Chapter 24 · Don't touch it

The stone pulsed again.

A metallic taste flooded my mouth. My vision jumped. The room split into two versions—the chamber around me and a narrow trail of silver lines running through Calian's veins.

I saw the command move from the master stone, down through the oath mark, into his wrist. From there it hooked around the bones in his forearm and climbed toward his shoulder.

A second line branched off.

It ran straight to me.

I grabbed Calian's wrist.

"Don't touch it," he said.

"Hold still."

"Lia, no."

"You want me to save you? Then stop fighting me."

"I am fighting for you."

"I didn't ask you to."

"You don't have to ask."

That landed harder than it should have.

His thumb brushed the inside of my wrist. The contact was small, almost accidental, but my whole body noticed. The scar there flared hot. His pupils widened when he felt it.

"Damn it," he muttered.

"Good. Now you know how it feels."

I pulled his arm against mine and pressed my marked wrist to the black scar on his skin.