Page 83 of Caged

The boots and legs are familiar enough as I raise my head to see Rych, flanked by Maxym, Blayn, and Klynn. I clutch Alex to my chest.

“Mine,” I snarl.

“Are we really doing this, again?” Maxym sighs. “Get up.”

He kicks my boot. Alex wriggles from my grip and is on her feet but backing away from the others. The need to protect her wars with my body’s struggle to remain upright and eventually protection wins out, and with a roll, I’m on my feet, snarling a storm at the other Gryn.

“Hey.” Alex waves at them. “I’m Alex. Hi, Maxym.”

What the vrex is going on?

“What is going on, my friend, is you’ve been given one vrexing big dose of Paraxio.” Rych shoves me up against the wall. “And it seems to suit you.”

“Getoffme.” I bat his hand away, but all he does is laugh.

“This is Blayn, Klynn, and Rych.” Maxym introduces the others while I can’t decide if I want to tear them limb from limb or wrap my arms around each one and offer them my undying loyalty.

Or go to sleep. Sleep would be nice too. As would mating.

And I’m very hungry too.

“Is there any cure?” Alex is by my side as the others give us space.

“Cure?” Rych barks. “He’s having the time of his life, little female. Paraxio is a pleasure drug, although it looks like he was given it in a quantity someone thought would be disabling.”

Alex wraps her arms around my waist and smiles up at me. I want to kiss her face off, but in a sneaky move, she tips it to one side and instead I’m kissing her neck, which is also very nice.

“How long will it take to wear off?” She giggles, running her hand down my face and pushing me upright again.

Rych leans into me, and while I want to do a growl this time, as his face looms closer to mine, I laugh instead.

“Who can tell? This is Sylas the Victor. He’s not like anyone else.” Rych takes his life into his hands by tapping me on the side of my head. “It could take a nova-minute, it could take nova-days.”

“Vrex off, Rych.” I shoot out an arm and get him by the throat up against the wall.

It seems like it’s gone very quiet. Rych doesn’t move, he doesn’t even blink, his mouth hitched in one of his insolent smiles.

With a huff, I let him go, my arm tired and my brain firing into life.

“Medius,” I growl.

“What about him?” Alex asks. “He doesn’t matter. We need to get out of here. The resistance have an escape route for us.”

Some of the mirth drains from me. I look down at my little mate, then at my fellow gladiators.

“Vrex it, you’re not even thinking of staying, are you?” Maxym growls.

“We should all get out, all of us,” I respond, clarity suddenly filling my mind. “We don’t belong here. Gryn should be free.”

“Speak for yourself,commander,” Klynn says, staring down his blade, one eye squinting at the sharpness. “Some of us don’t have any other options and some of us might just like it here.”

Alex presses herself into my side.

“Sweet mate,” I say, running my hand down her silky hair. “Medius has answers to the gaps in my memory, and he will give them up before I leave this place.”

She lifts her gorgeous face, and I’m instantly lost in her beauty. If she asked me to cut off a wing in this moment, I would.

Instead, two hands burrow into my feathers, and drug or no drug, I’m gone to a place I adore. One with only her and me. One where time stands still except when we mate and I am sheathed in her.

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