Page 24 of Taking Jenny (Planet Orhon #4)

Jenny

A s the morning light poured into my bedroom, I stretched out on the bed. Why do I have so much room? My hand flapped against Tiger’s usual side, but no one was there. Strange .

He wasn’t in the bathroom, either, so I pulled on my workout clothes for training with Longshot, convinced Tiger had snuck out early for food.

I put my hair into a ponytail before leaving my room, and on the off chance he wasn’t feeling well and had slept in, I cracked his door open to check on him.

There were too many limbs sticking out from beneath the blanket. I frowned, then realized some of them were the wrong color to be Tiger’s. They were oil black with a blue tinge.

Shock rippled through me as realization hit. Mal . It was Mal beneath the blanket with Tiger.

I gasped, and Tiger mumbled something in his sleep and shifted, the blanket slipping to reveal naked skin. I shut the door as quietly as I could while I shook in anger.

How dare he give me shit for Mal licking my neck, and then he goes and fucks him? I was livid. He was such a fucking hypocrite, and I didn’t know how to reconcile that with what I knew of Tiger. But how well do I really know him?

I stormed off to breakfast, my mind a mess. When I arrived out on the terrace, Longshot and Surge were already seated. No Discord. Great. Was she under that blanket, too?

I continued to fume as I poured my coffee with shaking hands. I drank it down as fast as I could without burning myself. I wanted to be gone before Tiger and Mal arrived for breakfast. The last thing I wanted to see was them laughing and looking like a happy new couple.

“Rough night?” Longshot asked, watching me closely.

“Are you ready to go?” I deflected, dodging his question.

“I’ve had breakfast—”

I abruptly stood up. “Good, let’s go.”

“But you have not eaten anything,” he pointed out, his tone concerned. “If you were to train this way, Jenny, it would not go well.”

“I’m not hungry, Longshot,” I insisted. “I need to train.”

He set his napkin next to his empty plate. “Very well. But I am warning you, if I see your blood sugar dipping, I will call it.”

“Fine.”

But before I could escape, Mal and Tiger sauntered out to breakfast. I grit my teeth to keep from speaking. They both looked far too relaxed and Mal’s smile was lazy as sin.

“Good morning, all,” Mal said.

Tiger winced as he sat down, and they exchanged a knowing look. Then, he smiled at me and asked, “Did you sleep well, Jenny?”

“Better than some,” I said, glaring daggers at Mal.

Tiger’s brow furrowed. “Is everything alright? Did something happen?”

Was he serious right now? And why was I so pissed off when we weren’t monogamous or in a committed relationship and Tiger could fuck whoever he wanted? Still, seeing the two of them together…hurt.

Ignoring Tiger, I addressed my trainer. “Longshot, you ready to get started?”

“I am—”

Tiger reached out for my hand, but I jerked it away. “Jenny, what’s wrong?”

“Absolutely nothing,” I snapped. “Enjoy your breakfast. I know how hungry you get when you’ve been well-fucked. Come on, Longshot.”

I turned on my heel and marched to the forest where we trained.

He caught up to me a minute later. “Is something bothering you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Is it the fact that Tiger and Mal clearly—”

“I said, I’m fine ,” I nearly snarled.

Very sarcastically, he said, “Sure, you seem absolutely fine.”

I whipped my gaze up at him so fast, my ponytail smacked me in the face. “Do you have something to say to me about this?”

“Well, I was unaware that you have a claim on Tiger.”

I stopped walking, but jammed my hands on my hips and continued to glare at him. “What?”

“You two are, or were , sleeping together,” he said in a calm, reasonable tone. “Now, you are angry that he slept with Mal. So, do you have a claim on Tiger or not?”

“What do you care?”

He let out a long, controlled breath. “Because nonconsensual relationships, those that violate agreed terms between a couple, are commonly prosecuted in Ladrian courts. The penalty is death. So, I will ask you again. Do you have a claim of monogamy on Tiger?”

My heart stuttered in my chest. As furious as I was with Tiger, I didn’t wish him mortal harm. “People die here for cheating?”

He nodded, his expression solemn. “It is a grand offense in our culture, Jenny. In spite of our unusual circumstances here, there are certain rules we all abide by. Did they—”

“No,” I said quickly. “Let me be very clear about that. I am not upset because they slept together. At least, not because of any kind of cheating issue because no, we had not agreed to a monogamous relationship.”

“I see,” he said, shifting in his stance. “Then why the anger?”

“Tiger…” my voice cracked, which only made me more upset.

I cleared my throat and tried again. “Tiger noticed that Mal and I have been flirting, and he wasn’t happy about it, almost like he was jealous or something.

Last I knew, he hated Mal. And then this morning, I found them in bed together in Tiger’s room. ”

Longshot tipped his head. “What did he say when you confronted them?”

I glanced down and kicked the toe of my shoe into the dirt. “Oh, you mean like a mature, rational adult who talks about their feelings right when they happen?” I laughed sharply and rolled my eyes at myself. “Yeah, that didn’t happen.”

“Given Tiger’s initial dislike of Mal, I must imagine you were too shocked to say anything when you found them in bed together. Do not be disappointed with yourself for not reacting maturely in the moment, Jenny. Shock and confusion are also valid emotions.”

