“I—” She cuts herself off, her hands trembling as she grips the edge of the table.
“It’s okay,” I say, scrambling to come up with something helpful to say to someone who accidentally revealed their deepest, darkest emotions to me in such an intimate way. “If there’s anything you need to talk about, you can always?—”
“No,” she cuts me off. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
But her hands are still shaking, and there’s a sheen of sweat on her forehead. She’s staring at the table like it holds all the answers to questions she’s afraid to ask.
Lydia’s voice cuts through the tension. “Miss Aldridge? Is there a problem?”
“No, Professor.” Nina’s voice comes out steadier than I expected. “Just pushed too hard. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Lydia’s dark eyes narrow, flicking between us. “See that you do. Emotional projection requires control, not recklessness.”
Once she’s gone, I reach down to grab Nina’s notebook for her. It’s fallen face down, and as I pick it up, I can’t help but see what’s written in hurried, desperate script on one of the pages:
Report sent to G last night. Having second thoughts. She’s not what G said.
“Give that back,” Nina snarls, yanking the notebook out of my hands so fast her nails scrape my palm.
When Lydia calls for us to switch partners, Nina practically runs to the other side of the room. She clutches her notebook to her chest like a shield, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
I spend the rest of class partnered with Sam, who projects anxiety in waves.
When class ends, Nina’s the first one out the door.
“Jade?” Evie appears at my elbow, making me jump. “What was that with Nina? She looked like she’d seen a ghost.”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” I adjust my bag strap, buying time to think. “One second we were practicing, and the next she was freaking out.”
Evie frowns. “That’s not like her. Nina’s usually so controlled.”
“Well, what I just saw wasn’t control. She was scared of something. Real, human fear that’s been eating her from the inside out.”
Evie’s eyes narrow. “You know, my family’s dealt with hers before. They’re information brokers. They trade secrets like currency. And when you’re sitting on that many secrets, they start to eat you alive.” She shifts her bag to her other shoulder. “Then again, everyone’s been on edge since Miles died. Maybe it’s getting to her, too.”
Miles.
His name sends a chill down my spine. The guilt, the fear, the note about “G” and reports…
No. I’m jumping to conclusions. Just because Nina feels guilty about something doesn’t mean she had anything to do with Miles’s murder.
Maybe it’s Kieran’s trials? Maybe she’s scared she won’t win every duel she’s in, which is likely her goal?
But I know that isn’t it. Because not even Kieran Cross can invoke that level of fear.
So, the question is—whatcan?
JADE
Everythingfor the rest of the day feels like it’s happening underwater while my mind races ahead to tonight. To Logan. To training.
By the time 9:50 rolls around, I’m in my room wearing my training clothes under my pajamas, practically vibrating with anxiety, ready to get out of here.
But there’s one problem.
Evie.
She’s at her desk, surrounded by textbooks and notes, showing no signs of moving. Her auburn hair falls in a curtain as she bends over her homework, completely absorbed.
