Page 167 of Cold-Blooded Creatures

Disapproval threatened to break Gedeon’s jaw in half. “Seeing their leader degrade his second-in-command is the absolute worst of what they need.”

“You plan to humiliate me?” I shifted in my seat, my hatred for whoever invented zippers in jeans flaring up.

His short chuckle turned low, icy-cold, debasing. “I plan to make you suffer.”

Thank all the depraved gods I was sitting. I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my palm to stifle the need dripping down my spine and heading straight to my groin.

Gedeon pulled a sheet of paper from the pile and noted something, unconcerned and collected, as if his statement hadn’t turned me into an addict. Pain, similar to torture, was understood by many as primarily physical. But the psychological side of it alone could mess you up enough to ensure you did anything they asked for.

And it just had.

“Any news from Sadira and Ryder?” Gedeon pushed the scribbled piece of paper back into the stack. Probably in the exact same spot it’d come from, given how he relished control.

I cleared my throat. “No. As expected. They’re working on getting into Ilasall’s systems and going through the information on auctions, seeing what they can get out of it. The city hasn’t noticed we’ve infiltrated them, but no other updates so far.” I rose and placed my palms on the desk, leaning in. “Now, about you not asking.”

Thud.

The sound of a door handle hitting the wall reverberated in the study. My reflexes carried me halfway across the room before I halted.

Kali stood in the doorway with her arm outstretched to stop the door bouncing off the wall, Eli and Eislyn hovering in the hallway. She had another scheduled checkup today at the infirmary and Eislyn must’ve trailed her with Eli on guard duty. We didn’t trust anyone but the closest. A rat could hide in any corner of our ranks.

Storming over to me, Kali demanded, “Teach me how to fight.”

I cast a glance at Gedeon. This was a new development. Three days had passed since the messenger’s failed attempt. She’d gotten out of bed only to use the bathroom, and we had to resort to bringing her food as she refused to leave her bedroom. But this morning, finally, she’d kicked us out and slammed the door in our faces.

And now this.

She shoved a finger at my chest. “Don’t look at him. Gedeon doesn’t dictate what I do.”

I smothered the need to pull her close and smell whatever shampoo she’d used to wash her hair. So far, cherry had beenmy favorite. “You want to train?” I asked, my eyebrows rising in disbelief.

She folded her arms over her chest. “Yes. Close combat, knives, guns, whatever. I want to learn how to fight.Actuallyfight.”

“Come here.” Gedeon curled his forefinger at her. “Let me look at you.”

“You can order me around tomorrow morning, in the training rings outside,” she scoffed.

He steepled his fingers, elbows on the dark wood desk. “Arguing with me is pointless. You know the consequences of not listening.”

Lifting her chin higher, she stood in the middle of his study, her front illuminated by the table light and her back framed by the night’s darkness. The titles of books filling the dark wood shelves lining the wall were indiscernible in the dimness.

“I’m not here to please,” she sneered, then strode out of the room, pausing at the doorway where Eli and Eislyn were unsuccessfully pretending they weren’t eavesdropping. “And don’t be late.” She pointedly zeroed in on my crotch and then to Gedeon’s. “Or I will slice off your balls and then stuff them up your nostrils.”

A loud snort escaped Eislyn, and she rushed to cover her mouth, facing the hallway’s wall, her shoulders shaking.

As they vanished into the dimly lit hallway, I asked Gedeon, “What are you planning to do?”

His lips curved up. “Teach her how to kill.”

“Again.”

Displaying her exasperation openly, Kali lowered into a deep lunge, the muscles in her legs trembling from holding it for minutes on end. But she kept her back straight and her arms extended to the sides as she focused on Malaya and Jayla sitting on a wobbly bench and munching on golden croissants.

Kali wavered and fell forward over her bent knee, catching herself on her hands, her palms already full of red indentations from having hit the gravel countless times.

“Switch.” I slipped off my leather jacket and stretched my neck. The sun was climbing higher, and though the temperature had dropped, it never got too cold here.

Grumbling, she placed her left leg in front and lowered into another lunge.