Page 103 of Tiger's Trek
Nikolai gave a brisk nod in return, and Pasha straightened with a charming smile, blinking his one large eye. “We’ll be headed up to my personal luxury suites. You’ll love it, Nik,” Pasha said. “Panoramic views of the Games, personal chefs, a full-service bar, even a special system that lets you tune in to announcers covering each arena so you never miss an event. It’s large enough I could host a party of up to one hundred guests, but since we can style it however we like, I turned the space into guest suites where we could spend the evening as well. Maids will come make it up for us in the morning or come clean it at the ring of a bell.”
“Sounds expensive,” Nik said.
“Oh, it is,” Pasha replied. “Not that I pay a dime. The Gamemakers consider it ‘curse insurance.’”
“Must be nice.”
“My Pasha is such an important man, isn’t he?” Polina said.
“I’d rather have a good one,” Pushka said.
“But he is good!” Polina said. “He’s good to me!”
“I suppose that’s all that matters, then,” her sister replied drolly.
As the two girls began arguing, Nik winced and Pasha ran a hand down his face, rubbing his one eye.
“Sorry if I started something,” Nik said.
“Don’t worry about it, kid,” Pasha answered. “The two of them squabble all the time. Serves me right for bragging. I just like enjoying this part of my job, you know? The rest of it is?—”
“Yeah. I get it.”
“Okay. I’m heading out now. Sorry to leave you with that. Order them up something sweet. The staff are gone for the night, but someone’s always on call. Just ring the bell and tell them what you’d like. If you can’t think of something, say, ‘Bring the usual,’ and tell them how many people.”
“Got it.”
“See you in a few hours, kid.”
“Pasha?”
“Yeah?” He turned, holding the door.
“Be careful.”
“Always.”
Pasha left, quietly closing the door behind him. Then Nik rang the bell and ordered “the usual” for four. After that, he sat down and waited for the girls’ argument to lose steam. They were just winding down when he heard a quiet knock on the door. He opened it without checking first, thinking it was room service.
On the other side was a huge man, or at least a huge half man and half something else.
“Can I help you?” Nik asked.
“I’m here to escort you to your meeting with the owner of the tiger,” the man said.
The two women hissed at one another to be quiet.
Hesitating only a moment, Nikolai answered, “Yes, that’s right. Lead on, man.” He turned to the women. “You two wait here for Pasha. Tell him where I’ve gone and that he shouldn’t worry.”
“I don’t like this,” Polina said.
“Nik knows what he’s doing,” assured Pushka. “We’ll tell him,” she promised.
He nodded his thanks and followed the big man out through the maze of streets, which was still crowded with partygoers. Though the Games were over for the evening, the vendors remained open, and bright lanterns danced from stalls and tree limbs in the cold wind. Feather-like snow fell, covering the paths, but rotating heaters bathed the attendants in warmth and melted the dusting as quickly as it fell. Nik longed to examine the strange machines, wondering if they were man-made or magical, but he dared not stop.
The man led Nik down the hill, farther and farther. The lights and noise of the parties faded until all he saw around him were darkened tents, torches, and campfires. Finally, the man stopped at a large gate built right into the side of the mountain. Pulling a key from inside his shirt, he inserted it into a heavy lock and swung open the gate. Nodding at another man, he said, “This is where I leave you. Follow Sergey the rest of the way.”
“And you’re certain this man is the one who owns the tiger?”
