I try to ease Rosie out of her shell. An imp will never win in a battle with an orc, so the fact two of them thought they had a fighting chance only highlights the desperation of the impish.
“What happened to Bellator? He fell, I— I didn’t catch him in time,” She murmurs, wide-eyed and dazed. I think I’d be more worried if she weren’t affected somehow. “That guard… he said some?—”
“I would never let anyone hurt you, you know that, Rosie?”
Pushing open a side door, stale air wafts past us, finding its escape. A warning I should heed as we enter the belly of the colosseum. Descending the stairs, Rosie digs her nails into my arm, chewing on her bottom lip, darting her head at every sound. Passing a small alcove, three guards stand there, shocked as I continue down the next stairwell.
“Bring the keys for my brother, or I'll tear your prison apart.”
I don’t yell or scream, bang my fists or stomp my feet. Bellator is known for his showmanship in the ring, whereas I was never drawn to the theatrics. I will do what I have to do to get the job done, but I don’t need to yell, and I don’t need you to praise me for it. Their feet scramble behind us, a string of curse words trailing behind them.
“You can’t just go down there!” One of them calls out, but I do not stop until I come to a series of cells, lit only by a single flame. I shield Rosie, encouraging her to nuzzle into me further as we navigate who is locked up where.
“Bellator?” I say loudly, walking toward the movement in the far corner.
“He is here, but he is asleep. Passed out from whatever this collar does to him.” An orc steps forward, someone I am not familiar with, and I tilt my head at him, sizing up if he is a friend or foe.
“Open the door,” I say to the guards, now huddled by the stairwell.
“You can’t… we can’t just open it.” The strained voice says, and I close my eyes, briefly contemplating what consequences they could face by opening it. I do not want any harm to come to them by doing my bidding.
“If I may,” the orc says. “I am Airmatus. The Commander here treated me fairly when I… 'tis the least I can do.” He steps to the cell door, easily popping the pins on the three hinges, opening the door from the inside. Nodding my head in thanks, I step into the cell.
“Put me down, now!” Rosie fumes.
“I will not.”
“Now, Steve. I’m not playing. Put. Me. Down.”
“I will guard the human, too,” Airmatus says, puffing his chest.
“Now,” Rosie snaps.
I growl the entire time it takes to lower her, continuing when she scrambles from my arms and rushes to Bellator’s side. Tenderly, stroking his cheek, a gesture so intimate if it were any other, I would look away, but not this. Watching her, seeing how gentle she is with him. It iseverything.
“What happened to him?” she whispers, moving her hand to his chest to feel him breathe.
“We are not sure, Mistress,” Airmatus says. “He returned yesterday with the collar, and it does something to him. Shocks him into sleep.”
“A shock collar? They put a shock collar on him,” she gasps, unshed water welling in her eyes. “We have to take it off.”
Reaching, she almost touches the metal collar when Airmatus snaps his arm out, holding her wrist before she can touch it. “Sorry, Mistress, we don’t know what harm it will bring you or him.”
“I respect the help you show my brother, but if you do not take your hand off my fated mate, I will rip your arm from your body.”
“My apologies,” he gulps, snatching his hand back. Mouthingapologiesto Rosie as she looks at him in thanks. I do not like it. Heat grows in my chest, my fists clenching from how he looks at her. Her eye balls are for looking at me, and me only. Okay, for meandBellator, but I don’t want her wasting her balls on someone else.
“How long is he going to be like this?” she murmurs.
“Last time it was several hours. I do not advise you to stay here while you wait.”
“Airmatus is right. I will take my brother,” I say to the guards. “Inter-Realm ruling states you can not separate bonded from each other.”
“Wait, you can't do that. The Emperor won't?—”
“Should we summon the Devil? Do you wish to challenge her rules?” I sneer. It is a threat, and they should heed my warning with it. No one would voluntarily call for the Devil, especially one who seeks to challenge her rules.
“No, I would never,” the guard wheezes.
