"What are you talking about?" I hiss as I lean forward until we're a mere breath apart. "How can you be so apathetic about this?"

"It is not a novelty." He shrugs. "Although it does not harm me, it does taste foul." He sighs. "I would not recommend it."

"Damn it, Ze. This is not the moment to joke around," I say pointedly as I jab my finger into his chest. "You can't just let this go. They tried to kill you!" I catch myself just in time so I don't yell the words. "Regardless of whether they succeeded or not, the intention was there."

The stares. The whispers. The blatant disrespect. Now it all makes sense. But it also makes me more enraged than I've ever been before—especially as Ze doesn't seem bothered in the least. His expression is relaxed, almost blasé.

"If I were to punish everyone who ever wished me dead, I am afraid Aperion would be sorely lacking in population," he says with a careless shrug.

"But... Aren't you mad?" I blink.

"I was, the first few times it happened. After so long, I got used to it and now I just ignore it."

"Well, I cannot in good conscience ignore it," I declare, fuming on his behalf.

His brows knit together as he tilts his head, his expression puzzled.

I shoot to my feet, sparks of anger humming under my skin.

"You." I point to the waitress. "Come here."

Everyone is suddenly staring at me, but I don't care. Someone needs to explain this, and I will not let it go until Ze gets an apology.

Ze gets up as well, hovering behind me like a shadow, quiet like one too.

The waitress looks right and left as she slowly makes her way to our table. Just as she reaches us, I grab the poisoned ice and shove it in her face.

"Eat." I nod at her.

"W-what?" she whispers.

"I said eat."

"I cannot," she stammers, looking at her colleagues for help. "It would not be right for me to do so." She feigns a smile.

"Is that so?" I plaster an equally fake smile on my face. And before she realizes what I'm about to do, I push my hand into the bowl, scoop the rest of the ice in my fist, and bring it to her mouth, forcefully feeding it to her.

She gasps and chokes. Most of the ice melts around the corners of her mouth, but I have no doubt she must have ingested at least a little.

When she realizes what happened, she takes a step back, her eyes wild as she releases a sharp screech.

"Dora! Dora! I need the antidote," she screams, scrambling back and tripping. She falls to the ground, her mouth open as her voice becomes little more than background noise.