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.

“Maybe not,” I say quickly, and stand, spreading my hands out to show her I’m not challenging her. “But as long as the Lions have a strong network within the Academy, people like Ines are in danger. I’ll do everything I can to stop them, but I need you to keep Felix off my back.”

She starts to laugh, and I’m so surprised by her reaction, I almost fall off the branch. Except there’s nothing humorous in her laughter; instead, it has an undercurrent of viciousness. “I’m shocked. Didn’t Ash tell you I would never make that deal? Not in a million years. And whatever fantasy world you’re living in that made you think I would give you information is amusing, but completely warped—which, coming from me, is saying something.”

I maintain eye contact and don’t back down, even though I’m a ball of nerves. “Ash told me exactly that. And I told him he was wrong about you. Ines saved your life that night in the teachers’ lounge. She cares about you. And you care about her, too. I don’t know why everyone in this crazy school acts like that’s a bad thing. You should care about her. That’s what friends do. And yes, you’re definitely off your nut, but as far as I can tell you’re also one of the few people who haven’t bowed to the Lions. You’re brave and you do give a shit, as much as you pretend you don’t. Even Conner—”