by Jane Henry
“I do,” I say.
“Up ahead are the mines. In order to get where we need to, we will have to walk past the mines. As I am disguised as a servant, I will be allowed to pass, and as long as you two fulfill your roles well, you will pass as well. Remember. She is your slave and you are her master. Svali, your eyes must be cast down at all times. And my lord…” he pauses, his voice trailing off.
“Yes?” I ask. Why the hesitancy?
“My lord, the men of the inner sanctum are not… nice men,” he says.
I clench my jaw and nod. I have already surmised as much. “Yes, of course,” I say.
“If they detect that you are treating her with kindness, they will suspect you—”
“I understand,” I interrupt. Svali’s eyes widen. I pull the chain that binds her to me and bring her ear to my mouth. “I may take you beyond where you are comfortable, lovely,” I whisper. “But I promise you two things. First, that I will do whatever I can to ensure you like it. And second, that you can always trust me.”
“Of course I trust you, my lord,” she whispers.
Good. She will need to.
“Halt!” comes a voice ahead of us. There are three armed creatures, each with enormous round eyes, a pig-like snout, a thin mouth, and short dark hair. They are dressed in dismal gray, and so short they come to my elbow. I shudder. The bragni, the half-human species that populates Kleedan. Amoral, savage little creatures capable of anything. Among the humans on Kleedan, the bragni function as security. A sort of low-level guard. Naturally, Vortrian employs them. What the bragni lack in stature, they make up for in cruelty.
Shaan takes the lead, bowing to them. It is a good move, one that will placate them as if he is paying them homage. “Good afternoon,” he says. It is hard to believe it is still afternoon when it is so dark. “I have completed an errand for Vortrian, and bring with me a couple from his inner circle.” One guard lifts a brow at me and Svali, then looks at Shaan.
“How do I know this to be true?” he says.
“I bring with me good friends he will recognize,” Shaan says, but still the guard hesitates.
I step forward, scowling. “Fail to bring his friends before him, and you will pay.” Fear flickers in the eyes of the guard. Are they so easily tricked?
“You will be allowed passage,” one guard says. “But if we find what you have said to be untrue—” He frowns. One corner of his lip goes up as he looks at Svali. My hand longs to hurt him, but I tame the urge.
They open a door and allow us to pass. The entrance leads to a stairway that goes down, deeper even into the earth than before.
“By the time they get an inkling of who we are, we will have finished our errand,” says Shaan. My hand itches to grasp the now-missing hilt of my sword. I would much prefer an attack than this sneaking deception, but we shall do what is necessary.
“We will be taken to the chambers of his guests,” Shaan says. “When Vortrian sees you, he may not recognize you at first, but you resemble someone he knows. I witnessed Vortrian win a bet against the man who bears this semblance. Vortrian will not remember the man clearly, as he had had far too much to drink. But when he sees the lovely woman you’ve brought, and if you stroke his ego well enough, we shall be able to make good progress.” Shaan shrugs. “Of course, we should have a plan to kill anyone who tries to harm or take advantage of Svali, and a second way to leave if necessary.”
“Kill them?” Svali asks.
“Take advantage of Svali?” I choke.
Shaan only nods.
We have finally come to the end of the stairway that enters into a large room.
Ahead of us we hear catcalls and whistling, loud music, the clinking of glasses, and laughter.
“Come with me now,” Shaan whispers. “Remember, Svali, eyes to the floor. Make eye contact with no one. Ask no questions. If you are silent, they will assume you are not allowed to speak, and they will leave you alone.”
“Fine,” she says, rolling her eyes heavenward.
I tug the chain at her neck, causing her eyes to widen. “Idan!”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Woman, your very life and the life of your sister are at stake,” I hiss in her ear. “This is nothing to be playing with.” When she doesn’t respond right away, I push further. “You must obey me in this, Svali.”
She finally reluctantly nods. “I wish I could rescue her with my own hands,” she whispers. “I would—”
But I hush her quiet. We do not need anyone coming at us to disturb us now. Shaan whispers before he enters. “I will enter the ranks of the servants who are handling the evening’s meal,” he says. “From my position, I will do my best to find out what I can about Cambri’s location.”