“Please, I just…I appreciate that you’re trying to help me, Longshot, but I would rather just focus on the training, if that’s okay with you.”

“I prefer it.”

We walked to the start of the trail, and he gestured to the terrain ahead.

“One thing to keep in mind about the mountain is that you will find supplies along the paths. Some will be traps, others will not be. You must be able to discern the difference without touching them because you do not know what will trigger a trap.”

Lovely. “What kind of traps?”

“Anything,” he said, and shrugged. “It could be food set in a snare or a hanging water jug dangling over a disguised pit of spikes.”

“Seriously?” I gaped at him. “Your people frown on cheating on your partners, but it’s okay to cheat at life and death?”

“Cheating on a partner is not strategic. However, creating an advantage in a competition is very useful.”

“So, it’s not because cheating in a relationship is morally wrong—it’s because it tears at the fabric of the relationship. It eats away at trust.”

“Precisely,” he said as he lifted a thick branch from the path and tossed it aside like it was a toothpick. “There are few things that can destroy a relationship quite as well as losing trust in someone.”

I nodded in agreement. “I’ve seen it myself. Wait, how did we end up back on relationships?”

A smiled tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I believe that was your doing, when you asked about Ladrians and our theories regarding cheating.”

I sighed. “I guess I have a lot on my mind.”

“Are you sure you want to train today?”

I gave him a succinct nod. “Without question.”

“Good. Race you to the old lemon oak,” he said, then abruptly took off.

“Cheater!” I shouted, before I sprinted after him.

As I ran, my mind did too. I wanted to think about anything but Tiger and Mal, and somehow, I ended up thinking of my sister Sarah and her two companions, Jac and Deacon.

They seemed so happy together, all three of them.

It looked so effortless from the outside of things, but I wondered how easy it really was on the inside. I bet they talk about everything.

Wait, why hasn’t she contacted me here?

In all fairness to Sarah, I had been gone for only a few days and there was no reason for her to think anything was wrong.

Unless me running Illiapol was actual news— then she probably knows what’s going on .

No, she couldn’t possibly know about that.

Sarah would have gotten word to me or figured out a way to rescue me by now, if she knew.

Unless she got arrested, too.

If Tiger and I were arrested in connection to Jac and Deacon, then they were wanted by the law, as well. If my pregnant sister came to Orhon to rescue me and she was thrown into prison, or worse, executed…I stopped running and doubled over in sheer panic, vomiting my coffee.

Longshot heard the noise and jogged back, handing me a canteen with water. “I told you, you needed to eat before we trained.”

I rinsed, spat, and panted. “If my sister came after me here on Orhon and was arrested, would Mal get word of her arrest?”

“Who is your sister?”

“That’s not important,” I said, not wanting to reveal the truth. “Would Mal find out?”

“It is likely, but only if she said your name.” His gaze narrowed ever so slightly. “How would your human sister track you here, Jenny? Who is she?”

I braced myself on my knees and gasped, breathing in my relief. “Doesn’t matter. I just needed to know that. Thank you, Longshot.”

“Very well.” He didn’t look convinced, but didn’t pry further. “Would you like me to carry you back in your weakened state, so that you may eat a proper meal?”

I shook my head. “Couldn’t keep food down if I tried.”

“Then we’ll walk until your nausea passes and you get your strength back.”

“Sounds good.”

We hiked down the path. I didn’t feel hungry or thirsty—only massive relief that Mal would have likely gotten word if Sarah had been arrested while searching for me.

I prayed that she didn’t learn about Illiapol until I was able to tell her afterwards .

I hoped it wasn’t like an Earth sporting event.

Which made me ask, “Do people travel here to watch the trial?”

“No. The course is behind the palace, so the space is forbidden from outside viewing. In spite of our technological improvements, the trial is not broadcast, either. It is sacred to many and to witness the event would be to cheapen its meaning.”

I thought about that. “So, the hunters can rig booby traps and do whatever they want to the avatar, and no one outside the course would ever know it?”

His lips pressed together in a thin line. “Yes.”

“That is not reassuring.”

“The only reassurances in life come from preparation.”

“That’s—”

“I mean it, Jenny,” he said, his tone suddenly stern.

He stopped walking, and I did, too, looking at him.

He braced his hands on his hips. “You’re worrying about everything you can’t control instead of the things that you can.

You can’t control your sister’s actions.

Or Tiger. Or Mal. But you can control how hard you train and how well you prepare for Illiapol.

If you don’t eat, if you don’t focus, none of it matters.

That is why I am adamant about your feeding habits and your efforts. Success will not come from winging it.”

I jutted my chin out stubbornly. “You think I can’t train without eating?”

“I think it’s foolish,” he said in a flat tone. “Your vomit supports my point.”

“Watch me.”

I tore off at high speed down the path and toward a tall gray tree I’d nicknamed the Tiger Tree because the coloring reminded me of him.

Before today, it made me smile, but as I ran to it, every footfall felt cursed with anger.

As I neared, I wanted to hit that tree. To scream at it and release my anger. To make it hurt like I did.

I took a final leap toward the tree, but my foot caught on a log and I went flying. As I landed, my head cracked against something hard.

Then, there was nothing.