“Well, aren’t you feisty this morning,” Rand said, that familiar wicked smile spread across his face.
“I want a rematch,” Treycore said. “Me and this fucker.” As he spoke, he nodded toward Aerysn, who clenched his jaw.
“You don’t think I can beat you again?” Aerysn asked.
“You don’t have to beat him again,” Rand said. “You won fair and square. There are no rematches, Treycore. You lost, and Aerysn has his prize.”
“I demand a rematch,” Treycore said.
Rand laughed. “Did you hear that, everyone? Treycore demands a rematch. Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard?”
The immortals in the auditorium laughed together at his expense.
Rand shook his head before turning back to Treycore. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Must be such an interesting life to have gone from such privilege to be able to request anything you want to being here where our laws are so different, where you can’t have your way whenever you like it.”
“If you won’t allow a rematch, then how about a trade? I’m the one you have a problem with, so take me, not this mortal. He shouldn’t even be here.”
“Oh, a trade?” Rand asked. “The great Treycore wants to trade his own life for another? And a mortal, even. It would be admirable if it wasn’t so embarrassing. Oh no, Trey. That isn’t how this works. Aerysn won Kid, and it is Kid he will have.”
“Treycore, don’t fight them,” Kid pleaded.
“Stay out of this,” Treycore snapped.
“Don’t tell me what to stay out of! This is my life.” His words were so severe, so strong for someone who had been violently assaulted by some asshole higherling. It was one of the things Treycore admired about Kid. One of the reasons why it was his duty to protect him. “Let it go. Please.”
As Treycore looked to Kid, he could see his hurt, his pain, his worry about his furious higherling boyfriend. Of course he didn’t want Treycore putting himself in harm’s way, but that wasn’t his decision to make.
“Listen to your mortal,” Rand said. “It’s wiser than pissing off everyone in the Nest, most of whom have it out for you as it is.”
“I’m not scared of you,” Treycore said.
“It’s not me you should be scared of. It’s all of us.”
They moved in toward Treycore collectively, and he could tell what this was about.
“Oh, I think we’ve had enough patience with you. You need to be put in your place.”
“Stop!” Kid shouted to Rand.
“Aerysn, keep your bitch quiet so he doesn’t find himself in the same position as Treycore.”
Aerysn seized Kid and wrapped his arm around him, covering Kid’s mouth with his hand.
Treycore wanted to go for him, but in that moment, he could feel the energy of the room and how it turned hard on him as the other prisoners moved in around him.
Rand stepped up to him. “Oh, pretty, pretty Trey.” He rested his hand on his face and ran his thumb across his cheek, and Treycore pulled away. Rand grabbed him by his throat and pulled him close, forcing a kiss.
Treycore took a bite, and—
“Fuck!” Rand cried out before snapping back, a chunk of his lip missing. But even with his injury, he smiled. “Oh, how long I’ve wanted to enjoy those lips.” He turned to the others. “Haven’t you all wanted a taste?”
Kid struggled with Aerysn in vain.
Rand chuckled and looked to one of the Goliaths Treycore had taken out with Aerysn during their match.
“You want to give me a hand?” Rand asked.
The Goliath approached Treycore and grabbed him by the back of his neck before shoving him up against the wall.
