Me: Actually, I think I might leave him on here. Make sure you catch him on the return trip.
Imani: Are you terrorizing the man? He’s a literal god and you’re… what the hell are you doing, Riley?
Me: I laughed in his face when he fell.
I look up at Torin. “We’re getting off at the next stop. Think you can do it?”
“We are taking horses from now on. Fuck this shit.The mounts in this realm are less than desirable. So is the hospitality.”
“Understandable,” I say as the doors open up and I grab his hand, helping him through them where he spins around and kicks the side of the subway a second before it takes off again.
He seems gratified. “Did you see it run in fear?”
“Ah, yes, sure did. It cowered under the feel of your boot.”
Torin perks up a bit at that, pleased to have thoroughly disciplined the subway, as I lead him up the stairs and out into the street.
His head is on a swivel the entire way while he takes in all of the people, the noise, and the chaos. I have to assume by this point that wherever this man came from, technology doesn’t exist like it does here.
We weave our way through the alleys toward a back road that is much quieter, finally walking up to an apartment building.
“This is your home?”
“Yes… well, an apartment inside the building.”
He follows me up the stairs to the third floor and over to my door which I open before waving him inside. He glances around and nods. “Your foyer is nice and open.”
“Uh… no… this is my home.Kitchen, living room, and bedroom all in one room. Cozy, right?At least the toilet is behind a door.”
Torin is quiet for a moment before going, “This disgusts me.”
“Good.”
The “god” looks around the room and immediately declares the space inhospitable for him.
“This is where you chose to keep me? Is this a joke? Do I need to reiterate the whole?—”
Cutting him off, I say, “I’m just a lowly peasant who welcomed you into my humble home. Please, take pity on me and blame those who placed you in my care. What you should do is climb back inside the subway beast and ride it back to that place we were just at and demand justice from them. Someone of your high caliber should never be left to suffer as you have.”
He nods. “You are right. You are merely a peasant, and you’ve extended what little you have toward me. I am grateful to you for sharing what you have.”
I scowl at the man and question who decided my fate on this boring Friday.
Chapter Three
Riley
“I’m going to take a shower. You’re going to sit right there and look pretty. And when I’m done taking my shower, we will eat.”
Torin arches a brow. “I find the way you command me to do things oddly appealing. No one has ever told me what to do. All humans I’ve come in contact with have worshiped me. But you… you are brave… or foolish. I’m not sure yet.”
“I just… really don’t happen to care,” I say before heading into the only separate room in the apartment. It’s a small bathroom with just enough space for a sink, a toilet, and a standing shower. I shut and lock the door, feeling like Torin probably gives no shits about privacy. Pulling my gloves off, I look at the tips of my fingers coated in black. It’s almost like I’ve dipped them in black ink. I flex them before lowering them in irritation.
“You can go play,” I inform Kit. “Just… stay in here with me. I don’t trust that man.”
She leaps onto the bathroom counter where she proceeds to smack my deodorant off with such force it ricochets off the wall.
I’m left watching her fixation on the deodorant as she bats it under the counter where I’ll have to get a hanger to drag it back out.
