Chapter 19 · Dangerous Resonance

"Stop staring at me like you're dissecting a lab rat," Nora snapped, her voice cutting through the humid air of the gala's backstage lounge. She didn't look at me. She was too busy adjusting the gold cuff of her gown, her fingers trembling just enough for me to notice.

I leaned against the velvet curtain, crossing my arms. "Hard not to, when you're vibrating. What is it? Panic? Or are you just that thrilled to be lying to three thousand people?"

Nora finally turned. Her eyes were sharp, but there was a frantic edge to them. She stepped closer, the silk of her dress hissing against the floor. She didn't stop until she was inches away, her scent—something like expensive jasmine and cold ozone—filling my lungs. "I'm not vibrating, Sera. I'm focused. There's a difference."

"Sure there is," I muttered. But then it hit me. A sudden, violent surge of emotion that wasn't mine. It was a wave of sheer, suffocating terror, followed by a spike of longing so sharp it felt like a physical blow to my chest. I gasped, stumbling back a step.

Nora froze. Her gaze dropped to my chest, then back to my eyes. "What now?"