by Sue Lyndon
Well now. This was a whole lot of information. Layla sucked in a quick breath as she tried to process all that Fallonn had just said. But the talkative empath continued.
“He’ll never let you go, and if you try to escape, he’ll hunt you down.” Her eyes glinted with worry. “Please don’t try running away. It wouldn’t take him long to find you, and he would definitely punish you if you ran away.”
“I don’t wish to run away,” Layla assured the young female. She tapped her right upper arm. “Besides, I’ve been injected with one of those slave trackers.”
“Yes, I know you have a tracker, but masters can’t access the locations of their missing slaves on their own. They must go to a slave office and allow the authorities to track the slave. In such cases, which are quite rare, the captured slaves are then punished publicly in town. It’s an awful practice. I’m glad Xazzok and Zamek don’t own slaves. Well, except for Zamek owning you, of course, but that is different, since he’s done it to keep you safe.”
Layla shuddered at the idea of being punished publicly in Sumlin. She hadn’t known that Zamek wouldn’t be able to track her himself, nor that slaves were sometimes punished in public. During her studies of Kall culture, she’d tended to gloss over the information about their practice of enslaving criminals, as it made her uncomfortable.
Voices could be heard in the corridor and a worried look crossed Fallonn’s face. “Oh, you must promise not to repeat any of what I just said to you to anyone, but most especially my husband,” she said in a rapid whisper, “for he would not approve of how freely I spoke to you about Zamek’s emotions. I just wished to reassure you of his devotion to you, that is all, to help you better come to terms with your new position here. I sense you are still struggling at times. But please, let’s keep it a secret between us?”
It was impossible not to like Fallonn. She was sweet but a bit mischievous, and she very much wore her heart on her sleeve. Layla suspected they would become close friends. She also suspected that Xazzok might discipline her if he discovered how freely she’d spoken.
With no wish to get Fallonn into trouble with her husband, Layla nodded in agreement and whispered, “Secret? What secret? I don’t even recall a thing we talked about in this room,” in a conspiratorial tone.
“Oh, I knew I would like you,” Fallonn said with a giggle, but quickly fell silent as the library door zipped open and Zamek and Xazzok strode inside.
“Ah, there you are, wife,” Xazzok said. “The Holy Ones are requesting your assistance with one of the small children, a tiny female, who was left outside their temple. They are having trouble calming the child.”
“It’s always my honor to help with the children on the mountaintop. I’m ready to leave now,” Fallonn said, walking up to her husband.
Layla respected the petite Flourishian all the more, just knowing she was on her way to help one of the children who’d been left at the temple. Holy Ones were actually the children born of slaves, and the peaceful religious group always cared for each child left at their temples.
Once Layla was alone with Zamek in the library, he took her in his arms and placed a kiss atop her hair. She basked in the closeness and hugged him back. Of course, at that exact moment, her stomach chose to rumble loudly. Her face flooded with warmth.
“Come,” Zamek said, guiding her out into the corridor, “and we will enjoy the midday meal together. Then, if you’d like, I will take you on a walk through the vineyard. I wish for you to become better acquainted with your new home, and I will show you the boundaries of my property and which locations are safe for you to walk on your own.”
Freedom. A small slice of it. He was trying his best to help her not feel so caged in. She stroked his arm and smiled up at him, gratitude swelling within her. “Thank you, Zamek, I-I would like that very much.”
Chapter 24
Fourteen days later…
Zamek marched away from the council building, feeling on top of the world—a human expression, but it described his current mood better than any Kall turn of phrase he could think of.
The council members had just approved the license for his marriage to Layla, and he was now free to marry her whenever he wished. As soon as they exchanged vows, she would no longer be a slave. She would be a wife and he would no longer need to worry about Kall authorities attempting to force his hand in the expected act of retribution. Many in Sumlin and nearby Brutt would think he’d gone mad, and there was still a possibility that he might be demoted back down to a warrior, but he would worry about that when the time came.
Layla. She was all that mattered.
Human wives were afforded the same level of protection on his planet as Kall wives, even those who were former slaves. Layla would be the first female from a judgment of retribution who would become a wife—the council had been unable to find any instances of this happening before in the recorded history of planet Kall—but the council members had also assured him that Layla would still be entitled to the same protection as a wife.
Thank the stars for Commander Edek’s help. The commander had informed Zamek how he’d managed to get his own marriage license to a human female approved, and Zamek had employed the same tactics in the council chamber today. To be more specific, he’d blackmailed the entire council, threatening to expose their lack of foresight when it came to protecting Sumlin from a criminal known as Teyya. One of the council members had had business dealings with the dishonorable male Teyya, dealings his fellow council members should not have overlooked.
Satisfaction surged through Zamek as he recalled how easily the entire council had caved to his demands once he mentioned his knowledge of Teyya’s criminal activities in Sumlin. Every face on the podium had paled, turning light pink, and they’d exchanged worried looks before quickly conceding.
