Page 14 of Baited

“I’ll see you later.” I give her a wave as she undoes the damage my elbow wrought to her eyeliner and make my way up to the cubicle.

The door is already open when I get there, and four of the Zarvu guards are leaving. One of them gives me an unpleasant leer. I rather wish I had my mop with me, if only to shove it in his stupid face. Instead I throw my shoulders back, ignore them, and march into the room.

The door clicks behind me. Blayn is in a similar position as yesterday, only this time he’s facing me, rather than looking like he’s planning an escape attempt. But also, like yesterday, he’s filthy and has a glower on his face which is probably worse.

I hold up my hands.

“No touching.” I smile at him.

It doesn’t seem to have any effect. His wrists are as raw as before, and there’s a mark around his neck from what looks like a ligature. Fists are, yet again, balled up, vicious black claws poking through.

“Bath?” I query, given the smell coming from him is distinctly unsavory.

“Bath,” he growls, lifting his head and sucking in the air.

I lead him across to the door, press the button to open it, and practically get buried in feathers as he pushes his way through.

“Pants this time,” I call out as I swiftly close the door before I get an eyeful of Gryn anatomy yet again.

All I have to do is get him used to being touched, that’s it. He doesn’t want anything more, and if you’re honest, you don’t either.

My brain, the sensible part of it anyway, is quite clear. I have a job to do, I’m getting paid handsomely, and I don’t have to worry about anything else. Just get Blayn used to touch, that’s all.

I order up food from the kitchen again, adding more of the dishes he consumed last night and less of those he didn’t. It might be coming out of my fee, but it’s a big enough amount of credits in my future, I can afford to spend what I don’t have just yet.

There’s more splashing from the sanitary area than last night. Whether that means Blayn is particularly dirty or he’s enjoying himself is moot. The food arrives and I arrange it once again.

Then I sit and wait.

BLAYN

The bath here is deliciously deep and hot. I might enjoy the ice after a bout in the games but nothing is better than a hot bath. I feel a little regret at the color I leave the water when I heave my soaked wings and my body out.

Today’s bout was particularly messy.

Having spun the water out of my feathers I remember to dress this time too. My little Izzy threw things at me yesterday, so today I make sure my pants are on. I also found a brightly colored scarf discarded in the bathing area and I have the collection of trinkets I collected from the dome’s floor during our games today.

The crowd throws things, some of which get through the forcefield. Given it wasn’t much of a challenge and all I got was covered in guts, it was easy to find the things and conceal them from the clerks in the ante-chamber when I was relieved of my weapon.

Izzy is waiting for me, and she has laid out a feast fit for a hungry Gryn. I forget myself, heading for the food and consuming as much as I can, as quickly as I can. It’s only when I raise my head from the platters I realize she’s moved to the seat she took last time.

And I haven’t placed the items I have for her where she is seated. A growl rises within me, guttural and deep.

“Are you…okay?” she asks, attempting to keep the tremble from her voice.

“Not right,” I say, attempting to grasp at the emotion which seems irritatingly out of reach.

It’s dogged me since yesterday. I couldn’t sleep because of it, but at least it kept the dark and the light mostly out of my head. Except now I’m here, with her, I want to know what it is.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure I can make it right,” Izzy says. “Tell me.”

She leans forward, and I’m hit with a wave of scent which sends me reeling.

“Eregri.” The word rolls off my tongue, under my breath.

A word I’ve never heard, never used. A word Ihaveto use in her presence.

“I don’t know what that is, but if you need it, I’m sure Madame can get it for you,” Izzy says.

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