City of Shadows by Pippa DaCosta Page A

dagger into her side. She grunted, like it was a mere inconvenience, but loosened her grip on my throat enough for me suck in air and punch up, under her chin, slamming her jaw closed and snapping her head back. She let go, and I sprang forward, intent on freedom. A hand snatched at my jacket. I spun, twisted, and slipped out of the coat without losing momentum.
    One knife left. I’d need to make it count. Twenty fae on one wasn’t fair. But then I doubted the general put a lot of stock in fairness. He seemed the type to balance the odds in his favor.
    I slammed through another door, got a lungful of heavily chlorinated air, and skidded to a halt on slippery wet tiles. Swimming pool.
Too late to turn back.
A fire door beckoned at the far end.
    The door behind me flew open. I shot forward, but a fae hit me hard, knocking me forward and off my feet. My chin cracked against wet tiles. I tried to scramble forward when the fae straddled my back, pinning me down. I snarled a curse over my shoulder. The braided one; Samuel. He sank his hand into my hair and yanked my head back, exposing my throat to the knife he’d plucked from my hand.
    â€œGeneral Kael knows how you fight,” Samuel purred close to my ear. He breathed level and steady, hardly even winded. “He’s studied your reflexes.” I wriggled, but the bastard had me pinned between his thighs. “And distributed that knowledge to us. So you see, Construct. We
know
you.”
    I willed the tears to come. Made myself think of Reign as he’d lain with Shay, reminded myself of his parting words.
You’re too much like her.
Tears spilled down my cheeks with surprising ease. “Please … ” I sobbed. “Don’t hurt me.”
    Samuel snarled something guttural and eased his weight off me. He missed my smile, too busy being disgusted by my weak female self. I twisted and kicked out, cracking my heel against his jaw with enough coiled force to jerk him backward and surprise the hell out of him.
    It didn’t last.
    As I tried to scramble to my feet, he snatched my ankle and yanked. I kicked again, but he held fast. I twisted, grabbed at his braid, and yanked. He barked a cry and snarled yet another colorful curse. We tussled at close quarters; too tight to land any accurate punches. He fell on me, snapping and snarling. I remembered my earlier alleyway brawl and bit him on the shoulder. He really had underestimated me. Amethyst fae eyes widened with indignation right before I smacked my forehead into his nose.
    I had a second to rejoice before we plunged into the water.

Chapter Six
    â€œYou survived,” the general said, more a statement of fact than anything else.
    â€œDoes that mean I’m in?” Trailing behind Kael, I peered through wet bangs at his straight shoulders as he strode through the many Holland Park corridors. I’d lost count of the turns, steps, and doorways we’d passed through. It was impossible to know which way was out, and fae following silently behind made sure I didn’t wander.
    â€œNo.” His steel-gray eyes flicked toward me. “You get to walk away. Consider it a courtesy that won’t be extended again.”
    â€œWe need to talk,” I said, and quickened my pace, struggling to keep up. Water dripped down my neck where the FA warriors’ collective gazes burned. My shoes squelched and my clothes chafed. I hadn’t been in the pool long before the general’s appearance had put a halt to my scuffle with his warrior, but it was long enough to be soaked through and shivering.
    â€œNo, I do not need to talk with a construct.” Kael clicked his fingers at his warriors. “Back to training.” And just like that, they went, drifting away into rooms and other corridors. Not a word. Not a grumble. Unequivocal obedience. He hadn’t even looked at them.
    Even Samuel left, dripping water as he passed me by without so much as a glance down. Samuel