Chapter 6

Giulio stood by the door. “Make her talk.”

Elio’s head snapped up. “Giulio—her body can’t handle this right now—”

“Then make sure she doesn’t die.” Giulio’s voice was frigid.

Elio fell silent. After a few seconds, he opened his medical case. I watched him take out a vial of clear liquid. Elio had taught me about it before—a powerful stimulant that kept a person conscious through extreme pain and blood loss.

I stared at him. “Elio…”

The needle pierced my arm. Cold liquid pushed into my vein. “The dosage won’t damage your heart,” he said. “You need to learn your lesson.” His tone was almost soothing.

I laughed quietly. He was always like this—making sure he was a good doctor before he hurt me.