Chapter 10 · You Dragged Me in Here at Sword Point, and You Still Don't Know?

"You dragged me in here at sword point, and you still don't know?"

Cassian's fingers stopped above the control panel.

"I know Evelyn caused the pressure change," he said. "I don't know who forged the blood signature."

"You let her stand behind you while you rejected me."

His jaw tightened.

"Careful."

"No. I'm done being careful." I stepped closer, the engine's blue light cutting across his face. "She wanted the alliance. You wanted a clean command. I was the price, right?"

For once, the commander's mask cracked.

"You have no idea what that day cost me."

"Then tell me."

He turned so fast my back struck the engine housing.

Metal slammed into my spine. His arm came up beside my head, trapping me without quite touching me. His chest stopped a breath from mine.

Heat pushed through my damp shirt. His breath brushed my lips every time he spoke.

"I rejected you because the council would've torn this city apart to get to you," he said.

"So you humiliated me instead?"

"If they knew what your mark meant, they wouldn't have asked you to stand beside me. They would've chained you to the tide core."

My throat tightened.