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“Is that right?” Flea said, sidling up close to me, taking my readings from the man with a little yank.
“Yeah, I was just trying to convince our girl here to keep on with Battle Techniques. I think she has some real potential.”
“That a fact. Tess, I need you to come home. Jez got hurt when she went into the servant’s sector today.”
“Shit! Is she ok?”
“Yeah, just a black eye, but she’s pretty shaken. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. We were expecting you at five and when you didn’t turn up, I, we, had no idea what had happened to you. Miazydar was no help.”
He was shouting something incomprehensible from the ground like a squeaking mouse. I think I should be congratulated for not swooping down and eating him.
Yeah, you’re all heart. You could’ve told me what was going on.
I honestly didn’t know. Those two blather on non-stop as it is. How am I to know which is their ‘danger is near’ squeak and which is their ‘I’m going on and on about banal things for an eternity’ one?
“You’re talking to him, aren’t you?” Flea said with a frown. “What’s his excuse?”
“He couldn’t hear you,” I said and he just snorted.
“If one of your porters has been assaulted, I’d be happy to take a look. I’m no medic, but I have a bit of field training. I could also bring this up with the VC,” Keel offered.
I felt Flea’s body go rigid beside mine. He didn’t say anything, didn’t change his expression, but I knew if I encouraged Keel to come with us, he would take it badly. I attempted the most subtle side-eye I could manage. Why did it matter what he thought? Whether he got hurt?
“It’s OK,” I said. “Thanks for helping me with the books and I’ll think about what you said.”
He nodded, his smile tight. “See you tomorrow, third lesson I believe.”
“Hey…” Jez said, smiling weakly, sitting on the couch, holding a wet tea towel to her face. She saw me peering and then peeled it slowly away. “You should see the other girl,” she said when I flinched at the sight of the swollen, red and black coloured eyelid and surrounds.
“Jez, what the hell happened?”
“Some mingy bitch didn’t like how I was talking to one of the fellas and figured she’d rearrange my face. She thought better of it when I shoved hers into a wall. She got one good hit in though.”
“Bloody hell.” I looked up at Flea who stood, arms crossed in the kitchen. “What are we going to do? You got smacked, I got pushed down the stairs, and this is just the first day.”
“You what?” Flea said, starting forward. Then we all heard a knock. “Who the fuck could that be?” he said, pulling a gun from his waistband and prowling towards the door.
“Jesus, Flea, put the bloody thing away!” He didn’t, holding it loosely behind his back.
“Oh!” A man stood in the doorway, eyes wide. He wasn’t bad looking, long dirty blonde hair scraped neatly back from his face, a light beard covering his chin. He held a large spray of wildflowers in his hand. “Sorry, maybe I’ve got the wrong place. There was this new girl earlier in the day. Long dark hair and wearing a pair of specs?”
“Come in,” I said, whacking Flea’s chest when he didn’t get out of the way. “She’s through here.”
“Who was…?” Jez looked up and a smile spread over her face. It just got wider when she saw the bunch of flowers. “Oh!” she said.
“Hi, um…we didn’t get to introduce ourselves beforehand, well, before Brigid had a crack at you. I’m Greig.”
“I just bet you are,” she said, getting to her feet in a fluid movement. She moved to the kitchen, picking up a half empty bottle of Shay, her eyes never straying from his. “Those flowers are gorgeous. Are they for me?”
“Ah, yes, I thought I better bring you a token, to convey how sorry I was for the incident. Brigid’s family and mine have known each other for years and she always likes to put on airs… Anyway, she never should’ve attacked you.”
“Mm hmm, let me put them in some water.” She had a cup filled and the flowers dumped inside so fast my eyes could barely track her movements. “Now tell me all about you,” she said, linking her arm in his and escorting him down the hall to her room.
If she mates with this one, I’m moving to another eyrie. I’ve heard whole flocks of dragons in season be quieter during congress, Miazydar said.
When have you heard her have sex?
She was pleasuring herself last night, more times than I could count. I shudder to imagine what introducing a partner to the mix will do.
