Chapter Thirty-six

That night he wanted to see them both, but she did not expect to see that bundle of blonde braids and those sharp eyes as well. Cassie's eyes went a little wider when she saw them, her face a little stiffer as she chewed on her food and turned back around.

"Over here," Master Gabriel waved to them, wiping his fingers on a cloth and nodding.

Cassie smelt so warm as Phoenix walked around her, warm and sweet and pleasant, like a field of hay, and Phoenix felt her face go tight, her eyes flicking to Belfire, her forehead lining in a crease though she couldn't say why. Phoenix sat opposite her, Belfire on one side, the Master on the other, his face so soft and easy as he took a sip from his cup.

"Take what you want," Master Gabriel nodded at the food in front of them. "I need to talk to all three of you," he said, and Cassie's face went even tighter, her fingers going stiff as she dropped a slice of fruit back onto her plate.

"I have something to say first," Belfire said, his eyes so bright, the corners of his lips twitching like he was fighting back a smile.

"Address the Master properly," Cassie said, those cold eyes flicking to him, sharp and pointed like daggers, and those Implants flickered so quickly, a bright burst of flickering as Master Gabriel leaned against the arm of his chair and rubbed his lips with his fingers.

"Actually it's more like an idea," Belfire nodded. "We have a lot of time left over after training, we should-,"

Cassie slammed her fist down on the table, lifting it then to point at Belfire, her face so tight, those eyes so dark yet somehow shining bright. "Behave, Belfire," she warned. "You can't talk to the Master like that, there are rules. Address him-,"

"What do you want?" the Master cut in, his eyes never blinking as he stared at Belfire and Cassie went so quiet then, her head bowing, her eyes so big and wide as she looked down at her plate, and Belfire smiled, shifting in his seat and nodding.

"It's a lot of time to waste," he said.

"Training hours are as long as they can be."

"We don't need more training," Belfire shook his head. "Let us have that time off instead of us having to stay in our rooms. We could use it for other things," he shrugged. "Like Phoenix could teach the others to shoot."

Phoenix's eyes flicked to him then, her forehead lining in a crease, her eyes narrowing.

"Why would I want that?" Master Gabriel asked. "That's how she's building her reputation, it doesn't make any sense to have you all do it too."

"It makes perfect sense," Belfire said, leaning forward to grab a slice of bread and then he pointed it at the Master, smiling a soft smile before biting off the corner. "You bought one slave that increased the value of all your other slaves," he said. "And think about it, you could call her a Trainer then too. She'd be a Favourite, a Fighter and a Trainer, you'll have something to break the ice with everyone all in one slave."

The Master was so quiet, his eyes never blinking as he kept rubbing his lips and staring at Belfire. For a long while he said nothing, Phoenix's mouth going drier, Cassie's eyes flicking up to dart between them all and she looked like she wanted to say something, her forehead furrowing into a crease, those eyes shining brighter, but she only went stiff.

"Phe?" Master Gabriel asked, his voice so soft and quiet, but Phoenix didn't know what to say then, her face so tight as she looked at him, and then back to Belfire, and then she sighed, sitting back in her seat and tapping her fingers against the arm.

"Would it help?" she asked.

"He has a point," the Master answered.

"How would I do it?" she shook her head. "I only have one crossbow and it's mine. I found it."

"No one's going to take it off you," Belfire said, something like a laugh hidden in his voice, and then he leaned back too, smiling and nodding as he looked at her. "I'm sure he could whip something up," he said, nodding towards the Master.

"Belfire!" Cassie snapped.

"I'm not a good teacher," Phoenix shook her head.

"How do you know? Have you ever tried?" Belfire asked. "And no one's good at anything when they start. You just have to be patient."

Phoenix's eyes flicked back to the Master, watching him watch Belfire, his face so stiff and blank, but finally he looked at her, those dark eyes a little softer, and he sighed.

"It'll help," he nodded, and Phoenix looked away then, staring at that computer across the room from them, her back so stiff, her face so tight, but then she closed her eyes and nodded.

"Not mine," she shook her head. "I don't want them to use mine."

"I'll make new ones," Master Gabriel said. "But you're making a lot of extra work for me, Belfire, you'd better be right, and I'll call the whole thing off if it interferes with training."

Belfire smiled, a smile that was so close to being a grin, and he reached for another slice of bread. "It won't," he said.

"And no one says a word," the Master said, his eyes narrowing into slits, those Implants flickering a little quicker. "I won't be made out to be a Sympathiser."

"A Sympathiser?" Phoenix asked, her voice so soft and quiet.

"Hmm, someone against slavery," Belfire nodded, his face grim and tight, his eyes so cold and sharp. "But how could anyone say that about you, Master?"

