Jade reached the bottom of the school stairwell before her depth learned the stairs were finished.
Her boot hit flat concrete too hard. The impact ran up her knee, threw her weight left, and made the right side of the basement disappear again. Kieran caught her under the elbow before she clipped the wall.
Jade almost pulled away before command habit lost to the simple fact that Kieran was keeping her upright.
"I have you until you give me a better option," Kieran said.
Jade turned her head until Kieran's whole face entered the good half of the world. Gold-lit bandage. Tight jaw. Ash on one cheek. Worry held flat because neither of them had room for it yet.
"Ask me again when the stairs stop moving."
"I will ask before that if you start walking into shelves."
"That sounded dangerously close to concern from you."
"Then pretend it was tactical irritation and keep walking."
