Chapter 29 · Sanctuary in Blood

"Don't move another inch, Nova. Or I'll let the lockdown do the rest of the work for me."

Kael's voice was a low vibration against the shell of my ear. He had me pinned against the reinforced wall of the Sanctuary's inner sanctum, his forearm pressed firmly against my collarbone. He wasn't hurting me—not yet—but the sheer weight of his presence was a cage.

I glared up at him, my breath hitching. My energy core was still screaming from the merge, a jagged, raw sensation that made every nerve ending feel like it was being scraped by sandpaper. I tried to shove him back, but my muscles gave out, and I slumped against him instead.

"Get off me," I spat, though it sounded more like a plea than a command.

"You're shaking," Kael noted. He didn't loosen his grip. Instead, he leaned closer, the scent of ozone and expensive soap filling my lungs. His eyes, usually so damn bright and righteous, had a dark, hungry edge to them. "You tried to steal back your power without my permission. Did you really think I wouldn't notice the surge?"

"I don't need your permission to survive," I hissed.