I hammered on Ivy's door with the desperation of a man who had everything to lose. The neighbors below shrieked at the racket, but I didn't care. I couldn't. Chase had Mana's backing—a sliver of a goddess's power—and that meant Ivy was a walking target. If he could twist her mind into hating me, he could twist her into ending herself.
The door swung open, Ivy's face twisted in fury. Before she could utter a syllable, I shoved her back, my palms hitting her chest hard enough to send her stumbling onto the floor. I stepped inside, slamming the door shut. My heart ached for the rough treatment, but survival took precedence over manners.
"Listen to me," I commanded. The anger in her eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a dull, hypnotic pink glow. "Get up."
"Yes..." she droned, rising like a marionette.
