One of his arms moved, fast enough for me to not react, and slapped my hand away. My grip around the hilt tightened as I tried to swing it back into place, but he grabbed my wrist, pushing it back against the wall. His hand squeezed hard. It hurt like hell, but I refused to let go of the dagger.
“My name,” he murmured, soothing like a lullaby. “I heard it’s harder to kill someone once you know more about them.”
I struggled against his grip, why was he doing this? No matter how I tried to wrap my mind around everything, it made no sense. “I don’t understand,” I admitted.
“If you keep biting and clawing, I’ll do worse,” he answered with a threatening smirk. “You challenge me in front of the squad? I'll embarrass you in front of the whole Ashen Corps. If you try to fight me, I’ll hurt you, kitten.”
His fingers pried mine apart, peeling me from the hilt with patience. I clenched my teeth, glaring at him.
“So aggressive,” his voice dipped, low and dangerous. “Change your tone, andmaybeI’ll let you live another day, Deering.”
The air left me. My eyes widened before I could stop them. He saw it. Of course he saw it.
“What?” I breathed. My voice cracked before I steadied it. “How do you know my name?”
“I study my recruits.”
“I don’t believe you,” I spat.
“You’re either a good liar, or a fool,” he tsked, distaste in his voice.
I lashed out, driving my knee upward, but he shifted in time. My strike landed on his thigh instead of somewhere far more satisfying.
His smile vanished, replaced with an intensity that froze me in place. I didn’t know if it was his doing or mine, but I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t move.
His grip of our entwined fingers loosened, yet I didn’t move. He backed away, the dagger once more in his possession, looking down at me like I was… nothing.
“You—” my voice was shaking.
“I’m afraid I don’t have any more time to play with you,kitten,” he cut in, with no emotions in his voice. “Follow orders and earn rewards, or get out of my way.” He traced the blade with one finger before sliding it back into its sheath.
I stared, reeling. Had he dug into my past, into the rawest wound I carried? How much did he know, did he have access to all information about us? He didn’t look much older than my twenty-eight years, so how had he already been appointed a First Lieutenant?
Malakai turned, filling the doorway once more. “Well? Are you coming, kitten? Yes? No?” The mocking lilt in his voice was a melody designed to taunt me.
“Yes.”
The word tore free, steadier than I felt. I stepped forward, pushing past him with my bag clutched tight. His chuckle followed, low and knowing, his footsteps fallingin behind mine.
CHAPTER
10
Iwas guided to the barracks, apparently we had finally moved up and been allowed a bunk inside instead of the tents.
The barracks were louder than I expected when Malakai led me in, his boots striking a steady rhythm beside mine. Conversation dulled when the other soldiers noticed us, and I felt the air shift, eyes on me, heavy and assessing.
I forced my shoulders back, chin high. If they wanted guilt, they wouldn’t see it written on me.
“Look who decided to rejoin us,” one of the men muttered, his voice carrying just enough for the whole room to hear. A few chuckles answered him, sharp-edged, humorless.
I ignored them, none of them belonged to my squad anyway. Moving to my cot with measured steps, my bag clutched in my fist. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken judgment.
“Relax, you vultures,” Ashley drawled from her bunk, not even looking up from the blade she was polishing. “She didn’t do it.” Her tone was casual, almost bored, as if stating the obvious.
That broke the tension like a crack in ice. A few scoffs, some exchanged glances, but no one pressed further. Still, the weight of suspicion lingered in the air like heavy smoke.
My eyes flicked across the room, then landed onhim.
