I cross my arms. “Are you saying I can’t keep up?”
Kael hesitates, which is the worst thing he could have done.
“Oh myGod.” My eyes widen in horror. “Youdothink I’m weak. You absolute—” I wave a hand at him. “—Glowranth bastard! I knew you were speciesist. Iknewit.”
“What? No?—”
“You’re saying I’m lame because I’m human, aren’t you?” I press, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Well, fuck that. I’ve spent my whole life dealing with bigots, and I amnotabout to take it from some oversized flying cat?—”
Kael’s eyes widen in genuine horror. “That isnotwhat I meant.”
“Well, it sounded like that.”
“I apologise,” he says quickly—almost too quickly. “That was not my intention.”
I narrow my eyes. He looks sincere. He sounds sincere—even went back to formal English. And somehow, I feel a bit mollified. But I’m still pissed.
And Varek? Varek, the traitorous shit,still isn’t saying anything.He’s just watching, arms crossed, expression unreadable. I know he’s enjoying this. He probably has as much of a hard-on for Kael as Kael does for him. Which, frankly, is annoying, because Kael clearly does not deserve my leader’s approval.
“I can keep up,” I declare, lying so hard, I almost believe it myself.
Kael’s lips press together, his eyes flicking over me like he’s running calculations. He doesn’t even have to say anything. The scepticism is palpable.
“We don’t have time for ego,” he finally says, voice low, steady. “Dawson had another seizure.”
My gut twists. Shit. I can be a stubborn bitch, but I can’t be a selfish one. I exhale sharply. “Fine. But I’m plotting my revenge.”
Varek finally moves, stepping forwards with a smirk. “Make it creative.”
“Oh, don’t you worry,” I assure him darkly. “I’m going to be so fucking creative.”
He chuckles. The bastard.
Meanwhile, Kael is already adjusting the harness, and I finally get a good look at it.
It’s a complex piece of gear, all sleek reinforced straps and custom padding, meant to hold a Glowranth securely against their carrier. No doubt useful in the heat of battle or the thick of rescue, but in this scenario? It’s mortifying.
I eye it suspiciously. “You sure this isn’t just some weird Glowranth soldier kink?”
Kael turns bright red.
Perfect.
I smirk, bolstered by his reaction. “Not into bondage, then?”
He makes a strangled noise. “Get in the harness, Sonny.”
Varek snorts but wisely stays out of it.
I grumble the whole time, muttering about “If you’re going to manhandle me, at least buy me dinner first…”and“I swear, if this gets weird, I’m biting you,” but eventually, I let Kael strap me in.
And I immediately regret it.
Because the second he lifts me, it’s alarmingly comfortable.
His body is warm, all solid muscle and infuriating ease, as though I weigh nothing to him. His weapons have been shifted to accommodate me, and I realise I’m carrying his supplies too.
Great. So not only am I strapped to him like some perverse backpack, but now I’m his personal fucking pack mule.
