Chapter 22 · You still catch people before they hit the floor

He let go, but his hand stayed near her back for one extra second.

Her eyes dropped to it.

Then Vargas's voice rolled through the dark.

"You still catch people before they hit the floor."

Kane froze again.

Lyra turned on him. "Kane."

"Don't."

"No. You don't get to disappear on me." She stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Vargas. Her body was close enough that the front of her jacket brushed his. "You hear him, you look at me. Got it?"

"Move."

"Make me."

His hand closed around the metal bar beside her head, trapping her between him and the wreckage.

Lyra's chin lifted.

"That supposed to scare me?"

"You asked me to make you move."

"I asked because I wanted to see if you still had a spine."

His face was inches from hers. He could feel her breath. He could smell burned metal and the faint citrus soap on her skin.

Her eyes flicked to his mouth, then snapped back up.

"You're shaking," she said.

"So are you."

"I'm cold."

"Liar."

"You're getting bold for a man hiding behind me.