Cus dangled his legs, a bag of gourmet jerky appearing in his hand. He tossed a piece to the Dobermans, Nero and Thrax, who had ghosted into the kitchen behind Kan. The dogs caught the treats with a synchronized snap of their jaws."Would you put a bullet in the Empress to keep Timothy breathing?" Cus asked, his voice a sharp needle in the quiet room.Kan didn't blink. He kept his eyes locked on the small man, his senses expanded, searching for a lie, a hidden weapon, anything. "You part of the rebellion, Cus?"Cus rolled his eyes, the metallic sheen in them swirling. "Why would I bother? Nobody manages a guy like me. Not really."The coffee machine let out a final, sputtering beep. Finally. Kan started opening cabinets, his movements efficient. "You work for Timothy. Isn't that a job description?""Here." Cus shoved a heavy ceramic mug toward him.Kan hadn't seen the man move. One second the counter was bare, the next, the mug was there. He didn't care about the trick; he needed the
Last Updated : 2026-03-19 Read more