“That’s what this place does,” Kat said. “It takes one mistake and turns it into theater.” Her eyes cut back to Audrey. “So no, I’m not letting you make him into some romantic tragedy. Felix died because he broke the rules—there was to be no use of contraband with you. You’re too untrained to be getting that fucked up. He put your safety at risk, and Ryker upholds his rules. There’s no warning or trial, not here.”
The words landed like blows because every part of them was cruelly, partially true.
If she had refused the drugs, he’d still be alive.
If she had controlled herself, he’d still be alive.
Weakness had killed Felix.
If she stayed weak, it would kill Cary next.
“Ryker was never going to let him live,” Kat added. “He gave you contraband. And then he touched you.”
Audrey bent double and retched until she tasted bile and metal. She spat, wiped her mouth, closed her eyes, but the image was already stamped there. Felix twisted in the wind like a puppet.
When she finally straightened, Kat was staring at her with something Audrey had never seen on her before. Grief.
“Don’t put this all on me,” Audrey rasped. “When I left, he was beaten but technically still alive. Ryker said?—”
“You’re a fool,” Kat snapped. “Failure spreads, so he removed it. But he probably wouldn’t have killed him—if not for you.”
“Oh, come on?—”
Kat’s hand sliced sharply through the air.
“And stop lying to me about yourfotiá.”
Audrey barked a harsh laugh. “Jesus, Kat. You think I’m hiding some grand skill? Last night was an accident. I had no control. I still don’t.”
Kat studied her through exhausted irritation.
“Fine,” she muttered. “Maybe you’re telling the truth. But understand this—” She stabbed a finger toward the corpse without looking at it. “Your abilities are a death sentence if you lose control. No more slipping. No more accidents. No more...whatever happened in that room. If anyone sees gold fire or mind-reading before you’re ready, you put them at risk.” Kat’s voice sharpened. “You have goldfotiá—a fire that can burn through nearly anything, and it answers to your will, whether you want it to or not. Add to that the way you break into minds without warning, plus yourkínisipower, and you're deadly. What’s inside you isn’t normal. People are terrified of gold triads because they have it all. That’s why you can’t afford mistakes.”
Audrey’s throat closed. “Is Maren?—?”
“No. He didn’t kill Maren. But he was furious you showed her what you can do with your mind.” Kat exhaled. “Audrey, listen. When Ryker gives a command about something, he means it.”
“He doesn’t get my blind obedience.” Audrey’s voice shook. “He’s an arrogant, psychotic monster who killed an innocent man.”
Kat moved closer. “We don’t play by your rules. If you want to survive here, change your attitude. Fast.”
“Sounds like Ryker is a tyrant.”
“Don’t pretend you understand this place,” Kat hissed. “You have no idea what you’ve been dragged into. Your mother’s power was killing her—your power will do the same if you keep pretending you’re harmless.”
A cold tremor skittered up Audrey’s spine.
Kat’s voice dropped, almost reverent.
“What’s inside you isn’t human. It isn’t gentle. If you don’t control it, it’ll consume you. Or Ryker will end you first.” She jabbed a finger at Audrey’s sternum. “We need fear to survive. Fear keeps the Aggregate and Hunters away. Fear keeps you alive. If it comes down to losing you or losing everything we’ve built?—”
Kat paused.
“I’ll kill you myself.”
The words were cruel, but true.
Kat’s emotions hit Audrey like they were her own. Under the cruel words was care for Audrey, along with something far more tangled for Ryker. Loyalty so deep it bordered on instinct. It could have been a blood debt, or even something about the way Ryker had once saved Kat from a worse fate—Audrey couldn’t tell. But the bond between them felt ancient, a force that held fast even when it cut through reason.
