Page 94 of Seducing Jenny
“I have to ask, why do you worship the goddess of balance?” I asked her on the way. “Why not Kable? Luck seems to be the order of the day, Discord. Not balance. If things were balanced…” I shook my head. “I’d likely be dead.”
She laughed softly. “Balance may be the only reason you’re still alive, Malice Ripper. Did you ever think of that?”
I glanced at her curiously. “How do you figure?”
“Why do you think the warlords worship Enatu? They know they bring balance to the worlds. Without them, how could order be kept? Who would ensure the safety of the people?”
“Justice Bateen?” I deadpanned.
We both paused, before we laughed, the boisterous sound trailing us down the corridor.
“You’re funny today,” she said, casting me a sidelong glance. “That’s a nice change.”
I punched her shoulder for that. “I’m funny all the time.Youhave no sense of humor.”
She sniffed haughtily. “My sense of humor is more refined than yours. That’s all.”
“Ah, yes. Sophisticated snark,” I drawled, then rerouted the conversation back to where it had been before we’d gotten derailed. “Back to Enatu, do you really believe in her?”
Her expression sobered. “I don’t know what I believe, Mal. But my father believed in her enough to give me her amulet. Worshipping her makes me feel like he’s near. Even though he’s not.”
Spatha Scrylock had died at the palace when we were teenagers, right before I relocated to my estate. Discord movedin with me after he died his second death on Halla a week later. A dreck attack, or so the reports said.
I hesitated, before speaking what was on my mind. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Discord, but I’m a little jealous of you.”
She blinked at me. “What for?”
“You have this connection to your father that I’ll never have to my own.”
She stopped just before we got to the lab. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
I held up a hand to stop her. “I know. It’s too early for me to have any guile left to hide my thoughts. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m glad you told me. And regarding Enatu, I’ll take her idea of balance over Kable’s luck. He’s too fickle.”
I nodded, more somber now. “Considering we almost lost both Surge and Jenny in the past day, I’d wager our luck has run out.”
She gave me a faint smile. “Almostdoesn’t count in the realm of the gods, Mal.”
We entered the lab, and Surge grinned when he saw us. “Ahh, my blood bag is here!” he said jovially.
Discord’s lips pursed, but there was affection in her eyes. “You’re such a dick.”
He laughed, and I grabbed the tubing and needles for the transfusion. The day before, I’d studied how Longshot did it. I’d needed the refresher. The training for battlefield transfusions was rougher than those not done under emergency conditions, so when Discord glared at my needling, I knew I had not left my old training far behind.
“Sorry,” I murmured.
“A shame Longshot has not returned from the palace,” she groused.
I attached the other end of the tubing to the IV already in Surge’s arm. “How’s that?” I asked him.
“Seems okay,” Surge said. “But I’m not the angry donor behind you.”
When I looked back at Discord, her glare had sharpened. But it wasn’t aimed at me, but Surge.
“Sam was here, wasn’t she?” she asked in a cool tone.
Surge didn’t deny the truth. “How did you know?”
