Alex

ALEX

I don't know what Ixor is planning, but he's locked himself into a bedroom, and I can hear him talking non-stop.

Of course, he doesn't tell me anything about who employs him, or his marks, until it's strictly necessary. But I pick up things, piece them together. It's the only way I'm going to stay alive when his reckoning finally comes.

I hope.

Ixor thinks he's been sneaky about this particular mark, but I've heard enough. It's a politician based on Trefa who is very well-guarded, hence the reason Ixor has been brought in. He's spending time integrating into Tatatunga (visiting pleasure houses) in order not to arouse suspicion, which is the reason we've been here so bloody long.

The robot cleaner buzzes out from its little hidey hole.

"What's going on?" it chirps.

I really should not have messed with its programming.

"Ixor's planning something, but I can't hear," I grumble, going into the food prep area and poking around to see if there's anything I can eat which Ixor won't notice.

"I can hear," the cleaner says.

"Good for you." I sigh.

There's a crackle and Ixor's voice comes out of the flipping vacuum…

"So, if I send her back to the dome, what then?" he asks.

"If she can assist in you gaining entry, with a gladiator as back up, you should be able to reach the gantry levels. I can arrange for him to be at the games," the unknown voice, whiny and metallic, says.

There's a rasping sound, which is probably Ixor scratching his behind, and I grimace.

" The gladiators are guarded. How can I be sure she'll be able to get his attention? ' Ixor says.

My guts spin as if the world is tipping on its axis.

" Have you ever seen a Gryn with a mate? Because I have. He'll do anything for her, guards or no guards. You've struck lucky, Ixor, if you believe she is his mate. "

" Did you see the odds on Sylas?" Ixor laughs harshly. "Something had an effect on him and it wasn't a chemical."

He's going to use me, use Sylas, for his deadly profession. I look around wildly for a weapon, for anything I could use.

"Turn it off, I've heard enough," I hiss at the cleaner.

If a robot could shrug, I think this one would have. "Okay," it trills. "No more Ixor."

"If only," I growl under my breath.

It may be deliberate, but there are no sharp objects I can access. It seems unlikely Ixor sees me as a threat. He's probably more concerned at being discovered and any accessible weapon being used against him.

"Human!" Ixor roars from the other room. "Get in here!"

I slope into his presence. I have no reason to be nice to him, other than to gain a scrap of food or avoid his fists. My side still aches from earlier.

"What?"

He looks me up and down. "Put something else on, something nice. I have another task for you."

"I don't have anything else to wear," I reply, staring at the floor.

He grunts. "Well, he didn't dislike you in that outfit, so it'll have to do. I don't have the credits to clothe a slave."

Such a lie. Ixor has plenty of credits, he's just cheap.

"Do what?" I ask, still looking at the floor because if I look at him, I will say something I regret.

"You're going back to the dome, to see the gladiator again."

I do look up at him. "Why?"

"Because you're going to persuade him to act as our personal guide in the dome so I can get where I need to be."

"I met him for all of about twenty seconds," I spit out, fists balling up. "What makes you think he'll help me or you?"

"Gryn are simple creatures." Ixor leans back on the bed, scratching his belly. "They fight, they mate. And when they choose a mate, she stays chosen."

Logic seems to be slipping away from me. None of this makes any sense.

"He thinks I'm his…mate?"

"If his vitals are anything to go by, yes. Unless there are more females in the dome we don't know about," Ixor says darkly. "I've confirmed there are not. Any such activities for the gladiators take place at a specially constructed pleasure house."

My head spins. "Activities?"

Ixor leers. "I'm sure he won't expect such things from you…immediately."

Ixor thinks Sylas believes I'm his mate. I've heard about mates from Ginka. She says she had one, but he was killed when her planet was stolen by another species. The concept of the mate was alien to me as a human, but Ginka explained it is common among many species. A cross between marriage and finding "the one," it seems like a strange way of getting together. But at the same time, kind of romantic, until now.

Until I'm faced with a seven foot plus behemoth of violence and feather who'd surely eat me as soon as look at me? Not so romantic, and not something I want, at all.

"What…" My breath hitches. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to do exactly what you did last time." Ixor smiles, showing his yellow teeth. "And I want you to get him to trust you. Then bring him to me."