Elaine's hands trembled at her sides. The garden suddenly felt too small, the air too thick. She couldn't breathe properly, couldn't think past the roaring in her ears.
"No," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "You don't get to do this."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't asking for your permission."
"Permission?" A bitter laugh escaped her throat. "You think I care about permission? Kael, you're talking about slaughtering infants. Babies who've done nothing wrong, who pose no threat to you."
"They pose the greatest threat," he countered, his voice rising. "One of them will grow up to destroy everything I've built."
"You don't know that!" She stepped forward, fury making her reckless. "Your precious prophecy could mean anything. It could be metaphorical, symbolic, open to a thousand
