Frayed Ties (Ties, Book 1) | ✓

Chapter 25

"That was quick," Simon commented as he moved over so that Hamish could help them lift the bed.

"Yeah, that little girl from last night who got us clothes was standing around outside, so I just asked her to get us something."

"...Little girl?"

Hamish lifted the edge of the blanket on Yore's bed up so that they could push the two beds together and drape the blanket over the divide. "Yeah. I thought she was like ten, maybe, but now that I think of it they're a lot smaller than us so I may have just entrusted a six year old with the task of feeding us."

"Oh, great. We're all going to get food poisoning and die."

"Well, I mean, just the two of you, really," Lucas said. "Danya and I'll be fine. Which is great because we're the only ones doing anything useful around here."

Hamish lay back down behind Lucas, his hand settling on his hip.

Lucas twisted his head to look at him. "Oh wait, I was using you to keep me balanced, wasn't I? Fuck. That'll be so much less pleasant when you're simultaneously shitting and puking yourself to death."

"When did you two get so cosy, anyway?" Simon asked as he and Danya climbed onto the other side of the now joined beds.

For a moment, Hamish just looked at him. "Simon, remember yesterday morning when I told you I wanted Lucas with us because we'd 'bonded' the night before?"

"Oh." Simon shook his head and sighed. "I should have known."

Hamish grinned. "I didn't think I was being that subtle."

"Wait a minute, you decided who you wanted us to fight with based on who you'd been fucking?"

"Well, technically so did you."

"I did not! Danya was the logical choice!"

"Uh huh."

Danya held a hand up. "It doesn't matter. I was already going to be with the two of you, and the other mages are fighting pairs. Lucas would have been with us whether Hamish had requested it or not."

"Huh," Hamish said. "True."

"And technically we did talk as well as fuck," Lucas added.

"Also true!" Hamish agreed. "He's an interesting guy. Companions are so pretty, but even without the whole slavery thing I just can't deal with the meakness. It scares me."

"And straight back to talking about sex," Simon commented.

"Shut up," Hamish said. "I mean yes, but also shut up. It may sound shitty, but I didn't really used to think that they were the same as us. You know, not lesser or anything, but still just... different in some way I hadn't really thought too much about. But Lucas was raised by humans, as a human would be, and he acts just like one. And I feel kinda like an asshole for expecting anything else."

"Don't feel bad," Danya said. "I really didn't know either. Lucas, when I first talked to you it made me uncomfortable. It felt so wrong. But I'm glad I met you, and I hope we can keep in touch. Seeing you be yourself helped me realise that I didn't have to be ashamed to be something other than what I'd been raised to be. That I can be a person, not a thing."

"Geez, well, okay," Lucas said. "I was probably going to be around from time to time anyway, but yeah, okay. I'll make sure I come visit."

"Thank you," Danya said. "I think it would help the kids, too. Especially Kin."

Lucas grinned. "He hates me."

Danya shook his head. "No, he just— I get it. I struggle with Kin. I was the oldest at the House for a long time, so it was my job to help shape the younger boys. Nothing cruel, but— mm. There are expectations. Manners, etiquette. Kin looks like the perfect Companion, but his training was interrupted. It's hard to resist prodding him back into line, especially since I think part of him desperately wants me to. And then he sees you, and... it's scary. It's a challenge to everything he knows, everything he is."