Tila sneered.
"Oh. You can't, can you?"
Kitty nodded slowly, once.
Weakly.
Her hands trembled as she raised them—palms open.
Not threatening.
She touched her chest.
Then pointed… at Kael.
Tila slowed.
She watched the motion.
Back and forth. Kitty touching her chest, then gesturing toward Kael—over and over.
It wasn't a spell. Wasn't an attack.
It was something else.
"What the fuck does that mean?"
Kitty staggered, pointed to Kael again—this time her whole body swaying.
And then—
She turned her hand.
Pointed at Tila.
Then slowly… shook her head.
Tila's scowl deepened. Her grip on the shadow blade tightened. "What the hell are you saying…?"
Kitty made another gagging sound.
Tried again.
Her throat moved like she was forcing the words, but there was nothing behind it.
Just pain.
Her lips formed a shape—
—Kael.
Tila's breath caught.
She didn't want to understand.
But she did.
"She tried to scream for him," she muttered. "She wasn't aiming at me?"
