Lorien POV

“Lorien, right?” she chirped, her brown eyes glittering with a brightness that felt anything but genuine as she thrust her hand toward me.

For a heartbeat, I stared at it, wondering what game she was playing, before forcing myself to slip my hand into hers. Her fingers clamped down a little too tightly, and I fought the urge to flinch at the unspoken challenge hidden in her grip.

“That’s right,” I managed, keeping my tone even. My mind scrambled, running through every ...