He could tell that those words were suspicious to Mara, when she stiffened. But he encouraged her.
“I’ll set up the tent. You go by the fire.”
He watched with a frown as Blaine put an arm over her shoulders and towed her to the fire. He chattered away the whole time. The male was going to lose a hand if he kept touching his mate.
“You must be starving,” Blaine commented, clueless to how his life was in peril.
“I’m good. Vaelor fixed me a soup that was really filling.”
“That’s… nice of him.”
“Yes it was,” she agreed.
Vaelor listened for a few minutes to the conversation. No one else greeted them. But they did seem to look at him and Mara quite a bit. The only one that didn’t seem to be bothered by their appearance was the Cyborg.
He sat in front of the fire, eyes staring blankly out. That one didn’t seem to have a desire to attack them, he didn’t seem to desire anything. But he may have seen something. He would have to find a moment to question the male.
Vaelor took little time in setting up the tent with the bedding. It still smelled of their lovemaking. He resented the fact that they won’t be able to have any real privacy with theothers around. But there was safety in numbers. Whoever was sabotaging them would not be able to act out publicly.
All that mattered to him now was keeping Mara safe. She was determined to finish the games, so he would do everything in his power to make that happen. But he would not let anything else happen to her.
He felt a tightness in his chest at the thought that he could have lost her to food toxins. Whoever was responsible for that, would pay.
Pulling something out of his pack, he took it to the fire. Putting the contents in a cup, he watered water and then handed the entire cup to Mara.
She looked up in surprise. “What’s this?”
“Tea,” he said simply
They shared a look then both laughed.
Blaine looked at the two of them confused. “I don’t get it.”
Mara took the cup from Vaelor and sipped the contents. “It’s an inside joke.”
Vaelor winked at her then went to sit beside the Cyborg. He had to wait a bit until the Cyborg was done recharging.
Vaelor was patient. Luckily, it didn’t take long.
The Cyborg didn’t look at him.
“Crytharian. You made it.”
“Both Mara and I did.”
“You have also mated it seems.”
“How do you know that?”
“I may be part machine, but I still have enhanced senses. All the species here do except for the humans. So, they will know that you have claimed her as well.”
“You are part machine. Does that mean that you are free from letting your emotions rule your actions?”
“That is true of most of my kind. Why do you ask?”
“Have you noticed any of the players who do not act honorably?”
“You seek information about the other players. How would this assist me in my goal to win the games?”
