Chapter 26 · The Seal Opens

"I was trying to buy you time."

"You bought me a public rejection."

"I bought you six months outside the council's reach."

"You bought yourself a clean conscience."

Dorian's breath caught.

There it was. The crack beneath all that commander steel.

I shoved at his wrists. He didn't move. His body blocked the cannons behind him, trapping me between cold metal and his burning heat. His mouth hovered inches from mine.

Neither of us backed down.

"Tell me the truth," I whispered. "Did you reject me to save me, or because you were too scared to stand beside me?"

His eyes dropped to my lips.

This time, he didn't look away.

"Both."

The answer cut deeper than I wanted it to.

"That's not good enough."

"It has to be."

"No, it doesn't. Not anymore."

The recorder sparked beside my knee. Red warning text crawled over the console glass.

COMMAND SEAL REQUIRED.

Dorian saw it.

His focus snapped to the screen. "You can use my seal."

"Then give it to me."

"It won't be enough."

"You just said it was required."