you on the same wavelength when we start day after tomorrow.”
“You go for it,” Astra said. “I can unwind at home. I’ve got a fucking match to rest up for tomorrow, anyway.” She started to turn when Jacob made a tsk sound.
“Not a fucking chance. This toxicity is going to damage your solo performance just as much. You two are going to hash this out once and for all. Now go.” He pointed at the door leading to the shower and the adjoining sauna, his jaw set.
Astra scowled, glancing toward her three mates for support. When they’d arrived with Astra that morning, Ksenia had the distinct impression they were there to back up Astra’s side of their conflict. But now she wasn’t so sure. Neither of them made a move to get ready to go. They looked back at Astra with just as much defiance in their varied gazes as Ksenia was getting from her three guys.
Golden-eyed Javin shook his head. “What would Talon think if you didn’t work this out? You need to follow through. Val and Simon are with me on this.”
Both men nodded, and Simon tilted his head in the direction Jacob still pointed. “You two owe it to each other. You get this figured out and you’ll be unstoppable next week. We’ve seen you fight. You could even give Iggy and Bry a run for their money.”
That made Astra’s look turn hungry and she turned, but not before pointing a finger at Javin. “Bringing my brother into this was a low blow. I’m going to remember that.”
She stalked off, and Jacob raised an eyebrow at Ksenia. She huffed and shook her head, then reluctantly followed.
Outside the sauna she slipped out of her training gear and wrapped a towel around her torso, then settled on one of the wooden benches inside the steam-filled room. Some kind of therapeutic herb infused the steam, ensuring the small, hot room always smelled good. The calming effects of the herb helped her muscles relax, though her mind still churned over how to bridge this recent chasm that had materialized between her and her arena partner.
She remained silent for the moment, watching as Astra settled on the bench across from her with a weary sigh and let her head fall back against the tiled wall behind her.
A face appeared in the window of the door and she glanced up, frowning at the wicked glimmer in Simon’s eyes and the matching grin on his face. “You girls got this!” came his muffled call through the glass. The words were followed by a thunk and then his barking laughter.
“What the fuck?” Ksenia shot to her feet, reaching the door in two strides and pushing. The latch gave, but something heavy blocked it from the other side. “Oh no you fucking didn’t!” she called, staring out at the six men who all looked back with varying expressions of concern and amusement.
Teague gave her two thumbs up.
Jacob said, “Tough love, honey.”
Gunther simply nodded his encouragement.
But none of it eased the sting of betrayal.
“You bastards!” Astra yelled beside her. “None of you are getting laid ever again!” She smacked her palms against the door. “Fuck!” Then she stomped back to her bench and sat with a huff.
“I suppose we’d better try to talk?” Ksenia said. “Though I’m not sure if that’s the answer here.”
Astra still fumed over being locked in, casting an evil glare at the door, her shoulders bunched up around her ears. “I don’t fucking know either and it’s driving me crazy.” A second later, she sighed. “But I guess I owe you an apology, so I’ll start there. I know it’s not your fault, and I’m sorry. I just hate the idea that it might somehow be my fault. That there could be some residual damage from the toxin that keeps me from bonding with a fighting partner.”
Ksenia’s gaze slid to the set of four dark puncture scars just visible on Astra’s inner thigh beneath the edge of her towel. She knew claw marks, and knew Astra was lucky whoever caused them hadn’t had the chance to rip her leg open.
“I heard about what that shit does to you. By all accounts, you’re fortunate to have made it back into the arena at all. But didn’t Bryer Vargas get poisoned too? He’s part of a duo who still kicks ass. How do they do it?”
“Those two had a strong bond to begin with. But they don’t really talk about that whole period, at least