“For being a predator, you sure aren’t smart about who to pick as prey.”
He leaned back on his pillow, his pose completely relaxed.
“I don’t know. You might be a honey-badger to other people, but you’re still a chipmunk for me.”
I wasn’t about to fall for his goading again.
“I’m not making any bets with you, Fenris. You get enough hugs from me the way it is.”
“Pfft. A wolf can never get too much affection, but I wasn’t going to ask for a hug.”
I studied him for a moment, knowing I shouldn’t ask, that it was all part of his trap. But he’d worn me down since we’d sequestered ourselves in the red room.
“Fine. What do you want?”
“You carry me through the halls, and I’ll wipe the debt cleanandpay you another $340.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you want to be carried, you weirdo?”
He leaned forward, getting serious.
“We’ve been sitting in here for hours, doing nothing. Aren’t you itching to stretch your legs? To do something? To run a little wild?”
“Uh…no.”
“Well, I am.”
“How is me, carrying you, going to stretch your legs?” I asked, giving him a droll look.
He grinned widely.
“Because you’ll be between them.”
After a morning of his teasing, I didn’t react with a black, hungry gaze as I normally would have. Instead, I only rolled my eyes at him.
“You want a piggyback ride?”
“Yep.”
“I’m still waiting for a believable reason why.”
“I want to know how strong you are. Everyone doubts you. They think you’re weak and underfed. You even admitted to me that you’re not eating enough. Don’t you want to know if it’s affecting you?”
I thought of the cooler I’d carried into the house almost two weeks ago. It had been heavy but nothing I couldn’t handle. But, I’d still been feeding from Mrs. Quill then. And, hadn’t I gotten winded several times when I’d tried to keep up with Jenna in the woods?
“I know you’re thinking about it,” he said, watching me. “Let’s see what you can do.”
He threw down his cards and got to his feet.
“Now?”
“Yep.”
Uncertainty filled me. First, I couldn’t believe he actually wanted me to carry him around the Academy halls where anyone could be a witness. Second, even if he didn’t find it embarrassing, I would.
