Page 25 of Caged

I sheathe my claws.

“Alex is my mate, myeregri. No harm will ever come to her, from me or anyone else.” I glare at the Remek, who easily holds my gaze. “As for my credits, yes, I have gained the occasional bonus, but the games are my sentence for the uprising I led, andunless I do what I’ve just done, I cannot leave until the dome extracts the ultimate price.”

She lowers the dagger, tucking it back to where she got it from.

“I didn’t know, Sylas. I’m sorry,” she says, but then her eyes flick from me to the room behind.

I turn to see myeregristaring at me, her hand to her mouth.

“Is that true?” she says, voice hoarse.

Her face has red patches, and she looks like she’d be about to fall down if she wasn’t leaning against the wall.

I swallow down my pride, my heart, and probably my last and only chance of keeping her as my mate.

“It is true, little feather. I was sent to the dome for my crimes by the Galactic Council.” My fist balls and I hide it behind my back. “Sentenced to die in the games. But I’m not dead yet.”

“You’re a slave of the dome as much as I am of Ixor?”

“I belong to no one.” My claws slice into my hand as I attempt to hold on to what little is left of my sanity. “But after I lost my warriors, I deserved my fate.”

Alex’s eyes widen. “That’s not true. No one deserves to be a slave.”

“I am a killer, little mate. It is all I will ever be.”

ALEX

Istare at the hulk of a male, all dark wings and dark eyes, as he proclaims himself to be nothing but a slave, confined to the dome for his crimes.

It was bad enough when he and Ginka were fighting but somehow this is worse. My heart hammers at my chest because as horrible as it was to be taken from Earth and sold to Ixor, Sylas’ treatment goes far beyond mine.

And he doesn’t care. He was prepared to serve his sentence as I was expecting to serve Ixor until the inevitable happened or somehow I got free.

“But we’re free now,” I blurt out.

“Hardly. Every guard, every citizen interested in trying his hand at the games but without the credits to purchase entry will be out looking for me,” Sylas says, darkly. “As will every bounty hunter,” he adds. “The procurator will have put a price on my head.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” Ginka says, pulling a small vid-screen from her clothing. “The word is the dome was attacked. A group calling themselves the resistance have claimed responsibility. Because of this, the guards are still sortingthrough the rubble slowly. They might not even know you’re missing.”

Sylas glowers. “I don’t go missing. Blayn might, maybe Klynn, but not me,” he says, presumably referencing other gladiators. “Crimes or no, we’re notprisonersin the sense we are confined…,” he huffs. “Under normal circumstances we can leave the dome if we want.” Sylas sniffs.

“I don’t understand. You’re a slave to the dome, but you can leave whenever you want?” My head feels scrambled.

“What he means is he won’t get past port authorities or away from Trefa if he tries.” Ginka looks Sylas up and down. “He, and the others of his kind, are a little distinctive, and there are no other Gryn on this planet as far as I’m aware.”

“I doubt Blayn could find his way off world if he wanted to,” Sylas mutters, partly to himself, a sadness creeping over his face. “The Remek is right. The other Gryn and I are trapped here. This entire planet is my cage.”

“But potentially it means no one is looking for you, right?” I say. “Because you could just be…out?”

“I’d be expected to check in.” Sylas cocks his head on one side. “But it’ll be chaos. I’ve got two Gryn who love explosions and two who hate them. Then there’s the beasts and any of the challengers who were staying in the dome before their bout.” He narrows his eyes, taking on a far-away look.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I want to be with my mate,” he rasps, and in a single stride, he has me in his arms, his huge chest heaving with a sigh. “I’m thinking I don’t want to kill anymore.”

“Will wonders never cease?” Ginka snorts. It’s my turn to glare. “I’ve got to do prep for tomorrow,” she says hastily. “This place is yours. Stay as long as you need.” She pats me on the arm with a smile, although the kind gesture is tempered by a dirty wink.

I didn’t even know aliens winked. But it appears today is the first day for a whole lot of things.

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