Page 17 of Taking Jenny (Planet Orhon #4)

Mal

I t had been two days since our confusing altercation in the hall by his room, yet Tiger still would not look me in the eye.

Somehow, he knew I was holding something back from him.

He might not have battle skills, but he was intuitive and had other areas of expertise.

One of which was making me feel…guilt? No, that wasn’t it. But something. Something I didn’t like.

“What else is it, Mal? What aren’t you telling us?”

I heard his words in my head, day and night.

But I could never let anyone hear the answer.

How could I tell him that part of the reason I had disobeyed a direct order from Justice was because I found him and Jenny so attractive and alluring?

How could I say that to him, when he so clearly loathed me?

For two days, I had burned in the fires of my humiliation and desire.

Jenny did not seem to share Tiger’s opinion of me.

In fact, when she wasn’t exhausted from training, she appeared to enjoy flirting with me, even if in a limited fashion when Tiger was present.

It was something of a game between us, and I wasn’t sure who would win, marking the first time in my life when I wasn’t willing to cheat to get what I wanted, which was… both of them.

When Jenny’s companion did not join the rest of us for breakfast on the third day, I asked casually, “No Tiger today?”

“He’s sleeping in.”

“Wear him out, did you?”

Jenny’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she took a drink of her coffee. “Maybe.”

Discord glanced at her, brow raised. “I’m surprised you found the energy to fuck after our sparring session yesterday. I’ll have to redouble my efforts today.”

Jenny giggled adorably, despite how dire her situation was and it was nice to enjoy a bit of levity. “I don’t think that’s going to stop me.”

“Oh?” Discord challenged. “You’re that determined to drain the poor boy?”

She shrugged. “Longshot is an expert at building physical strength, you’re a master with your weapons and fighting, and Surge has his mental strategies. I have my own…talents to increase my stamina.” A sly smile curved her lips.

Her claim intrigued me. “Are you really that good?”

“I once stopped a man from jumping to his death off the Ravenel Bridge by having sex with him.” She sipped her coffee again. “I still get Christmas cards from him every year.”

“You’re so good, you stopped a man from killing himself?” Discord gaped at her.

Jenny merely smiled and nodded, before she nibbled her rannat-topped bread.

I tried to prevent my mind from running wild with that colorful bit of information, but alas, my imagination had always been stronger than my will.

I cleared my throat, adjusted myself as subtly as I could manage since my trousers had begun to strain, then said, “Well, then I doubt we’ll be seeing Tiger anytime soon.

Surge, how are we coming with strategies for the trial and your other talents? ”

My diminutive friend said, “Jenny and I have only worked on strategies for the past two days. Do you believe my other talents could come into play for her? I didn’t want to overwhelm her with too much information.”

“What other talents?” Jenny asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

I ignored her question for now and explained to Surge, “The mountainside of the trial has all sorts of plants and mineral resources, as well as a cold water stream. Plenty of tools for someone with the right knowledge, wouldn’t you say?”

He nodded. “We’ll cover a few things today, then.”

My gauntlet driver chirped and I scanned the message, then growled under my breath.

Longshot gave me a knowing look. “Only Justice gets that kind reaction out of you.”

I tipped my head back in anger, not wanting to see their faces when I told them what I’d just read.

“It would seem our illustrious ruler wants Jenny current on all the latest dance steps, so that when she attends the ball the night before the trial, she can charm the crowd into betting more money in the Illiapol pool.”

“Moons above,” Discord cursed, rolling her eyes. “Why?”

“He does not believe anyone takes her seriously as the avatar since she’s human.

The only way to garner the gamblers’ attention is to make her dally with them on the dance floor, as a means to introduce her to them.

” When I met their eyes, my three friends looked disgusted and Jenny seemed confused.

“Wait,” she said, piecing together what I’d just said. “So what you’re saying is that Justice wants me to dance and flirt with the people who will gamble on my life, because they don’t think a human can win Illiapol?”

I nodded. “The bets are at an all-time low, since they discovered you are running the trial. The state makes quite a bit of money from all the gambling, based on who has been selected as the avatar.”

A fire torched behind her eyes as she tossed the last bit of her bread onto her plate. “He wants me to debase myself, in order for him to make more money?” she snapped.

