Chapter 24 · Echoes of Betrayal

"Give me the note, Ivy."

Silas's voice hit the room before his hand did. His fingers closed around my wrist, hard enough to stop me, not hard enough to bruise. Not yet.

I twisted toward him and shoved the folded paper behind my back. "You could try asking like a normal person."

"I did ask."

"You ordered. That's not asking."

His eyes dropped to my hidden hand. The black in them sharpened. "You have three seconds to stop making this worse."

"For who? You?"

His grip tightened. Heat moved from his palm through my skin, fast and unwanted. I hated that my pulse jumped under his fingers. I hated more that he felt it.

Silas leaned closer. His coat brushed my arm, carrying the clean, sharp scent of cedar and steel. "One."

I lifted my chin. "Go to hell."

"Two."

I drove my heel into his boot and yanked backward.

He barely moved. Of course he didn't. The Forbidden King stood there like I'd kicked a wall, then caught my other wrist before I could reach the door.

"Three.