Simone heard the shouts, then the sound of glass breaking.
She rose from her chair. Grace was off for the morning, playing with a little alien girl called Nemma.
Another pained roar filled the air.
Her stomach clenched. Toren.
She raced out the door and onto the balcony. She looked over the railing and down into the training arena below.
She saw Toren spin and pick up a table of drinks. He threw it at the wall, and glass and bottles exploded.
No. Simone took off running, not bothering to stop for shoes. As she flew down the corridor, she was glad she was wearing the comfortable trousers that fit like a glove, and a soft, silky shirt. After so long in captivity, it was wonderful to have nice things. She wasn’t ashamed to admit she spent a lot of time stroking her new wardrobe.
She took the stairs two at a time.
Another pained, tortured cry reached her, making her belly clench. She had to help him. A part of her was drawn to Toren because of the guilt, but also because of something else, as well. Because she understood his pain.
After being abducted, what she’d been through, and the constant worry for her daughter, she understood what it felt like to be helpless.
She hit the bottom of the stairs, ran across the stone pavers, and darted past the pillars. She sprinted out into the training arena. The sun hit her eyes and the sand was warm under her feet.
Ahead, Toren stood, his chest heaving as he watched Mace and Acton circling him. A few recruits stood close by, poised and alert.
Toren looked like a predator, waiting for the right moment to attack.
“Toren, my friend.” Xias, the champion gladiator of the House of Rone stepped forward, his powerful arms outstretched. “You need to calm down.”
In answer, Toren let out another roar. He grabbed one of the training dummies and lifted it into the air over his head, then he threw it. Recruits scrambled to get out of the way.
The dummy stopped in midair, and when Simone turned her head, she spotted Zaden. The younger cyborg held one hand in the air. She was aware that he possessed some telekinetic abilities. He lowered the dummy to the ground harmlessly.
Mace edged closer to Toren and Toren spun, his gaze focused on the big cyborg.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” Mace said. “You need to relax.”
“I can’t. I can’t calm down, I can’t relax, I can’t control what I feel.” Toren launched himself at Mace.
He and Mace moved across the sand, fighting each other in a dizzying array of kicks, hits, and punches.
Simone pressed a fist to her throat. She knew Toren wouldn’t want to hurt his friends. She walked across the sand, carefully skirting the broken table and glass.
She saw him snarl and punch Mace in the gut. The big man grunted and bent over.
“Toren!” she yelled.
He spun in a roundhouse kick, and Mace went down on one knee.
“Toren!” she tried again.
His head swung around, his gaze locking on her.
She held out a hand. “Come with me.”
His chest heaved. “Are you going to tell me to calm down?”
“No. Just come with me.”
But before he had a chance to respond, two recruits launched at him.
“No,” she cried. “Stop!” But the attack was already in motion.
Toren grabbed one of the recruits and yanked him off his feet. The other cyborg hit him. Toren lifted a boot and kicked him. The young cyborg went flying across the sand
“Stand down,” Acton called out.
“Put the recruit down, Toren.” Mace pushed to his feet.
Toren held the recruit up, the man’s feet dangling off the ground as he kicked his feet. Then with a heave, Toren tossed the man.
The other young cyborg had recovered and rushed back in.
“No!” Simone knew she had to stop this.
Toren swatted the younger man aside. The recruit’s body flew through the air and smacked into Simone. With a cry, she hit the sand and rolled over the remains of the ruined table.
She felt a sting on her bare feet and the weight of the man drove the air out of her lungs.
Another unhappy roar filled the air.
Before she could sit up, Toren was there, yanking the recruit off her. He helped her to her feet.
“Ouch.” She lifted her foot and saw blood.
Frowning, Toren crouched and touched the cut.
“It’s minor,” she murmured.
But he didn’t respond, just stroked the blood away.
“Toren?” she said.
“You’re hurt.”
“Come with me.”
He looked up. “Where?”
“Somewhere quiet.”
He stared at her, his eyes churning with emotion. Then he scooped her off her feet.
“I can walk.” She slid an arm across his shoulders.
“I don’t care.”
She rolled her eyes. She was still learning to deal with bossy cyborg gladiators who weren’t that great at following requests. As they walked out of the training arena, she caught Mace’s worried gaze, and gave the cyborg a reassuring nod.
After a beat, the cyborg nodded back.
“Take the stairs,” she said.
“Where to?” Toren asked.
“The roof.” There was a sitting area up there that Sage had told her about. Simone had been up there once or twice, when she’d needed some fresh air and solitude.
She realized that everyone kept telling Toren to calm down, to chill, to relax—and that was the one thing he wanted but couldn’t do.
He needed something else.
Maybe she could help him.
Chapter Three
Toren strode across the rooftop, his gut churning. The wind hit his face, making his hair whip around.
He reached the railing and gripped it.
He smelled Simone—she always smelled crisp and fresh. She leaned against the railing beside him, looking out at the view.
Kor Magna was spread out before them. To the left were the high stone walls of the arena, flags fluttering in the breeze at the top of them. Most of Kor Magna consisted of simple, three-story buildings built of the local stone, but in the distance the glittering skyscrapers of the District promised every type of sin.
“I want to tear the Edull apart one by one,” he gritted out.
“Me too.” Her voice was quiet, but in it, he heard her torment.
She’d been held captive by the Edull far longer than he had. He’d been so focused on his own struggle, he hadn’t even considered hers.
He blew out a breath. “How are you and Grace adjusting to the House of Rone?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “Grace is happy to be away from the Edull.” Simone shot him a sad smile. “Kids are very resilient.”
“You survived, Simone. You’re resilient too.”
“You survived as well, Toren. You risked your life to save us. You’re a hero.”
He hunched his shoulders. “I was just doing my job.”
“And now you can’t,” she said quietly.
His gut churned again, like a wild storm was let loose inside him. If he couldn’t protect the House of Rone, he wasn’t good for anything.
“You’ll adapt,” she said. “Think of learning to deal with your emotions as training. All your recruits go through training, right?”