Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout Page B

do it.”
    “You don’t look like you can lift a finger. Just stay still. And don’t talk.”
    I wasn’t sure if I should be offended by the whole don’t talk part, but then he pressed the icy bundle against my cheek, causing me to suck in a sharp breath.
    “They could have gotten one of the Luxen to heal you, but your refusing to fight back isn’t going to make it easy on you.” He pressed the ice bag down, and I drew back. “Try to keep that in mind when you go to the training room next time.”
    I started to scowl, but it hurt. “Oh. Like this is my fault.”
    He shook his head. “I didn’t say that.”
    “Fighting them is wrong,” I said after a few seconds. “I’m not going to self-destruct.” Or at least I hoped I wasn’t. “Making them do that is…is inhumane. And I won’t—”
    “You will,” he said simply. “You’re no different than them.”
    “No different.” I started to sit up, but he pinned me with a look that had me settling back down. “Mo doesn’t even seem human anymore. None of them do. They’re like robots.”
    “They’re trained.”
    “T-Trained?” I sputtered as he moved the ice to my chin. “They’re mindless—”
    “It doesn’t matter what they are. You keep doing this? Not fighting back, not giving Sergeant Dasher what he wants, you’re going to keep being a human punching bag. And what does that solve? One of these days, one of the hybrids will kill you.” He lowered his voice, so low that I wondered if the microphones could even pick it up. “And what happens to the one who mutated you? He will die, Katy.”
    Pressure clamped down on my chest and a whole different kind of pain surfaced. At once, I saw Daemon in my head—that ever-present, infuriating smirk on his expressive face—and I missed him so badly a burning crawled up my throat. My hands curled under the blanket as a hole opened up in my chest.
    Several minutes passed in silence, and while I lay there, staring at his brown-and-white-camouflaged shoulder, I searched for something to say, anything to drive the emptiness out of me, and I finally came up with something.
    “Can I ask you a question?”
    “You probably shouldn’t talk anymore.” He switched the bag of ice to his other hand.
    I ignored that, because I was pretty sure I’d go crazy if I kept silent. “Are there really Luxen out there who want to take over? Others like Shawn?”
    He didn’t respond.
    Closing my eyes, I let out a weary sigh. “Will it kill you to just answer the question?”
    Another moment passed. “The fact that you’re even asking is answer enough.”
    Was it?
    “Are there good humans and bad humans, Katy?”
    I thought it was weird how he said humans . “Yes, but that’s different.”
    “Is it?”
    When the icy bundle landed on my cheek again, it didn’t feel so bad. “I think so.”
    “Because humans are weaker? Keep in mind that humans have access to weapons of mass destruction, just like the Luxen do. And do you really think that the Luxen don’t know what happens here?” he asked quietly, and I stilled. “That there are some who, for their own reasons, support what Daedalus does, while others fear losing what life they have built here? Do you really want an answer to that question?”
    “Yes,” I whispered, but I was lying. A part of me didn’t want to know.
    Archer moved the bag of ice again. “There are Luxen who want to take over, Katy. There is a threat, and if that day comes when the Luxen have to choose sides, which side will they stand on? Where will you stand?”
    …
    Daemon
    I was about ten seconds from snapping someone’s neck.
    Who knew how many days had passed since Nancy did the little meet and greet at Mount Weather? A couple? A week or more? Hell if I knew. I had no idea what time of day it was or how much time had passed. Once they had escorted me inside, Nancy had disappeared, and a whole slew of stupid shit proceeded to take place—an exam, blood work, physical, and the