vein," Kael snapped, his fingers digging into the soft skin of Lyra's wrist.

Lyra hissed, trying to jerk away. "You're shaking. Why are you shaking?"

"I'm not shaking. The floor is uneven," he lied. He didn't look up, but his thumb pressed harder against her pulse point. It was racing. Too fast. The heat coming off her skin wasn't just a fever; it was the crystallization process accelerating. If he didn't get the log from the altar now, she'd be a statue by dawn.

"Just get the damn book, Kael," she whispered, her voice strained. "Before they find us."

Kael didn't answer. He leaned closer, his chest nearly brushing her shoulder. He could smell the ozone and metallic tang of the crystals growing under her skin. He shifted his grip, sliding his hand up to her forearm. The friction of his palm against her skin felt like a spark in a powder keg.

"Your heart is hammering," he murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "Are you scared, Lyra?