To my ever growing fascination, she was even more attractive when angry and my blood thrummed in response. “Essentially, yes.”

“Oh, fuck that guy,” she said furiously. “Which one of you is the best dancer in this group?”

“That would be me and Discord,” I said.

“Fine. After my workout with Longshot and whatever the mystery thing is with Surge, I want those dance lessons,” she insisted, jutting her chin out stubbornly. “Will you give me a small advance on my winnings? I want to place a bet.”

I smothered a grin, because it was the first time I had heard her so confident about winning Illiapol and that was exactly the spark she needed. “Yes.”

“Good.” She drank the rest of her coffee then clanked her cup back onto the table. “Oh, and can you place the bet for me, too? I don’t know how.”

“Consider it done, Jenny,” I said, happy and delighted to do that favor for her.

“Thank you.” She stood up and glanced to her left. “Longshot, you ready to get started?”

He gave a small smile as he pushed to his feet, as well. “At your service.”

“Then let’s go.”

She marched off to run the paths in the woods behind my house.

“Is any of that true, Mal?” Surge asked, once they were gone.

“What do you mean?”

“That Justice wants her to learn the dances to drum up attention for this year’s festivities.”

“Why would I lie about such a thing?”

A devilish smile tugged at the corner of the other man’s mouth. “To get her to work harder with us, so she’s so tired that she can’t fuck Tiger at night.”

I wasn’t about to admit his idea had merit. “Do you think I could possibly convince Justice to scheme on my behalf?”

Discord chimed in. “While I doubt he cares about you getting laid, there isn’t much you wouldn’t do in service to your cock, Mal.”

“You’re not wrong about that, however,” I forwarded the message to their drivers, “as you can see, this came from him and as you know, I have not been at the palace in the last day, so no. He wants her to prance like a show dreck so people will spend more money.” Bile rose in the back of my throat.

“It’s horrid, in my opinion. But if she wants to make him regret it, then we will help her achieve that goal.

Discord, are you up for dance instruction? ”

“Of course.” She sipped her tea, then stared at the nearby flowers, something she normally took no personal interest in.

“Are you alright?” I asked her.

“Hmm?”

“What I mean is, why are you staring at my flowers?”

She sighed and glanced back at me, her expression oddly troubled. “Lady Bateen’s health is distracting me, I suppose.”

“Have you been by to see her?”

She gave me a sad smile. “It is exactly like Justice’s father’s illness. Her memory has faded. Even when she could speak, it was as though she did not recognize me. I fear she will end up like Credo Bateen. A living ghost.”

No one liked to speak of Credo Bateen, who was Justice’s father. It felt like egging Torment itself.

Surge quietly asked, “Has anyone seen Credo lately?”

“Last I heard, he exists on an island in the Emerald Sea, attended to by a small staff,” I said, telling him what I knew.

“There isn’t much for them to do, other than to keep his body clean and make sure he has sustenance.

He doesn’t speak. He lays on a bed, staring out the window, because that’s where they put him.

Justice says he always loved the water…” I shrugged.

“I had never met Credo before the illness took him, so I don’t know much about who he had been.

But Longshot says he was a great man. A kind ruler.

What happened to Justice, his own son, to make him the way he is… I guess no one knows.”

Discord quietly asked, “Do you think Justice has an island home picked out for Aphonic?” he asked of our ruler’s consort.

“Knowing Justice, yes,” I said, toying with my fork. “He actually showed a glimmer of emotion when he spoke of her at the last council meeting. It was strange to see. I would be surprised if he doesn’t have something already prepared for her future.”

She nodded but said nothing more on the matter, and I was reminded of the quiet, determined girl I had first met after I was taken to the royal palace.

The daughter of Penalty Scrylock, Discord had been quite young when the war had begun.

Since her father was fighting in the army and his consort had died the year before, Discord had come to the palace to be raised.

Having been trained by her father’s assassins since she was old enough to hold a dagger, Discord was hoping to continue her education in that regard.

So, when she learned her education would take a sharp turn, she hated it there, until I met her.

And then, she hated me, too.

I was encouraged to train in combat. She was forced to learn embroidery.