Chapter 9 · The General's Eye

"Still breathing? That's disappointing."

Sela’s voice was a low purr, right next to my ear. Before I could even blink, her boot slammed into my ribs, pinning me against the damp concrete of the alley. The air left my lungs in a jagged wheeze. I tried to twist, to find some leverage, but her heel dug deeper, grinding into the bone.

"Who sent you?" she asked. She didn't sound angry. She sounded bored. Which was worse. "The Council? Or maybe some desperate little lord trying to play spy in my sector?"

I coughed, a spray of copper-tasting blood hitting the pavement. "Don't... know what you're talking about," I managed to rasp.

Sela chuckled. It wasn't a kind sound. She shifted her weight, and for a second, the leather of her boot scraped against my chest. She leaned down, her face inches from mine. I could smell something like ozone and cold steel clinging to her. Her eyes weren't just looking at me—they were scanning me, peeling back layers of skin and muscle like I was a specimen under a glass slide.

"Lying is a bold choice for someone whose heart is hammering like a trapped bird," she whispered.