Chapter 24 · Shadows of Jealousy

"Who the hell gave you permission to talk to him?"

Sloane didn't just enter the room; she collided with it. The iron door slammed shut behind her like a gunshot. Before I could even set my tea down, she was on me. Her hand snapped out, gripping my collar and wrenching me backward.

My spine hit the cold stone wall with a dull thud. The air left my lungs in a sharp hiss. Suddenly, she was there, face inches from mine. I could smell ozone and cold steel—and something else. Something jagged. Panic masked by rage.

"Sloane, you're blocking the light," I gasped, trying to wiggle my shoulders.

"I don't give a damn about the light," she hissed. Her pupils were blown wide. She pressed her forearm against my chest, pinning me flat. The leather of her bracer was ice, but her skin against my neck was burning.

"I saw you. In the courtyard. Laughing with the General's aide. What was that?"

I blinked. "It's called networking, Sloane. You should try it. Great way to not get executed by everyone in the palace."

"Networking," she spat. The word sounded like a curse.