Page 45 of Heart of the Rebel Mate

Eventually, I look up.

And I make a decision.

I can't control how the world sees me.

But I can control what I do next.

I straighten my shoulders, lifting my chin just enough to feel the shift inside me. "If they want me to be a symbol, fine. But I'll do it my way."

Adrian's lips twitch in something that isn't quite a smile but isn't far from it either. There's something almost like pride in his expression, something quiet and knowing.

"That's more like it," he says.

I exhale slowly, letting the moment settle into my bones. The candle continues its slow burn. The storm outside has passed, leaving only the occasional gust of wind against the window, rattling the glass like a whisper of things yet to come.

This is only the beginning.

And I am not afraid.

CHAPTER 14

ADRIAN

The corridor is cold. The kind of cold that seeps into your skin, into your bones. Torches line the stone walls, their flickering flames casting long, restless shadows. The damp air carries the scent of earth and iron, a reminder of how deep underground we are. How far we've fallen from the world above.

Cassian stands a few feet away, his back straight, his expression unreadable. The only movement is the slow rise and fall of his chest, measured and controlled. He's always been like this—still, deliberate, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

I know his kind.

I've fought men like him before, and I know exactly what they're capable of.

But this is different. This isn't some battlefield. This isn't war.

Or maybe it is.

"Tell me," I say, my voice low, steady, "why is it that every time we talk, it feels like you're trying to convince me of something?"

Cassian tilts his head slightly, his mouth curving into something that isn't quite a smile. "Because I am."

I let out a sharp breath, shaking my head. "You really think I don't see through you?" I take a step forward, closing some of the distance between us. "You talk like you're some great liberator, like you're giving her a choice. But I know what you're doing."

His expression doesn't change. "Do you?"

I clench my jaw. "You're leading her into a fight she's not ready for."

Cassian scoffs. "She's more ready than you give her credit for."

"Is she?" My hands curl into fists at my sides. "Or are you just using her as another pawn in whatever war you think you're waging?"

His amusement vanishes, his gaze turning sharp. "You think I'm the manipulative one?" He takes a step toward me now, and for the first time tonight, I see something raw in his eyes. "What exactly do you think you're doing, Adrian? Watching her every move, hovering just close enough to pull her back the second she gets too far? You think that's not manipulation?"

"I'm protecting her," I snap.

"No," he says, and his voice is quieter now, but somehow, it cuts deeper. "You're trying to keep her in a cage."

Something in me recoils at his words, but I don't let it show.

Cassian exhales, his eyes searching mine like he's waiting for something—waiting for me to understand.

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