Page 42 of Forge the Blade

Lisa went to Alexi’s feet and stayed there, his rear resting on his upturned heels, knees tucked under him, hands on the floor, head hanging. The wound in his thigh was still seeping blood.

“Why did you fight Jonathan, slave?” Alexi said to Lisa.

Lisa’s fingers flexed in the shag of the carpet. “He touched me, Master.”

“I told him to touch you.”

Lisa tucked his head lower, his body getting smaller against the floor.

“You’ve been an excellent slave for years now,” Alexi said softly. “This is what I would expect out of someone with no training.”

Lisa trembled but said nothing.

Alexi reached down and lifted Lisa’s chin, holding his slave’s jaw in his hand.

“What changed?”

Lisa swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving up and down. He blinked away crystalline confessions gathering on his lashes. “You promised,” he whispered.

“Did I break my promise?” Alexi murmured.

Lisa’s eyes hardened. “Yes.” He tore his face out of Alexi’s hand.

Alexi let him go but Lisa went nowhere, staying where he was, face averted, shoulders hunched.

“Tell me what happened in Morocco,” Alexi ordered, voice almost gentle.

Lisa’s whole body tightened, which would have appeared impossible, but happened nonetheless.

“Nothing. Served some food. Walked around, poured wine, just like you said.” Lisa’s voice dripped with loathing.

Alexi waited.

Lisa pulled away, scooting backwards.

Alexi’s hand shot out, catching Lisa by his multicolored locks. “Little fox,” he murmured.

Lisa panted. He pulled, at first, then relented, staying where Alexi’s grip kept him. From Sevastyan’s angle, he could see the side of Lisa’s face. Tears dripped down to the carpet.

“There’s nothing to say. Nothing happened,” Lisa said.

“You went roaming. Your training is cracking,” Alexi snapped back.

“You weren’t there!” Lisa screamed.

He reared up, still on his knees, eyes red, face wet. He moved so fast Alexi almost let him, but instead, Lisa’s head was pulled to the side by the grip Alexi kept in his hair. They were almost face to face, the two of them, Alexi sitting on the end of the bed and Lisa kneeling up in front of him. For a beat there was nothing, just the two of them staring into each other’s eyes.

“You weren’t there,” Lisa repeated, voice softening into something small and lost. “I was nothing. And you . . . you weren’t there.” His eyes dropped.

“You were safe,” Alexi said.

Lisa raised his head, eyes flaring. “Safe?”

“No one was to touch you. Or use you.”

“They don’t have to touch you to use you,” Lisa snarled. “Boy, pick this up. Boy, I dropped my spoon under the table. Boy, you messed up my order, the order I never even placed. Boy, you’re so pretty. Boy, smile. Always more. More. More. More.” Lisa gulped air. “You. Weren’t. There. They dropped blood into the water. To see the sharks. And you. Weren’t. There. Maybe they didn’t touch me. They just touched everyone else.”

Lisa closed his eyes, tears falling down his face onto his chest. “I might be your fox, master. But in Morocco, I was nothing. Worse than nothing. I would have rather been a dog. At least they’re afraid of a dog.”