Page 159 of Axis of Fire

Not the blood.

Me.

Like he already knew I hadn't told them everything.

******

“And how exactly am I supposed to trust you when you keep doing things like this behind my back?”

Calling Airis furious would've been the understatement of the century.

The entire room felt suffocating.

Heavy.

Dangerously quiet.

I hadn't heard exactly how Tarven had presented the story, but judging by Airis's mood, he'd probably turned Gwen and me into the villains.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I listened in silence.

With every passing second, guilt burned deeper beneath my skin.

Even though I knew telling him the truth would've put me at risk.

“How am I supposed to keep defending you in front of the squad?” Airis continued.

“Keep convincing them you're not one of Moss's spies?”

“Isn't the Temple of Nereida enough?” I snapped before I could stop myself.

The second the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

Airis's stare hit like a physical force.

“If I were you,” he said quietly, “I'd think very carefully before answering.”

I exhaled.

Since when did his anger affect me this much?

“I apologized, didn't I?”

I forced myself to meet his eyes.

“But I couldn't tell you.”

“And why exactly not?”

The sharp lines of his face hardened even further.

God.

The man somehow became more intimidating every time he got angry.

Definitely not someone I'd ever want as an enemy.

And right now, he looked dangerously close to treating me like one.