The shock of Cassandra's lips against mine jolted me like an electric current. My instinct kicked in before my brain caught up. I shoved her away, maybe a bit too hard, watching as she stumbled back, her eyes wide with surprise.
"What the hell, Cassandra?" I snarled, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand like I could somehow erase the taste of her from my lips. "What do you think you're doing?"
She had the nerve to smile, a sly little grin that made my blood boil. "Just acting on impulse, Ciara," she replied with a shrug. "You looked like you needed a distraction."
"A distraction?" I snapped, my voice rising. "From what exactly?"
But I didn't need an answer. I could feel it, the burning in my gut, the sensation that something was terribly wrong. I turned my head, my gaze darting around the garden. That's when I saw her. Aeliana.
