Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Laro

Laro wasn’t a fan of the tank. Every time he emerged, his legs felt like jelly for days. This time would be worse, considering his fight with Fleu hadn’t exactly gone his way.

Fleu had kept his word, and now Laro was stuck with a limp and legs that felt like they were made of rubber. He still couldn’t wrap his head around what Fleu had told him. Or maybe he just didn’t want to believe it.

Fatherhood had never been on his radar, but now that he knew the truth, his heart ached.

The doctor’s knock on the glass jarred him from his thoughts. He signaled for Laro to get ready for the draining process. Laro gripped the rail in the tank and let himself sink as the water level dropped.

He held onto the rail tightly and managed to climb out without any trouble.

“Any memories from the accident?” the doctor asked, glancing at his tablet.

He couldn’t tell them what had really happened. They’d want to know why he and Fleu had been fighting.

“No. Can I go now?”

“You need to stay until—”

The door flew open, and a group of nurses rushed in, wheeling a bloodied man on a gurney. They were frantically cleaning him up, trying to figure out where he was hurt.

Laro couldn’t even guess what had attacked him. Maybe he was a beast trainer and his creature had turned on him. The injured man opened his golden eyes.

“Arenk? What the hell happened?” Laro asked, not really expecting an answer.

“He was dumped on our doorstep after being thrown from a vehicle. Do you know anything about this?” a nurse asked, pushing past him.

“No.”

“Well, move out of the way and let us work,” the nurse said, helping the others move Arenk into a tank.

The doctor moved to the screen. “He’s damaged his spine again,” he said, scrolling through the data. “He’ll need facial reconstruction. Broken ribs and a whole host of other issues. I hope his insurance can cover all this. At this rate, he’ll be beyond repair.”

The doctor set the tank and walked away. Laro glanced at the small screen displaying Arenk’s information and estimated recovery time. A few days wasn’t too bad. They might even get to leave together.

***

Raven

The king finally left, and Raven was relieved. She could hide everything she’d gathered and retrieve it when she went with the prince. That is, if he kept his word.

It was a long shot, but he’d seemed interested at the party and afterwards.

“You’re walking pretty fast for someone with such short legs,” Captain Oito commented.

“Don’t you always tell me to hurry up?”

Raven just wanted him to drop her off at the dorm so she could get on with her plans. As she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the eleventh floor, Captain Oito hit the top button.

Her heart leapt. She could get off on her floor, wait for him to go to the king’s, and then make a dash for her hiding spot.

But when the elevator stopped at her floor, Captain Oito blocked her way with his arm.

“Your things have been moved to your new room. You’d know that if you’d read the entire rulebook. Are you ready for tonight?”

Raven had skimmed through that thick rulebook, but she’d heard from the other women that everyone stayed in the dorm. Some had their own rooms, while others shared.

It all depended on who you slept with or who you had dirt on. She just hoped she hadn’t missed some other important detail.

“My memory’s not the best. Remind me again,” she said.

If looks could kill, she’d be at least half-dead by now. He hit the emergency button on the elevator, and Raven stumbled around the small space.

“For heaven’s sake, it’s your first night with the king. He likes things done a certain way,” he said, before sighing heavily. “I figured you wouldn’t know, so I left that section on your bed.”

“And where is my bed?” Raven asked, dreading the answer.

He pressed the button again, setting the elevator back in motion. “Your favorite place to pass out drunk.”

The doors slid open, and she recognized the office area. Captain Oito led her through the sliding doors and down the balcony. Raven went to the railing and took a moment to enjoy the view, the sun, and the fresh air.

“This way,” Captain Oito called from the end.

There were two other rooms attached to the office. One looked like a sitting room, and the other was clearly a bedroom. Captain Oito gestured for her to go in, and she did.

He stayed by the door. Raven didn’t remember this room at all. She would have had to go through the office to get here.

The floor was littered with clothes, but a shirt with black streaks caught her eye. She picked it up, and two distinct scents hit her:

one that smelled like burnt cookies and the other like burning wood or cedar. It had a spicy undertone.

Raven knew who the burnt cookie scent belonged to. Her head started to spin. Had the king found out? Was Arenk dead?

“How many more?” a voice called out.

Panic washed over her as she turned to face the source. The king was standing in the bathroom, drying himself off.

She quickly averted her gaze from his lower region, grateful she hadn’t seen anything.

“How many what?” Raven asked, knowing full well what he was referring to.

“Don’t play dumb. I know about two, but I suspect there’s at least one more,” he said, turning to look at her.

“Two what?” Raven said, tossing the shirt to the floor.

“The scent I smelled on you earlier today. The man who came into my office asking for you,” King Soi-Ji said, stepping out of the bathroom. “Commander Dhol seemed quite taken with you last night. And let’s not forget the prince of Nadia. He was insistent that you join him at the lake tomorrow.”

“I talk to a lot of people at the parties. I can’t remember everyone. But I did want to go to the lake. The prince was nice,” Raven said.

“Guess we’re sticking with lies. But don’t worry, I’ll figure it all out. You can go with the prince, but there’s a catch,” he announced, heading into the closet.

“And what’s that?” Raven questioned, her eyes rolling in exasperation.

“Join me for dinner tonight,” King Soi-Ji proposed.

“That’s all?”

“Should I be asking for more?” he queried, selecting a pair of relaxed pants from the closet.

“Well, no. It’s just that—usually people do,” Raven replied, scratching her head in confusion.

“So, what’s your answer?” he asked, approaching her.

His request was simple, and she had to get to that lake.

“Yes.”