That question seemed to hang in the air between them, the two men only staring at each other for a long while, and then Master Gabriel leaned forward, his eyes so dark, those Implants flickering so quickly.

"Get it under control," he said. "That anger is exactly the reason why you were arrested."

Belfire's hands clenched into fists, his face scrunching up in a scowl, and she felt him begin to shake, that quick, constant shake almost like a hum. He looked like he was about to spit something out, that scowl so deep and tight, but then he closed his eyes, his hands unclenching and he let out a long breath. Master Gabriel nodded then, a soft, slow nod, his eyes fixed on Belfire's face, and then they were staring at each other. There was something about that stare that had Phoenix's stomach burning, her forehead furrowing in a crease and she had to look away from them both. She couldn't think about it, she didn't want to, she didn't want to imagine what it was that they did together when they were alone in this room.

"Hmm," the Master hummed, finally looking away and taking another sip from his cup. "I'm going to need you all to behave," he said. "We'll be going somewhere soon and whatever it is you feel about each other," his eyes flicked between all of them. "I'm going to need you to hide it. I don't care, you understand? Whatever you think, whatever you feel, you hide it. When we're out there, the only thing that matters is that you belong to me and everything you do, you do for me. That's it, you understand? The three of you stick together and you all protect me just like I protect you."

Those words were still ringing in her ears when they'd made it back to her room and he'd just about closed the door behind him when she turned, shoving him in his chest, her eyes thin slits.

"Don't do that again," she said.

"Do what?"

"You-! How long have you been planning that one for, hmm? You could've just told me what you were thinking."

He stared at her a moment, his face so tight and strained, and then he reached a hand up to rub at the back of his head. "You're right," he said. "I should've told you, but I knew you'd say no… And you need to do this, Phe, it'll keep you safe and make things-,"

"You could've just told me," she cut in. "I'm not an idiot, Belfire, and I'm not a child."

"You're right," he nodded, his shoulders dropping, his face scrunching up in a wince. "I'm sorry, Phe, you're right, I won't do it again. I-, I was just trying to help."

"I don't need your help, not like that," she shook her head. "I don't need you to make decisions for me. I-, he does enough of that already, I don't need you to do it too."

"You're right, I'm sorry," he said, but it wasn't enough to ease that burning in the pit of her stomach.

"How-?" she started. "How could you even think I'd want your help like that? You think I can't make decisions for myself? You think I'm your responsibility or something? I'm not a child and we're not family."

His eyes flicked to her then, surprisingly cold, surprisingly sharp. "I don't-," he started, but all she could feel was that burning, not a sweet, warm kind, but one that flared up from the pit of her stomach and set her skin on fire.

"Get out," she cut in. "Get out, Belfire, I don't need your help, I don't want it."

He stared at her for so long, his eyes never blinking, his body shaking that strange, quick shake. "I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

"I don't want anything, not from you."

"Hmm, you want it from him then, is that it?" he asked, his face so tight, his eyes so dark. "You don't have to say it, Phoenix, I know I can't help you, not like he can anyway, I'm not an idiot, but you don't need to rub it in my face."

"Rub it in your face?" she said. "What are you talking about, you're not even making any sense."

"I saw the way he looked at you, I-! I saw the way you looked at him," he finished, his voice so soft and quiet. "I get it, Phoenix, I do, but I-, I can't, alright?" he shook his head. "I can't do that, I can't watch you together. It hurts too much."

She stared at him, her chest heaving, her mouth so dry. She just wanted him to keep talking, she just wanted him to shut his mouth and never speak to her again.

"What are you-?" she whispered.

"You know what I'm talking about!" he cut in, his hands clenched into fists. "I-, I can't, Phoenix, I mean it. I-, I can't," he whispered.

A part of her wanted to hold him then, a part of her wanted to laugh and smile, a bigger part of her just wanted to cry and shake her head as she stood there, her hand clutching at her heart, her face a tight wince.

"Don't-," she said, but she didn't know what else to say as he stared at her, his face so tight, his chest heaving.

"Don't cry, Phe," he whispered. "Please, don't cry. I can't-," he shook his head. "I'm sorry, alright? I won't do it again, I'm sorry, just don't cry."

"I'm not-!" she gasped, but that was all that would come out.

His hands were so slow to reach for her, his shoulders rising, his face scrunching up in a wince, but when he held her, he held her so tightly, his whole body shaking, his hand in her hair. He was so warm, so warm she had to close her eyes to stop herself from crying, so warm her breath was hitching in her chest and she had to bite back a gasp.

"I'm not your family," he whispered. "I know that, but I'm on your side, Phe, I promise."