Chapter 32 · Inquisitor's Invite

"You’re shaking, Alice. Fear? Or are you just excited I finally caught you?"

Silas didn't just step into my space; he erased it.

*Slam.*

His hand hit the stone wall beside my ear like a gunshot. I was pinned, back pressed hard into the cold masonry, his chest barely an inch from mine. He smelled of sandalwood and ozone—the sharp scent of a storm about to break.

"I'm not shaking," I snapped. My heart was hammering against my ribs, but I tilted my chin up. I refused to blink. "I'm annoyed. There's a difference."

Silas leaned in. His breath grazed my cheek, sending a traitorous shiver down my spine. He didn't move. He just kept me locked in his shadow.

"Annoyed. Right." His voice dropped. "That's why your pulse is jumping in your neck. I can see it from here."

I tried to shove him. It was like pushing a mountain. He didn't budge. Instead, he shifted, his thigh brushing mine—a casual, dominant move that made my skin itch with rage and something else I refused to name.

"What do you want, Silas?" I spat. "Arrest me or get your hand off my wall.