Chapter 6

The smell of steak permeated my senses before I opened my eyes. I was human again, but couldn’t recall when I had phased. I missed the feeling of paper between my fingers and ached for the simplicity of folding a star, something that didn’t have to do with death, dying, or killing someone. I opened my eyes to the plate of steak, mashed potatoes, and broccoli along with the burn of metal manacles and chains that rattled when I pushed myself to a sitting position.

“Well done.”

I stiffened at the Woman’s voice and kicked myself mentally for being so off guard that I didn’t check to see if the room was empty before rising. I lifted my lips at her in a silent snarl.

She laughed. “Oh, you can be as angry as you want, but you have your steak and I have my money, thanks to you.” She regarded me thoughtfully for a moment. “Keep killing them like you do and we’ll be transferred to the Rumble. The fights’ll get harder there, but the rewards will be higher.” She pursed her lips. “Is there anything you would like, Jet? Anything that would make fighting harder more worth your while?”

I refused to look at her and pushed my silly longing for paper deep inside where she could never find it. She studied me silently for a few moments, then rose with a sigh and left the training room. I stared after her, wondering why she thought I would talk to her after how she had treated me, and after the way she bartered my life for money, showing me just how low in her regards I really stood.

My stomach growled and I picked up the steak with both hands. I relished tasting with my human mouth, chewing, swallowing, and savoring the delicate spices instead of devouring bloody meat with a mouth made for killing, not enjoying flavors and textures. I ate each tree of broccoli with a longing that it not be gone, and sighed when I had licked every last taste from the plate. I tried to force away the thoughts of Silver Mace and Shadow’s Curse, but it was like running through tar.

Shadow’s Curse’s voice echoed in my head from that first night. “There’s always a stronger wolf.” I wondered if he knew then that I would be his stronger wolf.

I sighed and lay down between the chains, willing my head to stop pounding along with the healing ache of my wounds.