Page 26 of Caged

Ginka leaves us alone. Sylas gazes down at me and strokes a massive finger over my cheek.

“I don’t want to get you into trouble,” I say. “As much as I hate it, Ixor bought me, and no one on Trefa gives a shit.”

He growls deep in his chest. “I care, little feather. I’ll buy you from him.”

I squirm away. “Then you’re just making it worse!” I put my hands on my hips. “And he won’t sell me anyway, not if he thinks he has a gladiator he can use because you think I’m your mate.”

“Then I’ll kill him,” Sylas says, inspecting his claws.

“You said you were done with killing.”

“Not for you.”

I raise my eyes to the ceiling and make a “gah” noise. For a male who set me on fire earlier, so much so I gave him everything within an hour of making his acquaintance, he is also infuriating.

But at the same time, and in a way I’m not sure I can quite believe, I’m not sure I want to go on without him. None of this makes sense.

“Little feather.” Sylas wraps a wing around me, scooping me towards him. “We need to bathe and eat, and then we can do what is needed to be free.”

It’s all absolutely bonkers, but I completely agree with him. How can Sylas be getting under my skin like this? And that’s skin which itches like mad because of the dust and grit. He still has some on his broad, bare shoulders too.

“Okay.” I sigh up at my vast gladiator. “Not sure you’ll fit though.”

“You’ve said that before.” He grins, eyes filled with glittering mischief which causes my core to tighten.

I roll mine at him, although I can’t help adding a smile, and set off down the short passage into the rear of Ginka’s dwelling, followed by my huge gladiator. After opening two doors and finding two bedrooms, one of which is also filled with boxes, the third door reveals a bathroom larger than I was expecting.

There’s no bath, but there is a large shower area, the water coming from the ceiling, as far as I can make out. Sylas snorts.

“Should have known a Remek wouldn’t take bathing seriously.” He grunts.

“And Gryn do?”

“Bathing requires a pool of the appropriate size,” Sylas says seriously as he inspects the controls for the shower and it turns on unexpectedly.

His wings flare, nearly filling the room before he folds them back, tucking them one over the other for a few seconds as he regains his composure and peers up at the ceiling.

“Interesting,” he says, rubbing his chin.

“You’ve seen a shower before?” I query, stripping off my clothing and tossing it to one side as I stride past Sylas under the water.

I think his eyes are about to pop out of his head. I’ve certainly never seen anyone divest themselves of their boots and pants as quickly as he does. Although he still approaches the shower with a hesitant step.

“Like rain,” he says.

“Yeah, like rain.” I hold out a hand to him.

He takes it with a half smile and steps under the deluge to join me. The second the water hits his wings, they pump, as if he’s trying not to open them. The thick, heavy primary feathers span out as far as he can manage under the water, and he closes his eyes, lifting his face into the deluge, arms outstretched.

For several long seconds, he stands there, the liquid running in rivulets over his scarred form, sluicing away the dust and the dirt, wings shivering.

“Like rain.” His voice is hoarse, but his eyes open and they’re fixed on me. “Little feather, I like thisshower.”

“It’s a good thing Ginka is…bigger and taller than a human, or you would most definitely not fit.”

An arm wraps around my waist, and Sylas’ other hand cups my breast.

“It seems to me we have plenty of room here.”

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