Serpent's Touch (Serpent's Touch 1)

It was still early. The VIP clients hadn’t shown up. There was still time. But of course, I was at fault. I always was.

“I’m sorry.” I dropped my gaze.

“Hurry, you useless human,” she snapped. “And you…” She shoved Radax my way, finally releasing his arm. “You make sure she doesn’t slack this time.”

She stormed out of the room.

“Are you alright?” Radax headed to the dark mahogany bar in front of the cage and started taking out the tall glasses we used to serve the camyte drink to the VIPs.

Blood crawled down his arm in a thin trickle. He didn’t bother whipping it off.

“Are you alright?” I asked in turn, finding his eyes with mine.

“Me? Sure.” He gave me a smile, which nearly broke my heart. Once again, he’d gotten hurt because I hadn’t been where I was supposed to be. I had given in to the temptation of having a friend in Kyllen when I should’ve known better.

Spending time with the gorgonian had given me comfort I rarely felt. It reminded me of the times when Radax had taught me how to read when I was a kid. He would place me in his lap, his tattooed arm wrapped around my shoulders, while he pointed at the letters in a children’s book he’d sourced from a Lost and Found at the fair where the menagerie had stopped last.

Back then, I used to believe that nothing bad would ever happen to me as long as Radax was with me. He’d been my protector for as long as I remembered.

As I got older, I realized Radax needed protection, too. As a brack, he belonged to Madame, body and soul. His life and death were under her absolute control.

Madame had dozens of bracks in this world, but she’d singled out Radax for her punishments. No one had been abused as much as he had, and it had everything to do with me. I hid my face in my scarf and started helping him with the glasses.

I had to be better. I could do better. Instead of hanging around Kyllen’s crate, I had to stay closer to Madame, invisible but available on a whim. I had to anticipate being needed to keep her from taking out her frustration with me on Radax.

As I passed by the garbage can behind the bar, I yanked the dragonfly barrette out of my pocket and tossed it away.

No more breakfast breaks with Kyllen. No more daydreaming.

I had to protect the one man who had been the closest to a family I’d ever had. I had to protect Radax.