Chapter 21 · Cracks in the Golden Mask

"You’re shaking, Nova. Is it the cold, or are you finally realizing how trapped you are?"

Kael’s voice was like silk wrapped around a razor blade. He didn’t just stand near me; he crowded me, his chest barely an inch from my shoulder, blocking the only exit from the narrow corridor. I tried to step back, but my heels hit the cold stone wall.

"I'm not shaking," I snapped, though my breath was coming out in jagged puffs. "I'm disgusted. Get out of my face."

He didn't move. Instead, he leaned closer, his scent—something like ozone and expensive sandalwood—filling my lungs. He reached out, his fingers grazing the line of my jaw. It wasn't a caress; it was a claim. He gripped my chin, tilting my head back so I had to look into those shimmering, golden eyes that everyone in the city worshipped.

"Disgust is such a flexible emotion," he whispered, his thumb pressing firmly into the soft skin beneath my lip. "You’re disgusted by me, yet you’re still wearing the bracelet I gave you. Still sleeping in the room I provided. Still eating the food I allow you to have.