Chapter 31 · Accomplice Dinner

"Sit. Down. Nova."

Kael didn't shout, but the edge in his voice was like a blade pressed against my throat. He didn't even look at me; he was too busy pouring two glasses of red wine with a precision that felt fucking psychotic.

I didn't sit. I leaned against the doorframe of his dining room, arms crossed, watching the way his white shirt strained against his shoulders. The Sanctuary of Light was supposed to be a place of peace, but in this room, the air felt like it was being sucked out by a vacuum.

"I'm not in the mood for a domestic fantasy, Kael," I snapped. "What is this? A victory dinner? Or are you just practicing how to play house with your favorite prisoner?"

He finally turned, his blue eyes cold and shimmering. He didn't move toward me, but the power shift was instant. He held the bottle like it was a scepter.

"You're not a prisoner, Nova. You're an accomplice," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "And accomplices follow the rules of the house. Sit. Now."

I felt that familiar spark of defiance flare up in my chest, but my legs were still shaking.