Chapter 16 · You’re not thinking clearly

He shook his head. "You’re not thinking clearly."

"I’m thinking better than you are. You’re still trying to protect me from a choice I’m already making."

"Because you’re choosing to erase yourself."

"One memory isn’t myself."

His expression cracked.

There it was. The reaction he had been trying to bury under orders and clenched fists.

"Don’t say that," he said.

"Why? It’s true."

"You don’t know what one memory can hold."

"Then I’ll pick one that hurts."

"You don’t get to pick."

"Watch me."

I pulled my hand free from his and pressed my bleeding palm harder into the stone.

Calian caught my wrist again. "Lia, stop."

"Say it."

"No."

"Say my name and tell me to stop."

"Lia—"

"Not like an order. Tell me you want me to stop."

His fingers trembled around my wrist.

The black line moved beneath my skin, crawling toward my elbow.

"I want you to stop," he said.

The words hit harder than the pain.

I looked back at him. "Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

"Then let go."

He didn’t.

His grip stayed firm.