25
(A few days later - Muranaday)
Joton, Kri’enden - Joton Shaze Academy
“You’re back?” Cruro asked with amusement. “That must have been some bet!”
“You would know,” Sheena said irritably. She hadn’t expected Gaetan to be so determined. It was his determination alone which frightened her. He would actually train into a very good Balan, if he could keep his use of the boosters in check. Before, she had seen members who let the drugs control them and cost them their minds shortly before their lives. Sometimes they were lucky and got thrown into jail first. She padded up and did her mental preparation.
Cruro handed her a shaze. “You sure you want to fight against someone on so many boosters?” he asked her quietly.
“It is a private issue,” Sheena said. “I’m sure you understand, Cruro.”
“I will not interfere,” he replied. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I will be,” she promised.
“Come on, Sheena!” Gaetan goaded, bringing her attention back to the moment.
She focused on her adversary who suddenly launched a fury of attacks unlike any he’d done before. Sheena had to fight to stay ahead of him. She found herself surprised by his new moves and had to work hard to counter them. He had clearly had more lessons in addition to his boosters which seemed stronger than last time.
Faster she moved, stronger she countered, but she felt herself slipping.
Desperation kicked in and she moved faster, drawing on her reserves sooner than she liked. She knew she was tiring too quickly and it frightened her.
Suddenly, he made an unexpected move that took her unaware. He followed through with a simple strike that hit where she should never have left open. Horrified, Sheena fell into the foam pit.
“He cheated!” Sheena shouted.
“You already knew he was taking boosters,” Belmara reminded.
“We’ll just drop you off on our way home,” Fashi said.
“You can’t prove anything!” Sheena shrieked.
“On the contrary, I have it recorded,” Fashi said playing it for her.
Sheena heard her own voice say: “When you best me at shaze, I’ll go to your bed willingly.”
“Do I have to put you in magna-cuffs?” Fashi threatened.
“A bit prideful, you were,” Belmara lectured. “I think this will do you some good.”
Sheena fumed, but went as bidden.
A few minutes later, Fashi pushed her into Gaetan’s upstairs Freebooter quarters. “Gaetan can open it when he is ready to let you go,” Fashi said before closing and securing the door.
“Now, where were we?” Gaetan asked.
“Touch me and it will be the last thing you do!” Sheena threatened.
“You promised to share my bed,” Gaetan said.
“That’s all I promised!” Sheena said sitting on a couch.
“You implied far more than those words!” Gaetan said, using his fingers in the air towards her.
“You do that and I will crush you,” she threatened, gesturing towards him in return.
Gaetan cupped his groin and moaned in agony.
♥
Sheena sat on the couch for the long hours as the sun made its journey towards the horizon. Gaetan felt frustrated, his prize within reach, but threatening to cause significant damage to him if he did anything about claiming that promise.
“You promised to share my bed,” Gaetan eventually said as it grew dark. “I do not have to let you out of this apartment. I have food enough for the both of us to last several weeks.”
She glared at him, but went to his bedroom and sat down on the bed facing away from him. “I can sit here all night,” she informed.
“As you wish,” he said shrugging, pretending not to care.
He went about getting himself a dinner. “Can I get you anything?” he offered.
“You will drug me,” Sheena replied. “I will not eat anything that you touch.”
“Whatever,” Gaetan said, leaving the room. He made himself the best plate of food that he could manage, trying to tempt her stomach. He sat next to her, eating noisily.
“You eat in bed? Ew,” she said condescendingly.
“Only showing you what you’re missing out on,” he said. “I’ve eaten my half. You sure you won’t have any?”
“Not on my life,” she replied rudely.
Gaetan took the plate back out to the kitchen. He could eat the other half tomorrow, he realized as he put it in the chiller. He made a mug of Çtaráni cocoa and settled down with a flyppad next to Sheena.
“Can I get you a drink?” he asked. “Cocoa? Nightbrew? Mujani?”
“I won’t drink anything you provide,” she said. “You will drug me.”
“Is that any way to talk to a friend?” he asked, leaning against her.
“Do not insult me!” she warned.
“Don’t I even get a good night kiss?” he asked.
“Don’t count on it,” she replied.
Finally, Gaetan gave up. He used the leya to turn out the lights and settled down to sleep. Maybe she could be lulled to sleep if he slept first.
Then he sat up again. She could hurt him while he slept. How could he trust her with the threats she had made against him? He might not wake up. Even he had to admit this whole thing was looking depressingly pointless. But he could not let her win. Not if he wanted to become Kri’enden #1.
Gaetan could smell her pheromones and they were driving him mad. Yet, still she would not sleep or talk. She sulked and fumed, he could smell that too.
It suddenly occurred to Gaetan that two could play this game. He didn’t have to let her out of his quarters. Eventually, she would surrender to him and he would be the Kri’enden #1.
“Keep dreaming,” she scoffed. “And don’t practice guarding your thoughts. It will make it easier for me to defend against you.”
“It didn’t help you in the sparring room earlier,” he jabbed back.
She elbowed him – hard.
“Ow! That’s not the way to treat your lover. And if you damage me, you will have Fashi and Belmara to deal with… maybe even the Curator,” Gaetan taunted.
“It would be worth a Death Edict,” Sheena scowled.
“I feel honored,” Gaetan retorted. “Come on. You know what you promised. We don’t have to be such children about it!”
“And you know you could not have won without those boosters. It wasn’t fair play from the moment you stooped to that,” Sheena replied. “I can sit here for days without sleep or food. I will not give in, I will not give up my position.”
“We’ll see,” Gaetan said quietly.
♥
If you have enjoyed this book, I would be grateful if you could put your thoughts as a review on Goodreads for me.
Other Chapters of this set
Acting the Part - chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Building on Promise - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 2 - Chapter 10
Spice of Strength - Chapter 1
Acting the Part, part 3 - Chapter 19
Sands of Survival - Chapter 1
Maps and Guides
- continents of Alacantis and Kranisis (five maps)
- continent of Almara (five maps)
- countries of Kri'enden and Yezi'im (four maps plus "other places")
- characters, pronunciation and glossary
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Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
verified author on Goodreads
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