Chapter 30 · I knew someone was following us

He looked toward the broken door.

"I knew someone was following us."

"Us?"

"The contract gives them a signal."

My fingers curled.

"You knew they could track us, and you said nothing?"

"I was trying to find the source."

"By walking me straight into it?"

"By keeping you close enough to live."

He stepped around the counter. I followed because the blue mark on my wrist had started burning again.

Close enough to live.

The phrase crawled under my skin.

"You don't get to make that sound noble," I said. "You need me breathing because the link needs me breathing."

"At first."

I stopped.

Rhys stopped too.

The safehouse shook as another blast hit the street outside. Dust fell from the ceiling. Somewhere below us, machinery groaned awake.

"At first?" I repeated.

His gaze held mine.

"Don't."

"No, go on. You started."

"Mara."

"Was it before or after you learned I could stabilize your power?"

His eyes sharpened.

There it was.

A secret with teeth.

I had seen the tremor in his hands after the rift fight. Seen the black veins crawl up his neck before he pressed them down. Every time my mark touched his, the darkness backed away.