Page 146 of Seeking Shadows

“I’m here to talk.”

“Talk. Right.” I snort. “Is that the term you guys in the Society use for torture?”

She rolls her eyes. “First of all, I would never torture anyone.” Her nose wrinkles as if the very thought is offensive. “I hate the smell of blood.”

It’s weird. I expected her to be furious.

To scream, to blame me, to tell me I was responsible for his death and could never pay for it. But there’s no fury in her eyes. Just something I can’t name.

My fingers slide hesitantly over the pretzel. “If you didn’t want to hurt me, why did you tie me up?”

Lara leans against the concrete wall of the warehouse, twirling her bubble tea cup in her hands like we’re on a normal picnic and not in a kidnapping situation.

“Isn’t it obvious?” She looks at me like she’s explaining something simple to a clueless child. “I didn’t want you to hurt me after our conversation, but I’m counting on you to be civil.”

I stare at her, blink, then blink again.

“Civil? You literally kidnapped me!”

Lara rolls her eyes like I’m overreacting. “Okay, I’m sorry for the approach. But I needed to make sure you’d come, and I highly doubt you’d respond to a message from me asking to meet up.”

I cross my arms, indignant. “Did you even try to text first?”

“Mia, you’re missing the point!”

“Oh, am I the one who’s getting off-topic?” I point at her with a pretzel stick. “Who used supervillain methods for a simple ‘hello, let’s talk?’”

Lara sighs, taking a piece of her own pretzel and chewing it slowly, not even looking guilty.

My attention shifts to the still-icy cup of bubble tea next to me. I pick it up and shake it, noticing that the ice cubes haven’t even begun to melt. My eyes narrow.

“How the hell is this drink still good?”

Lara smiles, pleased with herself. “Mia, you weren’t out for that long.”

My eyes widen. “I wasn’t?”

“No.” She sips her tea casually. “I measure things well. I’d like you to just pass out for ten minutes.”

I open my mouth, then close it again, completely perplexed.

“Do you… measures things well?”

She looks at me innocently. “Yes.”

I laugh in disbelief. “Lara, that’s not something normal people say. You know who measures things well? Pharmacists. Scientists. Serial killers.”

“Said the girl who murders people for sport,” Lara retorts.

“At least I don’t go out of my way to kidnap my friends.”

Lara rolls her eyes again. “Oh, Mia, drama.”

I slap my hand to my forehead. “Great. If I ever get poisoned, at least I’ll know it was done with surgical precision.”

Lara smiles, satisfied. “Exactly, friend.”

I throw a pretzel at her. “That wasn’t a compliment!”

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