Page 131 of Savage Crown

He stands abruptly, his breath coming hard and fast as he turns away.

His hands press into the stone wall, knuckles white with tension.

His entire body coiled with fury.

"Rylan—"

"No."

I flinch from the sheer force of his refusal.

"You don’t understand," I press, shifting despite the pain. "This has always been the plan. From the beginning."

He whirls, his expression thunderous.

"Whose plan?" His voice is sharp, bitter. "Who decided this for you?"

I hesitate.

The truth is complicated.

And cruel.

I touch my shaking hand, pulling my tunic, afraid that he’ll see it.

The tattooed map on my skin glows faintly in the dim light, etched into me by magic older than any of us.

My body is the key.

And keys are only useful when they unlock something.

He stares at it, jaw clenching, his breathing uneven.

"You think I’m going to let you do this?" he murmurs.

I close my eyes.

I knew this would be his reaction.

"I have to."

His fingers tighten at his sides.

"No, Seraphina." He steps closer, his voice dropping to something dark and broken. "You don’t have to do anything."

He grips my wrist, tracing the inked lines with his thumb.

The way he looks at me—it’s not just fury.

It’s fear.

It’s grief, sharp and bleeding.

"I refuse," he says, voice quieter now, but no less certain. "There must be another way."

The door to the chamber creaks open.

Vael steps inside, his expression unreadable.

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