Shaan goes ahead of us, his head bowed. “And if we find anything, we will tell you,” Svali says.
Shaan nods. “Good. Meet me back here in one hour,” he says. “And we will discuss our next plan of action.”
I nod, and he disappears into the crowd. No one even looks our way, as it appears the other guests look similar to us. The lights are dim and flashing, the music blaring obnoxiously, and everyone around us has multi-colored liquid sloshing in their glasses. The women are as scantily-clad as Svali.
To my right is a thin, red-haired woman wearing shoes with heels so high that if she was standing, I think she would be as tall as I am. Her face is done up with intricate details on her lips and eyes, make-up and jewelry aplenty. But what draws my attention is not her eyes, or make-up, but the fact that she is on her knees before a man at the bar. Though she grasps his leg, her gaze is lowered. As I look about me, I see that every one of the women there is on the floor.
It seems Svali has realized this at the very same moment I have. Her eyes flit to the floor, before lifting to me questioningly. I give a short nod, and pull the chain about her neck.
Chapter 5
Svali
Does he mean for me to fall to the floor?
His eyes narrow, and I realize he is completely serious. “Now,” he mouths. “Do exactly as I say.”
Shaking, I fall to my knees, uncertain exactly how I feel about this. Though I tremble, and I feel a bit embarrassed by my ignominious position, a part of me likes being here by his feet.
In our home, I submit to Idan. It is expected as his wife and mate. All members of the Hisrach are to be obeyed, and those who chose to defy, even those who are mated, face certain punishment. It has been difficult learning to obey Idan, but he loves me, takes care of me, and ensures that my every need is met.
Here, it seems obedience is only the beginning.
I crawl slowly by Idan’s side, fearful that upon the floor of this dark room I will see things I do not like, but I am pleasantly surprised. The floor is clean, clearly well swept, and I am not the only one on my hands and knees. Idan sits on a stool and orders a drink.
“You look familiar,” the bartender says. “You’ve been here before?”
“Of course,” Idan says without missing a beat. “I am Vortrian’s guest.”
The man pouring drinks smiles widely. “Welcome,” he says. “Is he expecting you tonight?”
Idan shrugs. “I do not think so,” he says. “We met several months ago and he said if I happened to be by, to visit.” He is playing it coolly, and so far no one seems to be in the least suspicious.
“Very good,” the man says, handing Idan a drink. The ice tinkles in the glass, and he takes a sip before lowering it to me. I reach my hand, but he shakes his head sternly, his eyes warning me not to touch it. My heartbeat races, as my hands fall to my lap. He lifts the drink to my lips. It is cool and sweet, but it burns as I swallow it down.
“Thank you, my lord,” I whisper, the words coming easily to me, as I would say the same if we were alone.
“You are quite welcome, lovely,” he says. He sits back up on his seat, and I can see from my position that he is scanning the loud bar area. From side to side he looks, casually, but as he is a trained warrior, I know
that he misses nothing. I look as well, but see no one who could resemble Cambri. We will have to get even closer to the master of this house. “Remember,” he whispers as he leans down and tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “You do not move until I give you leave.”
“Yes, my lord,” I whisper.
I hear a cackle beside me. Without moving my body, my eyes go to the couple who are there. The man pushes the woman to her knees, and to my shock, his hand fiddles with his breeches. Will he? He does. He withdraws his pathetic cock and gestures to the woman. Her head bobs between his knees. My mouth drops open in shock, but no one else flinches in the slightest. She is pleasuring him, right here in the open, and no one moves.
“Do you see that?” I hiss to Idan.
His voice is low, directed at me, but his eyes are scanning the bar. “Be quiet,” he commands.
I freeze. Why has he commanded me into silence? I can feel the chain at my neck, taut. Instead of speaking, I observe as much as I can from my kneeling position. The man being pleasured grips the woman’s hair in his hands, directing her head with firm tugs and grunts, and to my shock, I feel my nether regions pulse, and my nipples harden. I feel dirty… But aroused.
