Aarya scoffs. “Yeah, right, that’s clearly the reason she’s locked up.”

I stare at her, confused. “Do you know something about Layla being in the dungeon that I don’t?”

Aarya looks at me like I’m an idiot. “Everyone knows Layla didn’t kill that guard.”

I frown. “Then why would Blackwood put her in the dungeon?”

Aarya rolls her eyes at me.

“So you don’t know,” I say, and shrug. “You’re just trying to pretend you have information that I don’t.”

Annoyance flashes in her eyes and I can tell that she hates that I just doubted her. Then all of a sudden her expression calms. “You should really ask your boyfriend why she’s in there. Or do you guys not talk about the deals he makes with the headmaster?”

My stomach twists, and something must show in my expression because she looks far too amused.

“It seems someone’s about to have a fight. I should have brought popcorn.” She laughs. “Do you need a minute? Are you going to cry about it?”

My fists clench. I can’t let her get under my skin like this. “You want to talk about screwed-up friendships?” I ask. “What about Felix?”

Her eyes widen ever so slightly. “What about Felix?” she says, and gets to her feet in one sudden movement.

I focus on maintaining my composure. “Just that it must be difficult being friends with him when he’s clearly aligned with the Lions, who probably have Ines on their target list?”

I know I’ve hit a nerve when I see her nostrils flare, and I instinctively look for Ash.

“You think Ash can get to you before I can punch you in the windpipe?” she hisses, and I hate that she’s able to read me so well. “Because I seriously doubt it.”

My heart pounds for all it’s worth. “No, I don’t,” I say evenly, because it’s true and because threatening her won’t get me anywhere. “Believe what you want, Aarya. But first know this: That guard’s throat was slit with a piece of broken glass. Then Felix had a cut on his hand the morning after the guard was killed. Now, maybe there’s an explanation for that cut, but maybe there isn’t.”

She moves ever so slightly toward me and I wince. I can’t tell by her expression whether she believes me. And even if she does believe me, maybe she doesn’t care and will stand by Felix no matter what he did. But he’s a Lion. Can she really think he wouldn’t help his Family if they demanded something of him?

“As far as I can tell,” I go on, “that throat slitting was actually meant for me. Maybe you don’t care about me, fine. But if Brendan and the other Lions are pressuring Felix, how long do you think it will be before he’s pushed to do something to harm Ines?”

“He would never,” she growls, and her chin juts in my direction, telling me that even though she may not think Felix would do anything to Ines, she also isn’t arguing with me about his role as a Lion.