We hit the ground hard, rolling, and his forearm collided with my throat. My breath left in a painful rush. “Um—ow.” Gasping, I shoved at his chest, but he didn’t move. His forearm remained. Combined with the weight of his body, I could scarcely breathe. “Okay, Chass, this role-play thing has officially gone too far—” He only pressed down harder until lights popped in my vision.

Right. This wasn’t fun anymore.

Cocking my head back, I smashed my forehead into his nose, thrusting my knee into his groin when he recoiled. When he bent inward with a groan, I scrambled out from beneath him. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I snarled, clutching my throat. “Are you trying to kill me?”

He panted and bared his teeth. “You’re a witch.”

“Yeah? So?”

Ignoring me, he tore at his bandolier, unsheathing one knife and reaching for another—the one directly above his heart. But it wasn’t there. Its sheath remained empty. He checked the others frantically, fingers seizing each one, before he realized what we’d already known. All emotion slid from his face. With deadly calm, he said, “Where is my Balisarda?”

I inched toward Coco. “Stop it, Reid. You’re scaring me.”

He stalked forward slowly, intently, matching each of my steps with his own. “Where is it?”

“A tree ate it.” Coco gripped my elbow and pulled me to her side. We watched him approach together. “In the southern part of the kingdom. Bas and his bandits attacked on the road, and Lou threw your Balisarda to protect me.” She paused, uncertain. “Don’t you remember?”

“You.” Recognition flared as he focused on Coco. “You’re a healer in the Tower.” His eyes dropped to where she clutched my arm, and his lip curled. “Are you in league with this witch?”

“I—” She stopped short when I shook my head, my stomach plunging with déjà vu. I’d had this exact conversation with Bas after he’d tried to kill me in La Fôret des Yeux. Had Reid—?

No.

My mind seized, unwilling to continue thought. He wouldn’t have. He—he couldn’t have. Could he?

“Who am I?” My voice shook as I stepped in front of Coco, toward him and his knife. The movement seemed to surprise him. He didn’t strike right away. Instead, he stared at me with brows furrowed as I carefully pushed down his blade. “How do we know each other?”

He lifted it back to my face. “We don’t.”

No no no

“If this is a joke, Reid, it’s gone far enough.”

“I do not joke.”