Page 57 of Baited

“But is it?”

“I have a reputation.” I put my hand on my chest, over my heart. “Completely undeserved, of course.”

“Of course.” Izzy nods, attempting to suppress a smile.

“Of occasionally not checking if there is another Gryn in the way before I strike.”

“You’ve injured your fellow gladiators?” she says with a gasp.

“They should be faster,” I grumble. “And get out of my way.”

Izzy laughs, the sound filling our rough quarters with a music I could listen to over and over.

“I’m not sure Rych sees it that way.”

“He’s the worst out of all of them. Always playing to the crowd.” I glance over at my room. It’s not a nest for myeregri, and I don’t have time to make her one, which is causing my feathers to shake.

“You can stay here, if you wish, or I can ask the captain to find you somewhere safe to watch? If you want to watch?” I bury my hand in her hair, releasing her delicious scent.

“Can’t I come with you?” Izzy asks.

“The ante-chamber is no place for anyone other than a gladiator,” I say. “I will always protect you, my Izzy, but it’s too close to the dome and too close to those who will be in it.”

She takes my hand, looking at my abdomen where there is a faint trace of the injury I had. “I don’t want you distracted. I can stay here if you think it’s best.”

I think about my room, about how it is not a nest, about how Rych is too vrexing close even now.

“I’ll get the captain to find you somewhere safe and to bring you back here as soon as the games are done.” I put my hand on the side of her face. “I have you to come back to,eregri. I will not allow anything or anyone to stop me.”

Taking her hand, I lead her through the dining halls, past the few stragglers who hope to become champions in the dome and who look away the instant I growl at them, until I reach the training area.

“Where is the captain?” I snarl at one of the Oykig clerks hurrying past.

“In the ante-chamber. Where else?” he snaps back, although when I show my fangs, the slippery reptilian dips his head and takes a step back. “I’ll get him for you.”

He hurries away as Izzy takes in the training arena and the weaponry set out along one wall.

“It’s a different world,” she says under her breath.

“It is my world.” I take a training sword from a rack, the blade dulled with years of use. “The only one I know.”

Izzy watches me as I give the sword a few thrusts through the air.

“When you had a fever, you told me you had a family.”

I shake my head. “Can’t have done. I have always been here.”

She leans against the wall. “Always is a long time, Blayn.”

I place the sword point down in the sand of the arena. Dust motes float in the air along with a few feathers.

“It’s…there’s something.” I tap the side of my head. “But it’s a trick of the dark and light, I know it is.” I snort at the thing which has plagued me for forever. “I am not worthy of a family.”

“What the…?” Izzy exclaims, pushing away from the wall and putting her hands on her hips in a way I find makes my cocks hard and my stomach quake. “How dare you! How dare you say such a thing about yourself? You are a good male. You deserve a family as much as that Yetag at the pleasure house bar did.Everyonedeserves a family.”

The sword makes a dull ringing sound as it hits the ground, but not before I have her in my arms.

“You deserve a family. I don’t deserve you.”

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