And now Layla would become Zamek’s wife. He couldn’t wait to return home and inform her of the council’s decision.
Zamek arrived home in the late afternoon. The sun blazed over the vineyard and warmed his face when he lifted it to the sky for one brief moment. He entered his home and froze at the sight of Commander Vavvis standing in the entryway, accompanied by two well-known members of the High Council.
A growl rumbled from Zamek’s throat. He sensed a threat and it riled him that the commander who had shown a worrisome level of interest in Layla’s fate was now in his home.
“What is the meaning of this?” he asked without preamble. No point in being friendly or offering a traditional greeting. Zamek didn’t even incline his head to Councilors Horth and Crozz.
Before any of the males could respond, Xazzok rushed into the entryway.
“Zamek. I was just trying to contact you, but there was a problem with the comm. You have visitors,” he said in a tone that made it perfectly clear that said visitors were unwelcome.
A cold smile spread across Commander Vavvis’s face. “Yes, General, you have visitors, though do not worry—our visit will be a fast one.”
Whispers on the landing above reached Zamek, and a quick glance up showed Layla and Fallonn were eavesdropping. Not that he could blame them, but he very much wished Layla would remain out of the commander’s sight.
“What. Do. You. Want.” Zamek growled again.
“I stand here before you, General Zamek, with Councilors Horth and Crozz as my witnesses, to accuse you of conduct unbecoming of a warrior, as well as treason.”
“Treason?” Zamek’s fists clenched at his sides. The foolish commander would be lucky if he survived this encounter.
“Yes, treason. You’ve failed to take the human Layla Remington’s life. You’ve failed to exact the retribution that Judge Commak granted you.”
“It is my right to keep the human female and torture her for as long as I wish.” These words tasted bitter in Zamek’s mouth. He was tired of pretending in front of others that he meant to hurt Layla.
“Actually,” Councilor Horth said, “you have technically broken the law. We looked up the d
etails of the ancient Custom of Retribution, and a wronged Kall male has thirty days to exact his revenge. Failure to do so will result in the guilty individual being publicly executed. I suppose this part of the law has been forgotten by most, as nearly all acts of retribution occur immediately in the courtroom. But it’s been more than thirty days since you took possession of Layla, and you must hand her over.”
“I registered her at the slave office and made her my slave. I own her. Legally, you cannot take her away from me.” Sickness filled him, as well as a heavy dose of panic. If they tried to take Layla from him now, he would kill all three males. But then he would be a traitor and have to escape planet Kall with Layla, a prospect that wouldn’t be easy with the new planetary shield in place, which heavily monitored the airships and warships that entered and exited the atmosphere.
“Laws pertaining to the Custom of Retribution were on the books before any laws governing slavery, which means the human female is overdue for a public execution,” Councilor Crozz said.
Marriage. The laws pertaining to marriage superseded all, including ancient laws. Married females on planet Kall were bound to their husbands and their husbands only. Furthermore, Zamek was certain laws pertaining to marriage were among the first laws recorded in Kall history, a full millennia before the laws concerning retribution rights.
If only Zamek had acquired the marriage license a day ago, then Layla would already be safe. He was determined to make them leave his home, then marry the sweet little human who’d captured his heart as quickly as possible.
“I refuse to surrender my slave to Kall authorities,” Zamek said, standing taller and towering over all three males.
“Then you are surely guilty of treason,” Commander Vavvis said, “considering that you are aiding a human whose husband was affiliated with rebels on Earth. You are no longer protecting Kall interests. In fact, you are working against them and that makes you a traitor.”
Zamek lunged at Vavvis and slammed the male’s head against the wall with a satisfying crunch. The commander slumped to the floor, unconscious. Zamek glared at the councilors, both of whom started backing away.
“Unless you want to join him on the floor, I suggest you carry him back to Sumlin,” Zamek said, noting that he hadn’t seen an airship outside. The three males must’ve walked up the mountain. He hoped the elderly councilors broke their backs on the way back to Sumlin.
Fortunately, Councilors Horth and Crozz rushed to heave Vavvis off the floor and carried him toward the door. Just before they exited the house, Councilor Horth shot Zamek a dark look over his shoulder.
“This is not over,” the elderly male said. “By the way, the punishment for treason is death. Perhaps you and your human slave can die together.”
“I look forward to the fight, old man,” Zamek replied with a fierce growl that caused both councilors to turn light pink as they scurried off the porch with Vavvis’s body swinging between them.
He stood in the doorway, watching for a while to make sure they followed the footpath back into town. Once they were far enough away to satisfy him, he turned and rushed upstairs to find Layla.
He found her standing on the landing next to Fallonn. Her face was frighteningly pale, and she looked as though she were in shock. She swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around her center, as if trying to hold herself together.
“We must get married immediately,” he announced. “The council just approved our marriage license. We must make haste before they learn members of the High Council are investigating me, we must hurry before they have a chance to revoke the license.”
“I’ll call for a Holy One!” Xazzok shouted from the entryway just before he took off into the depths of the house, presumably to find a comm, hopefully one that was now working.
