"See them? Your dear friends," Simon said, his words dripping with mock sympathy as he leaned in close to Calliope. "They''ll be tiger food soon enough. Maybe you don''t see any tigers now they''re prowling in the trees at the back. But the second something alive wanders in, those beasts will pounce."


    He whispered almost into her ear, and the nearness of him made Calliope''s skin crawl. Still, she forced herself to focus on Nigel and Damien, whose hands were tied tightly behind their backs.


    Both men turned, meeting her gaze with silent, desperate eyes.


    "You''re really going to toss them in there, all tied up?" Calliope''s brow furrowed. "That''s not much of a challenge, is it?"


    "Oh? And what would you suggest, then?" Simon grinned, instantly catching her drift. "I see you want to give them a fighting chance. I''ll admit, watching them get mauled in one bite would be rather dull. We should spice things up a bit, shouldn''t we?" His tone grew more animated.


    "A real struggle might be more entertaining. Is that what you''re after?”


    "So you mean to untie them?"


    “Unbinding their hands is easy,” Calliope said, "But the tigers are fierce. Without weapons, there''s no way they''d make it out alive."


    "They should at least stand a chance," Calliope pressed, ncing over at Damien and his crew. "Give them something to fight with. Let''s see if man can triumph over beast—that''d be more thrilling to watch, wouldn''t it? If they''re empty-handed, it''s over before it begins."


    "Hm. You may have a point," Simon mused, tilting his head andughing. He nodded, and one of his men brought a few wooden sticks over.


    Calliope eyed them, unimpressed. "Really? Sticks? That''s almost the same as nothing." She looked straight at Simon. "If you''re serious about this, give them guns. That''s how real hunts are done."


    Simon snorted. “Oh, I bet you''d just love to see me hand over some guns, so they can turn them on me instead. Do I look like an idiot?"


    She could only re-he''d seen right through her.


    "If they''re skilled enough, even sticks could keep a tiger at bay," Simon went on, dismissive. "People have survived tiger attacks before. The enclosures big; they have chances to run. If they can escape with their lives, well, that''s on them."


    Calliope stared at him for a long moment, her eyes narrowing.


    Then, as Simon prepared to give the order to throw the men into the enclosure, Calliope''s gaze turned cold as steel. The second he let down his guard, she moved-struck out with a sharp, precise blow to the base of his neck, aiming to drop him instantly. If she could justrender him unconscious, maybe ck Spider-or even Jasper-would resurface.


    But what happened defied all expectation.


    Simon didn''t so much as flinch. Instead, he simply turned his head and shed her a mocking smile.


    He grabbed her wrist in a tight, effortless grip, an amused spark in his eyes. "Did that hurt your hand? You hit pretty hard."


    Calliope was dumbfounded. The force she''d used could have dropped a tiger, yet he seemed perfectly unscathed.


    She could feel herself unraveling. How was Simon so impossible to beat? What was he, really? Was ck Spider hiding an even more indomitable side she''d never seen?


    "My hand''s fine," Calliope managed, barely masking her dismay. "Aren''t you tired, though? You could probably do with a little nap."


    Simon''s grin widened. "Sorry, wide awake here. And like I said-you want them out? Not happening. As long as I''m in charge, there''s no escape This is my world, got it?" He leaned in closer still, voice lowering, into a threat. "And I told you to behave. If you don''t, I''ll toss you straight into the crocodile pit. See over there? Bet you''dst a little longer than your friends."


    He grabbed her wrist in a tight, effortless grip, an amused spark in his eyes. "Did that hurt your hand? You hit pretty hard."


    Calliope was dumbfounded. The force she''d used could have dropped a tiger, yet he seemed perfectly unscathed.


    She could feel herself unraveling. How was Simon so impossible to beat? What was he, really? Was ck Spider hiding an even more indomitable side she''d never seen?


    "My hand''s fine," Calliope managed, barely masking her dismay. "Aren''t you tired, though? You could probably do with a little nap."


    Simon''s grin widened. "Sorry, wide awake here. And like I said-you want them out? Not happening. As long as I''m in charge, there''s no escape This is my world, got it?" He leaned in closer still, voice lowering into a threat. “And I told you to behave. If you don''t, I''ll toss you straight into the crocodile pit. See over there? Bet you''dst a little longer than your friends."