Page 30 of Seeking Shadows

I narrow my eyes. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“I know how to feed myself.”

“Debatable.”

I cross my arms. He doesn’t back down. His gaze is calm but too fixed, like he’s waiting for me to crack first.

A silent game.

And, annoyingly, Ilikeit.

I hold his gaze and open my mouth slowly, letting him feed me. The spoon touches my tongue, and he pulls it back with deliberate slowness, his eyes flickering to my mouth for a second.

I swallow and lift my chin. “Satisfied?”

“No.”

The word hangs in the air, and I almost choke.

Before I can respond, he grabs my hand and pulls me up.

“Come,” he says, already dragging me along.

“Where to?”

“To train.”

I roll my eyes but follow. “You have astrangeway of showing affection.”

“I’m not showing affection.”

“Of course not,” I mutter, knowing it’s a lie.

Minutes later, I’m on the mat, and Zane is taking a solid beating. And I’m not even properly training him yet.

“How do you expect me to teach you?” I taunt. “You’re not a fighter, much less a killer. Remember how you ran from that guy in Thailand?”

“I remember,” he says, his voice still haunted.

“And yet, you still call it the best place you’ve ever been.”

“Lisa was born there,” he replies seriously. “That makes it the best. Besides, the guy whose head I blew off might disagree with you.”

Mia tilts her head, unimpressed. “There’s a difference between killing out of anger or impulse and doing it in a cold, calculated way. Feelings have no place in war, Zane.”

His voice turns bitter. “That’s the logic you applied to me, isn’t it?”

I smile. “Little Angel, you should know by now—I’m not very logical.”

“I—”

Before he can finish, I lunge. He stumbles back, unprepared, and I go for a takedown. He falls awkwardly, hitting the ground with a dull thud, kicking up dust around us.

Zane struggles clumsily, more out of desperation than technique. I sigh, already feeling a headache forming.

“First lesson: you have no coordination whatsoever.” My voice is low, tired.

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