Page 336 of Axis of Fire

Only then did I notice that the room itself had changed.

Stasia's green decorations had been replaced with blue ones.

A marine theme.

Everywhere.

“Living here,” Gianna replied with a small, apologetic smile. “Draksen Ardevayne somehow found out about the roommate change, so we had to move.”

Damn.

“How did he find out?”

“No idea.” Gianna shrugged.

She opened her mouth to continue, but I interrupted her before she could.

“And where's Stasia now? With Joel?”

“Actually...” Gianna's fingers began tapping nervously against the cover of her book. “She's not here.”

I froze.

“Twenty minutes ago, she came back from the infirmary and left the studio after getting upset.”

“What?” I stared at her. “The infirmary?”

“About three hours ago, she and Tarven returned from Magicslan. Stasia was taken straight to the infirmary with multiple fractures.”

My lungs tightened.

Making it difficult to breathe.

“I don't know exactly what happened...”

At that moment, Louis appeared in the doorway.

And I nearly jumped for the second time that evening.

“Stasia's on the roof,” he said.

I didn't even wait for Gianna to finish speaking.

Truthfully, I'd stopped listening several seconds earlier.

I was already heading for the door.

I knew I was behaving terribly toward Gianna.

But damn it.

I've never been particularly good at pretending to like people I don't.

I've never mastered the art of smiling politely while meaning the exact opposite.

That's why I usually avoid them altogether.

It's safer than saying something I might regret.