Chapter 47 – Gate Capital (Part 1)
Chapter 47 – Gate Capital (Part 1)
"What is it?" Zane asked, narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied the girl in front of him. Something in her body language was off—tense, hesitant. She looked like she’d been holding something in for a while.
Elizabeth shifted her weight, biting her lower lip. Then, after a sharp breath, she finally looked up and met his gaze.
"I wanted to thank you," she said softly. "If you hadn’t pulled me away when you did... I would’ve died."
Her voice trembled as the words escaped her lips, and a visible shudder ran through her body at the memory. The image of the monster lunging at her—paralysis in her limbs, that cold flash of terror—was clearly still fresh in her mind.
Zane lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable. "No need to thank me," he muttered. "I saved you because I could."
The words came out colder than he intended. Deep down, gratitude felt alien to him. Praise, kindness, even recognition—none of that was something he was used to. All his life, the reactions he got were confusion, disdain, or pity. Hearing genuine appreciation only made his skin crawl with discomfort.
Still, he could sense Elizabeth wasn’t finished.
He sighed, closing the status panel floating beside him. "Is there something else you wanted to say?"
"Mmm..." She fidgeted.
"Out with it," he prompted, this time more gently.