Chapter 71 · You Keep Pretending It Was Simple

"You keep pretending it was simple. It wasn't."

Ronan's jaw locked. "You said I wasn't your mate. You made sure the whole city heard you."

"Because if I claimed you, the council would've taken you before sunrise."

"And humiliating me was supposed to save me?"

"I thought you'd hate me enough to run."

The tower groaned above us.

A support beam tore loose.

Ronan lunged, caught me around the waist, and yanked me against his chest. Stone slammed into the platform where I'd been standing. Shards skittered across the moon-glass floor.

His arms locked around me, hard and hot. His breath hit my temple.

"Let go."

"Not while the tower's coming down."

"You should've told me."

"You would've stayed."

"Yes."

His mouth brushed my temple. Barely there. Not a kiss.

Somehow, that hurt worse.

"Exactly," he said.

I shoved out of his arms before the bond could pull me closer. "Then stay chained and watch me take your tower."

"Mara—"

I slammed my bleeding palm against the moon-glass core.

The core seized me.

Heat ripped up my arm. My knees buckled, but I dug my boots into the floor and stayed upright.