Chapter 17 · Mark of the Void

"Take your hand off me, Cane." Selena twisted hard, but his grip only tightened around her wrist.

Her back struck the black stone wall. The impact knocked a sharp breath from her, and the silver chain at her throat snapped against her skin. Cane stood close enough that she could feel the heat coming off him. His shadow stretched behind him, taller than his body and moving half a beat too late.

"You walked into my realm without permission," he said.

"Your realm dragged me here."

"You still came."

"I came to get you out before this place swallowed what was left of your mind."

His mouth curved, but there was nothing kind in it. "You always did like pretending you were saving me."

Selena shoved her free hand against his chest. The void-mark under his shirt pulsed against her palm, hot and rough, like a coal buried under skin. Cane did not move. Her fingers stayed there for one dangerous second too long.

Then he caught that hand too.

"Don't touch me," she snapped.

"You touched me first."

"I was pushing you away."

"Badly."

She glared up at him. "Let go, or I'll burn through your fingers."

"Try.