"Eridium doesn't emit radiation. It can safely be handled by humans in its solid form, as long as they don't do anything stupid like try to freaking eat it, and the liquid slag will only cause tempora-- Stop that! Stop treating me like I'm some kind of monster!!"

He's still backing away. Angel's suspicions are half-forgotten, pushed away by how upsetting that is - Rhys is one of the more physically-affectionate people she knows, and having him recoil from her like that is particularly hurtful.

So she reaches out for his arm. Just to stop him. She isn't trying to hurt anyone. Unfortunately, intent doesn't really count for shit in this particular case. How badly Rhys gets hurt depends on how quick he is - if she just brushes him then violet lines blossom from the point of contact, branching a few inches outwards in swirls made of teeny-tiny saltlike crystals. If she gets a firm grip, though, the crystals bloom into something significantly more noticable.