Chapter 6 · The Mark Beneath My Skin

"Take your hand off the gate, Mara."

Cassian caught my wrist before my fingers touched the glowing lock. His grip bit into my skin. Hot. Hard. Enough to kick my pulse into a sprint.

I looked at his hand, then at the sword aimed straight at my chest.

"Take the sword off me first."

"You're standing between the floodgate and the only thing keeping three wards above water."

"And you're the commander whose seal opened the drain valves." I smiled without humor. "Funny how that works."

His jaw tightened.

Behind him, the tower shook. Metal screamed through the walls. Somewhere below, fists pounded against the emergency doors.

Cassian yanked me away from the lock. My shoulder slammed into his chest. Heat pressed against my back, and his breath brushed my temple.

"You stole the evidence," he said. "You broke into a restricted tower. You ignored my order to stay out of this."

"Your order was to let half the harbor drown while you hunted for someone to blame."

"I didn't give that order."

"Your seal did.