Page 51 of Bound

“Nesting? Already?” Maxym queries. “I wouldn’t have expected it of you.”

“What do you mean?” I growl, my feathers itching like crazy as we come out of the hidden doorway and duck down the passage which leads to the street.

“He means out of all of us, we didn’t expect you to find a mate,” Klynn says, spinning his sword pommel on the palm of his hand. “In fact, Maxym said he thought he’d find a mate before you.”

Maxym rubs at the back of his huge neck, almost as thick as a Xnosson bull’s. “You seemed interested in things other than nesting.”

“When fate finds you, it finds you,” I respond. “Although I doubt it’ll ever find Klynn.”

“Good,” he says. “Because I’ll stab it.”

I shake my head and squint up at Maxym. He grins.

“I’m not sure I endorse that particular strategy,” I say. “But then Klynn will never be mated, so it shouldn’t be a problem for him.”

Klynn snarls at me. “I’ll see you both at the dome. It’s about time there was violence,” he says, slipping into the shadows.

“Are you ready for the same?” I ask. “Because you don’t have to do this.”

“I was born ready.” Maxym draws down his brow, becoming the brooding terror he is well known for in the dome. “Violence is in my blood and soul, far more than Klynn.”

I grab hold of him, even though it could mean my life.

“Promise me, if anything happens, you’ll find my mate and help her get away.”

Maxym’s huge head swivels to where I have hold of him.

“You don’t need to ask, Rych. She is as safe as she can be, and you will get back to her. But if anything happens, consider her under our protection.”

He backs away from me before darting away in the opposite direction to our comrade.

I feel rooted to the spot, not wanting to leave my mate, even if she is happy to have found a “lost library.” All I can think about is how the “books” will make good nesting material.

Which is probably something I don’t want to admit to my Chrissie. Something tells me she might disapprove.

I duck back the way we came, traversing a number of passages until I come out into a street far enough away from the safe house I shouldn’t be able to be traced back. As usual, the presence of a gladiator in the midst of the populace never goes unnoticed, regardless of whether or not I am still taking part in the games. Bodies part in front of me as I make my way to the dome.

As I get closer, the air fills with the scent of blood. It’s a smell which hangs over the place no matter whether the games are on or not. I fill my lungs with it, recalling how it used to be like home.

But home is where my Chrissie is. My mate is everything. The dome is nothing.

I skirt around the outside until I reach the hidden door, which swings open at my approach. I lever myself inside to find Klynn and his numerous swords waiting.

“What kept you?” he growls. “There’s fighting to be done.” He turns, his long wings swaying as he stomps down the corridor ahead of me.

Klynn isn’t happy unless he’s killing, damaged vrexer that he is.

I pull out my sword and follow him. Taking on the Loxzian here in a place I know gives me the advantage.

We make our way to the training arena where Maxym is waiting.

“Are they still here?”

“Yep, but there’s a problem,” Maxym says. “The procurator is suspicious we returned early. He knows gladiators with a pass will spend their time drinking until we’re rounded up and brought back.”

“What did you say?”

“I told the captain Klynn was sick, but the chances of the procurator believing that vrexer ever gets sick is pretty slim.”

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