Page 112 of Psycho Gods

I bristled with indignation because we both knew I was a woman.

It was a mortifying ordeal to be at his mercy.

Dick’s voice was hard as steel. “Make no mistake, your abilities are still mostly constrained. If you try anything—I will personally eliminate you. Your worth only extends as far as you allow yourself to be used, understood?” His voice cracked like a whip, and I jumped.

“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth as I lifted my head and pretended to be stronger than I was.

His expression changed to boredom, and he said clinically, “Seventeen men and women have already been killed in this war. The numbers are unfortunate, and our projections of the war efforts are not pretty. We’ve calculated that all able bodies will be necessary to defeat the ungodly—you’re included in that number.”

I waited.

Tears and snot still running down my face.

He smirked.

“Are you not able-bodied?” he asked mockingly as he stared at the space where my leg used to be.

I fisted my hands and didn’t rise to his bait.

Instead I said slowly, “My species is banned from the High Court realms. If I use my other abilities, I will be executed. I’m not ignorant of my situation.”

“In peacetime, yes.” He smiled condescendingly. “This is war, and the High Court has made an exception on your behalf. Just like we did once before.”

I wrapped one arm around my stomach protectively. “I didn’t want to.”

Instinctually I shielded my organs from a predator that wanted to disembowel me.

He tipped his head back and roared with laughter.

“We both know you’re always the aggressor.” His expression flatlined. “Don’t we?”

“How do I know this isn’t a trick to get me arrested?” I enunciated each word as I tried to steady my jumbled thoughts. It was next to impossible with the pain radiating through my face from my broken nose.

His face was a mask. “You don’t.”

A long moment passed as neither of us spoke.

“Is that all?” I asked haughtily.

We kept staring at each other, and the longer he stood above me, the more I wanted to scream.

He smirked and said, “The High Court will be unable to procure you a prosthetic or hover chair, now—or in the future.”

A ringing echoed in my ears.

“Excuse me?” The room swayed around me. “How am I supposed to get around, let alone fight?”

He tipped his head back and laughed. “You have to keep the monsters neutered. Otherwise, they’ll turn on you.” He smirked. “We both know you’ll be fine.”

Fingernails digging into the concrete wall, I gestured with my head for him to leave.

Time expanded.

He didn’t go.

Muted orange light glowed around Dick, and his features hardened. “You’ll still be punished nightly to ensure your compliance. If you attempt to use your abilities outside of battle, I’ll be alerted and you will be eliminated. If you attempt in any way to overthrow the High Court or work against our objectives—you’ll be eliminated.”

Silence stretched.