Page 41 of Forge the Blade

“You’re not afraid he’ll hurt himself?” Alexi asked.

Sevastyan braced himself internally. He’d just given Alexi a grave insult, being able to calm Alexi’s slave for him. If it were any other master, he wouldn’t have, but Alexi was more level-headed. Even so, the man’s pride had just taken a hit.

“He won’t kill himself with Rei in the suite,” Sevastyan said.

Alexi and Sevastyan moved away from the bathroom door. Alexi kept looking back at it. “Sedatives?”

“Only pills,” Sevastyan said. “I’m fortunate I have as much of my kit as I do, after the fiasco with Dirk’s men. You won’t need it.”

Alexi’s eyes tightened with irritation. “I let him run too long,” Alexi muttered. “I thought his training was strong enough.

Sevastyan held up his palms. “Let me guess? Jonathan was sent in to prepare Lisa for the day?”

Alexi nodded curtly.

“His training is fine.” Sevastyan said. “You trained him beautifully. He just killed three men, for us. For himself, and Rei.”

Alexi narrowed his eyes. “I haven’t had my morning coffee. Speak more plainly.”

“I’ll go do the coffee, sir,” Jonathan said softly.

Alexi nodded and waved his assistant off.

Sevastyan lowered his voice. “We haven’t had a problem since I bound his hands. It has been hard on him. He usually grits his teeth and closes his eyes, but he bears the handling. The last day or so he’s even been sweet. It was working.”

“He was soft to handling last night when we were getting ready to sleep,” Alexi agreed, hesitation lacing his cadence.

Sevastyan nodded. He had to give Alexi time to come to his own conclusion. It was right there.

Alexi let out a long breath. “But I was the one handling him. He doesn’t trust Jonathan.” He closed his eyes. “I didn’t realize the fight had changed him that much.”

“It started before the fight,” Sevastyan murmured.

Alexi looked at Sevastyan askance.

“Make him tell you about Morocco,” Sevastyan answered the unspoken question. “He’s trying. But he’s slipping back into survival. He’s closer to the Lisa you got from the kennels than the Lisa I last saw with you.”

Alexi sank down onto the end of the bed and covered his face with his hands. “I’ve never failed this spectacularly with a slave that’s shown such promise before.”

“You didn’t fail.” Sevastyan backed away and put his back to the dresser, crossing his arms. “He’s still in there doing what he was told. He was soft for you, last night.”

“Yes, but you just gave him what he wanted. After he spat at me.”

Sevastyan chuckled. “When has your wild fox ever stopped spitting? I thought that was one of the features you liked.”

Alexi laughed ruefully and wiped his hand over his cheek. He checked his palm, but there was nothing on it. Lisa had never actually gotten spit on him. “Sometimes I think I should just chuck him into a cage and break him. But every time I make up my mind to do it, something tells me that would be the end of everything I love about my wild fox. I can’t bring myself to destroy something so magnificent.”

Sevastyan smiled at Alexi. “You’re an artist.”

Alexi glared at him, but this time there was wry humor behind the fake outrage. “Mind the flattery, young one.”

Sevastyan laughed.

The sound of a toilet flushing and water falling came from behind the bathroom door.

A few moments later the door opened. Lisa stood in the doorway, head bowed, shoulders slumped. He’d dried himself, mostly. His hands were nervous, opening and closing at his side. He took a step forward and then went to his knees. He crawled into the bedroom and paused, equidistant between Sevastyan and Alexi.

“Come here,” Alexi said, taking control.