Chapter 22 #4
“Well, Finn is quite lovely company, and I want to keep my future champion happy. Sit down, you two. All the fucking must have made you hungry.”
I keep my expression natural and sit at the table, where three plates and glasses of water are already set up. Caden sits in front of me, his shoulders tense.
“I’m making Caden’s favorite steak,” Hector says. “Got to keep him well fed with how much he’s been practicing.”
I stop myself from commenting that it seems more like torture than training.
“I tried a different sauce for the potatoes this time.” He comes over with red sauce on his finger, holding it in front of Caden’s mouth. “Taste.”
Caden hesitates before opening his mouth to suck on Hector’s finger. It pains me to see this submissiveness that is so unlike him.
“Well?” Hector asks.
“Missing salt.”
“I thought the same.” He returns to the kitchen and casually asks, “So, what did you two fuck about? I mean, talk about.”
I take a breath and say, “We did some catching up. I told him how I ended up in the arena.”
“Oh, that’s quite the story! Finn is brave to make it all this way to find you, isn’t he?”
“Yes.” He sounds like he’d rather use the word foolish instead of brave, but I don’t care.
Hector places the food on the table, which looks and smells wonderful. He gives the biggest steak to Caden, then sits at the head of the table. “People used to say grace back in the day. Do you still do that in your Hive?”
“No,” I say.
“Well, I’m sure you have your own little traditions. Dig in.”
This whole situation is unnerving. Despite waiting so long to see Caden, now I only wish for him to get away from this apartment, away from Hector.
“So, did Caden tell you about his training?” Hector asks between bites.
“A bit.”
“They’re working him hard over at House Powell. From dusk till dawn. I try to help as much as I can, but I’m limited at this distance. Maybe it’s making them go even harder on him.”
“It does,” Caden says in a tight voice. “You know it does.”
“At least you have the results to show for it.” He smiles. “Go on, don’t be shy now. Show us.”
“I’m eating.”
“Caden…”
My heart skips a beat at the way he says his name. He doesn’t get angry; he just punishes.
Caden pulls off his shirt and places it on the floor. I won’t ever get used to seeing him so bruised.
“Someone who works so hard shouldn’t be modest.” Hector squeezes Caden’s left pec. “It’s like iron. Did you see the crowd go crazy for him? There isn’t a single dry pussy left when he’s fighting.”
“Please stop.”
“Complimenting you?”
“That’s not what you’re doing.”
“Oh? Isn’t that what I’m doing, Finn?”
I take a sip of water to calm my nerves. I should treat this as any other diplomatic meeting, where it’s more important to be smart than right. “Yes.”
Hector winks at me. “He has a bit of a temper, but I’m working on it. How’s the food?”
“Delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Finny.”
I freeze. Did he hear everything? I shouldn’t be surprised, but I hoped we had more privacy. I pray he didn’t hear what we said in the shower, and I can’t help but wonder if he somehow listened to us through Caden. Based on Caden’s pale face, he must be wondering the same thing.
“How did you two meet?” Hector asks.
I’m not sure how to answer that, since we met when I betrayed my old gang and got them killed.
“It doesn’t matter,” Caden says.
“Oh? Should I not care about the history of my champion and his lover, who is currently living under my roof?”
“I’m not your champion, Hector. I can’t kill a New-Human. Even with your gift, he’ll crush me.”
“Didn’t David beat Goliath?”
“I don’t know these guys.”
“And I never said you have to kill him, just beat him.”
“I don’t think you have it in you to help me through such a fight.”
Why are you pushing him?
“Didn’t I help you today with that little demonstration to Isaac?”
“Yeah, and you almost passed out. Maybe—” He screams.
I jump to my feet, but Hector hisses, “Sit down.”
Caden pants, his face contorted as he grips the table with white knuckles.
“This is him without my gift,” Hector tells me. “This is him as a mere human. Every bruise and every cut. Every cracked rib. And still, he disrespects me after all that I do for him.”
“He didn’t mean to disrespect you. He wants to beat the New-Human, but he needs to know that you can pull through. He has the right to have doubts with his life on the line.”
Hector watches me closely, a small smile at the corner of his lips. “Is that so?”
With his eyes shut tight, Caden hisses, “Yes.”
“Well, then.”
Caden takes a deep breath. He’s pale and shaken, but he doesn’t seem in pain anymore. I’m stunned by how easily Hector can affect him, like the flip of a switch.
Did he push Hector so I could have a better grasp of who we’re dealing with?
“Choose a bruise,” Hector tells me.
“What?”
“Choose a bruise for me to heal.”
I don’t know what is happening, but I hesitantly point to one of the nastiest bruises on Caden’s ribs.
Hector stands up and moves behind Caden, placing his hands on his shoulders. I gasp as a dark, pointy tail appears, swaying like a snake in front of Caden’s face.
“Show Finn,” Hector says. “Show him how you and I do things.”
Caden holds Hector’s tail and brings it to his chest. The shame in his eyes is painful to watch, but he has no reason to feel ashamed, and I vow to make Hector pay for this.
Caden cuts himself across his chest. Blood runs down his torso. I stare in shock as the bruise I chose begins to fade, then disappears as if it never existed. How many times has this happened? How much did he bleed in this apartment?
“Can you heal his other bruises?” I ask, my mouth dry.
“I can, but why should I? They fit him so well.”
At least the fresh cut also heals, but the blood remains on Caden’s skin.
“I would have offered you my gift as well, Finn, but Caden is right to be concerned—we have a battle to win, and we’re not quite ready yet.
” He lowers his face to Caden’s ear. “And if we want to keep the lovely Finn in one piece, you will train even harder and do whatever I tell you to. Do we understand each other?”
Caden doesn’t meet my eyes, maybe because he doesn’t want to show me the accusation in them. “We understand each other.”