Page 58 of Forge the Blade

Sevastyan snorted. “One would think I would have enjoyed it. But now, in the afterwards . . .” He paused and shrugged, not meeting Alexi’s eyes but staring at his coffee, the eddies in the surface of the dark liquid creating patterns in the foam. “Once you’re there, they don’t matter. Not their applause, not their scorn.”

Alexi let out a long, slow sigh. “Sevastyan. My young friend.” His tone was immensely sad and also heavy with certainty. “I would welcome you to loneliness, but you already know that woman well.”

“You’ve known her longer than me,” Sevastyan countered.

“Why do you think I remind you that you could have more than one slave?”

“Slaves aren’t companions or friends.” Sevastyan’s eyes flashed towards Alexi but didn’t linger on the older man’s face.

Alexi looked both amused and thoughtful. “No, they are not. But they do keep a man’s lap warm and his bed full.”

Sevastyan allowed himself to smile. “Don’t tell me you’re giving me Lisa out of pity.”

Alexi laughed. “And if I did?”

“I’d still want him for the party next month. And I’d be vexed about it.”

Alexi chuckled, his tone softer. “It’s not pity. You have a way with him. You see something in him. Perhaps it’s your Rei that brings it to light. I’m like a gemstone cutter. You know me, Sevastyan. I want to see what a slave can become.”

“Yes.” Sevastyan picked up the fork and took a bite of the Bienenstich. The side of the metal utensil slid through the sponge and custard as easily as if he were dragging it through melted butter. “You’re an artist. I didn’t understand that the first time we met. But I came to, soon thereafter.”

Alexi and Sevastyan finished their Bienenstich and coffee. Alexi pushed back from the table first. “Well, the plane will not catch itself.”

Sevastyan stood with Alexi. “Minus the circumstances, this has been a pleasure.”

“Mutually.” Alexi shook Sevastyan’s hand. “Jonathan is waiting for me downstairs with the luggage. Give me a moment with my wild fox.”

Sevastyan nodded and stepped away, clearing the dishes from the table. Behind him Alexi crossed the room to where their two slaves were resting. Sevastyan turned around and watched. Lisa knelt up as Alexi approached. He held himself taut, barely breathing. Alexi cupped Lisa’s chin and spoke quietly. Lisa blinked fast as if he heard but didn’t understand. Alexi kissed Lisa’s forehead and stroked his cheek once.

Sevastyan

It was a relief to return Rei and Lisa to the Bolthole. Between the hotel and Ellisandre’s apartment, he thoroughly contained or checked all their items for surveillance devices, using the back of a rented van in a parking garage. There was nothing on either slave, nor in the luggage. Sevastyan had not expected any tampering from Alexi, but Jonathan was a wild card. Even so, Sevastyan kept himself from exhibiting anything softer than a touch on Rei’s head until they were in the Bolthole. Once inside, with the door shut, Sevastyan murmured, “At ease.”

Rei started to kneel to help Sevastyan with his shoes.

“Not now, my precious,” Sevastyan murmured. “Don’t put weight on that foot.” He helped both Rei and Lisa remove their winter wear, Rei first. When Rei was free of his coats and boots, he crawled to the couch where Sevastyan directed him and waited while Sevastyan helped Lisa.

There were things that had to be said to Lisa. Sevastyan dithered in his head between bringing Rei also, but in the end, he gestured to the laptop he usually let Rei use. “Are you able to work?”

“Yes, master.” Rei sat up straighter, his eyes sharpening. He looked eager.

Sevastyan smiled. “I’m sure we’re both behind. See what you can do to catch us up.”

Rei’s lips moved towards a grin and he nodded firmly. “Yes, master.” Knowing him, he had been anxious without mental stimulation.

Sevastyan gave a nod in return and got a firmer grip around Lisa’s waist. “We’ll be in the bedroom for a bit.” He helped Lisa limp through the flat into the bedroom and eased him down on the mattress. Lisa looked shattered. If anything, he looked worse than when Sevastyan had first seen him that morning.

Sevastyan knelt down beside the bed, getting closer to eye level with the other man.

Lisa’s eyes sharpened. He raised his hand, still wrapped in bandages. “Stop. Whatever you’re going to say, don’t. I can’t take the back and forth. Either you’re my fucking master or you’re not. And . . .” Lisa’s voice quavered. “I can’t fucking do what you’re going to ask me to do if you’re not. So choose.”

There was so much damnable strength in Lisa. Sevastyan stared at it and at the man. Then he took one of Lisa’s hands in his. Such honesty had to be answered with respect. Even if respect in this instance looked nothing like what another might recognize.

“Your hands have been wrapped long enough. I’m concerned they will weaken if you go any longer without using them. And we have training to start.”

He took his time undoing first one and then the other set of bandages, straightening Lisa’s fingers out one by one and checking the bruises and lacerations. He had healed significantly, but it was high time that the skin had continuous air.

“I would collar you, but Alexi noted in your file that you respond badly to anything tied around your neck, which is reasonable, considering. So I found something else.” He stood and went to the armoire and came back with a dark paperboard box in his hands. It smelled faintly of oil and cedar from where it had been stored. He set it on the bed. “Open it.”