Chapter 23 · I do when you're about to get crushed

"I do when you're about to get crushed."

His mouth was close to her ear. His voice dropped, rough from the curse. The heat of it traveled down her neck.

She could have elbowed him.

She didn't.

That hesitation made him look at her.

For one dangerous second, neither of them moved.

His hand rested at her side through the thick fabric of her coat. Her fingers were still curled around the knife between them. The blade pointed nowhere useful.

"Let go," she whispered.

"Will you run?"

"Yes."

"Then no."

"You are unbelievably arrogant."

"You say that like you didn't notice."

She shoved hard. This time he let her go.

The instant they separated, pain ripped across her chest. She gasped and caught the edge of the panel.

Elias staggered too.

"That's the distance," he said. "Too far and it pulls."

"How far is too far?"

"About six feet."

"So we're trapped in a six-foot circle."

"More or less."

"I hate this curse."

"Join the club."

She wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with her thumb before she realized what she was doing.

Elias went quiet.

His eyes dropped to her hand.

Nora pulled it back.