Fierce Lessons (Ghosts & Demons Series Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

a huge blue devil and missed.”
    “Some people think maybe you missed on purpose.”
    “I am Iowa, Castrator of Demons. I didn’t get that title for playing nice with the enemy. Anybody who thinks that is a stupid bigot.”
    “So you don’t worry about what your comrades think of you?”
    “Of course, I care, but I’m trying to care about the right people. Not everybody’s opinion is equal. Are you saying I should have to consider the opinions of all those people who hate anybody in a turban…sir?”
    Anguloora had a high, girlish giggle for such a large man. “I suppose it’s possible you’ve been demonized.”
    I kept pumping out the reps. “How long have you been waiting to spring that one on me, sir? I’ve heard that pun several times already.”
    “I’m in control of your conditioning program, Iowa. Do you think it wise to talk to me like that? Doesn’t that strike you as a tactical error? Like the one you made shooting poor Spider Richardson?”
    “That wasn’t a tactical error. It was an error. I missed my target.”
    “And antagonizing me?”
    “Are you so easily antagonized, sir? You might want to think about why that is, sir.”
    He laughed again, got off and made me run along the walls of the entire Keep as fast I could. When I returned, he glanced at his stopwatch and nodded. “Let’s see how fast you do it with me on your back.”
    I scooped Anguloora up in a fireman’s carry.
    “No, no. You be Skywalker. I want to ride like Yoda.” He jumped on my back and I piggybacked him around the Keep. He slowed me down considerably, but I still managed to jog at a good pace. When the path along the wall proved too easy, he made me switch to breaking new trails through snow drifts with each circuit. Anguloora was clever at making people miserable, but it was his conversation that fatigued me more.
    “Do the Keep’s blessed stones bother you, Iowa? Any rashes or nausea? You’re half unholy, after all.”
    “No, sir.”  
    Sword singers training in the central courtyard stopped to watch us pass. I couldn’t wait for them to grow bored of staring at me every second.
    “How do you feel about humans now?” Anguloora said in my ear.
    “Depends on the human. I still love Mama. I’m not crazy about you, sir.”
    He giggled again.
    “We don’t make you hungry? Now that the beast is unleashed, you don’t look at us and think, we’d be good with some A1 steak sauce?”
    “Only you, sir.”
    “How long before you start to grow fangs, do you think?”
    “No idea, sir. No way to know. Trick got fangs right away. I got horns.”
    “What if I were to grab your horns and steer you around the courtyards that way? What would you say to that?”
    “I’d say that rodeo riders try to stay on the bull for eight seconds. You wouldn’t last half that before you got slammed to the ground.”
    “Strong words from a strong demon girl.”
    “Strong half-demon woman , sir. Our enemies would strip us of our dignity. Even if you’re a superior officer — check that. Especially if you’re a superior officer, when you try to take my dignity, too, I owe you nothing and you’ve thrown my loyalty away.”
    “I’m concerned about your attitude, sword singer. I call you sword singer because you’re a lousy archer.”
    “Are you saying there’s no sense majoring in my minor, sir? Should I get back to focusing on what I’m good at?”
    “I’ll ask the questions.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “I heard about what happened in the cafeteria,” he said. “I heard about the knife, too.”
    “Did Douglas squeal? That — ”
    “No. The man said nothing. He’s too embarrassed to say anything. The Magicals watch over the Keep closely. They may be unreliable when it comes to demon detection, but they saw what happened this morning. They told Victor and Victor told me. Now I’m telling you. Judgment was passed on your friend before you had time to change into sweats.”
    “What’s going to happen to