Knox stood frozen at the door to Nathaniel's office, fists clenched at his sides, heart pounding in his chest. The news had struck him like a bullet to the gut. They were just sharing a heartfelt talk and planning their vacation this morning, so how did everything turn out to this?
"I'm going," Knox growled through gritted teeth, his voice barely restrained.
Nathaniel, seated behind his desk with a grim expression, didn't flinch. "No, you will not."
"You can't stop me, father!" Knox shot back, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "Azrael is out there with that monster. I'm not sitting around doing nothing while—"
"You're not going, and that's final!" Nathaniel's voice boomed, cutting through the air like a sharp blade. He stood abruptly, towering over Knox. "Stop being stubborn, Knox. What else you can do? You'll only be a hindrance to the others."
