Chapter 49 · The Exile Circle

"I'm not feeling guilty."

"Liar."

Dorian turned his head. His breath brushed my cheek, hot and uneven.

"You want the truth?" he whispered. "I'm terrified they'll kill you before I can fix what I did."

My lungs locked.

For one stupid second, I forgot the council was watching.

Smoke. Metal. Cedar soap. Dorian's scent filled my lungs, too familiar and way too close. The half-formed moon mark beneath my collar burned against my skin.

His eyes dropped to my throat.

"There it is," he murmured. "The bond's still active after the rejection."

A guard ripped the decoder from my strap.

"No!"

I lunged after it, but Dorian's arm snapped around my waist. My back slammed into his chest. His forearm locked beneath my ribs, pinning me against him.

Heat soaked through his uniform. His mouth hovered beside my ear.

"Mara, stop."

"Let me go! They have the evidence!"

"I know."

The decoder blinked blue in the guard's fist. One of the copied seal files was still open on the screen.

Silas lifted two fingers.

"Destroy it."

"Try it," I snapped.