Zamek lifted Layla in his arms and carried her downstairs. He brought her out onto the back terrace, where they would first spot a Holy One descending the mountain.
She trembled in his arms, and with each inhale, the coldness of her fear filled his nostrils. He sat with her on a padded bench and cradled her close, peering into her eyes in hopes that a reassuring look would calm her.
“Don’t be frightened,” he murmured. “All will be well. A Holy One will arrive soon and then you’ll be safe. You’ll become my wife and I’ll become your husband, and no one can tear us apart.”
Despite her fear, Layla managed a brief smile at Zamek. “I never agreed to marry you, and you never officially asked me, for that matter,” she said in a playful tone.
“Impertinent human,” he mused, kissing her forehead. He met her eyes. “Will you, then? Will you agree to marry me?”
“Yes, I will.” But then a thought struck her. “But what about you?”
His forehead creased as he narrowed his brows at her. “Me? Of course, I agree to marry you.”
“No, not that. What about the treason that was mentioned? That one old man said the punishment for treason is death and—”
“I will admit to being worried when charges of treason were first brought up by Commander Vavvis—he was the warrior who accompanied the two High Council members—but for a conviction to stick, the majority of the High Council would have to vote against me. I do not think Councilors Horth and Crozz will manage the votes they would need, as I have several friends on the High Council, including Ambassador Merrok’s brother, Acerkk. I believe the worst that could happen is that I would be demoted to a warrior.”
Her eyes widened. “They might not let you remain a general? Won’t that upset you greatly?”
He shook his head. “Your safety is more important to me, little human. I suspect Commander Vavvis believes he’ll be awarded my position if he manages to eliminate me, that fool.”
Movement on the mountainside caught his eye. He looked up and sighed with relief to see a Holy One rushing down through the tall grasses. Xazzok and Fallonn came out onto the terrace, and the servants who’d been with Zamek longest walked outside as well.
“I’d hoped to give you a human wedding,” Zamek confessed, speaking low so only Layla would hear. “I’d hoped to allow you to invite your friend Betsy, and Commander Edek as well. And I’d planned to invite my parents and other family members too—they live on the other side of planet Kall.”
“It’s all right,” Layla said. “I just want to marry you. I also want to stick it to those troublemakers.” She switched to English for this last sentence, as it was a phrase that didn’t translate well into Kall. Whether Zamek understood or not, she wasn’t certain, but he gave her a warm smile that made her melt.
He helped her to her feet, and they approached the breathless Holy One, who’d stopped just outside the terrace to hunch over a bit and catch his breath. Zamek checked his wrist comm.
“The marriage license is still valid. The council hasn’t canceled it yet, thank the ancient gods.” He held his arm out to the Holy One, who immediately pressed his thumb on Zamek’s wrist comm.
The Holy One grinned from ear to ear. “I am pleased that I made it in time. Xazzok explained the situation to my brothers and sisters over a video comm and I was chosen to come down the mountain, as I’m the fastest runner among us.”
“I cannot thank you enough for your help today,” Zamek said to the Holy One. He turned to peer at Layla. “His thumb print on the marriage license, which I pulled up on my wrist comm, just made us legally married in the eyes of my people. You are safe now, human.”
Her mouth dropped open. “That’s wonderful. Are-are we going to say the vows now?” Hope lifted inside her, vanquishing her worries. They were married. Legally married. And now that awful Kall commander couldn’t come back and try to drag her away for a public execution in town. The shock of his threat hadn’t entirely faded, and her hands were still shaking, ever so slightly.
“Yes, Layla, we will say our vows now.”
She smoothed her hands over her hair, then her dress, thankful that she’d worn one of the nicest gowns Zamek had given her today, and s
he faced the Holy One with an expectant look that soon turned to a broad smile. She couldn’t help but grin. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt this happy. She just hoped Zamek wasn’t sugarcoating anything. She truly hoped the High Council wouldn’t vote to charge him with treason.
Zamek grasped her hand and brought it to his lips for a quick kiss. In the background, she heard Fallonn emit a dreamy sigh.
The ceremony was quick, and once they finished exchanging vows, Zamek thanked the Holy One again. Two servants stepped forward holding boxes brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables, and Zamek added a bag of coins to one box. The servants then followed the Holy One up the mountain with the gifts.
“That was kind of you,” Layla said, squeezing her husband’s hand.
Husband. He’s my husband.
A thrill rushed through her.
“I intend to send them more supplies soon,” Zamek said, guiding her into the house. A frown marred his face as they reached one of the sitting rooms, where a video comm was set up. “I am sorry that I cannot carry you directly to our bedchamber, wife, as is custom. Before that, I must contact my friends at the High Council.”
“It’s all right, husband,” she said. “I understand. But just so you know, I’m wearing those thin red panties you like so much today.”
He growled and gave her a heated look.
Chapter 25
The sound of an airship touching down outside drew a curse from Zamek. He rose to his feet and marched to the window.