There is a woman chained to the bar ahead of me, both her ankles and wrists secured in thin but solid shackles. The man she is with raises and drops his hand, smacking against her naked skin. She squeals and wiggles.
Another has a woman on his lap, his hands beneath her short skirt. I cannot see above their laps, but I can see her squirming. I swallow.
Without conscious thought, I pull at my neck. Idan freezes.
“What are you doing?” he hisses. I shrug. I have no idea what I’m doing. I try my hardest to stay still and observe my surroundings.
“Woman,” he hisses. “There are slaves here being manhandled, used, and punished. Do you think I will hesitate to do the same?”
“Well… yes!” I protest, earning me another yank of the chain, but that’s when I see her. My sister.
I spent my entire childhood with her. I would recognize her anywhere. She is a few years younger than I am, slight, petite, her thin blonde hair tied back from her face. I barely get a glimpse of her before she is whisked away, led out of the area we are in now, and I do not see where they take her. I gasp, leaping to my feet. Idan’s drink clatters to the floor, the glass shattering, sending shards flying, ice skidding across the floor.
He moves quickly. “Shame on you,” he scolds out loud.
At home, he would never punish me for making him spill a drink, and I know immediately that he’s doing so to divert attention. He props one foot up on the ledge that runs around the bar, bending his knee. Seconds before he hauls me over his lap, I know what is going to happen as if I can play it all in my mind first. He’s going to spank me, right here, in front of this whole crowd of people, and there isn’t a thing I can do to stop him.
He bares me with one sweep of his large fingers, and seconds later I feel the first bite of his palm across my naked skin. I gasp out loud and wiggle instinctively, trying to get away from the sting. “Look what you made me do!” he says loudly, intentionally allowing his voice to be heard as the crowd around us turns our way. “I spilled my drink because of you.”
He would never berate me like this. It is for show. Still, I feel my cheeks burn with shame. He delivers one hard smack after another, covering my naked bottom with hard, punishing swats.
“Make her lick it up!” cackles a man behind me.
Idan’s voice is harsh. “Oh, she will lick it up,” he growls, earning raucous laughter from the men around us.
“Idan!” I hiss, frowning, but now is clearly not the place to push him, not when I’m face-down over his lap.
His hand grasps my hair and tugs. “Do not dare,” he whispers in my ear. “You do not defy me or call me by name or this becomes far more real,” he says.
I bite back a reply. It feels real enough to me.
“That’s it,” says another deep voice, slurred with drink. “Let ‘er have it!”
He spanks me again, his hand around my waist holding me tightly so I do not fall. “Are you going to watch yourself, or do I need to take you to Vortrian?” he says.
My heart thunders in my chest, my pulse quickening in my veins. I know what I must say. I know what he expects of me. Clenching my eyes tight, I twist myself so that my mouth is at his upper leg, and I let my teeth sink in. I do not hurt him, but he shouts in both shock and rage.
“You have yer answer.” The man beside us laughs.
Idan lifts me to my feet and spins me around to look at him. There is warning in his eyes, which I read loud and clear. We are just on the cusp of what needs to happen, and I must follow his lead.
“You need a firmer hand,” he growls, and I can tell this is both partly acting and partly serious. He very much does believe I need a firm hand, though if we were alone, things would have played out very much differently. “The vixen needs more than my hand,” he growls, He shoves me to the floor by his feet. Though he is playing the part of the stern master well, he is gentle enough to be sure I do not fall hard or injure myself. When my knees hit the carpet, I almost shriek at a voice in my ear.
“So beautiful,” says a deep, unrecognizable voice. “And Vortrian’s men share.” To my horror, a strange hand reaches for me, just grazing the skin of my thigh. I shove him away, repulsed by the touch of a stranger, but both my range and limbs are restricted.
“Get off me!” I scream. However, there is no need for me to protect myself. Idan has seen all. The end of my chain drops to the ground, and my head rears back. The man who touched me is a large man with a shock of dirty brown hair, clad in scant clothing, his wicked little eyes looking at me as if he wishes to devour me. Idan shoves him against the bar.
“No need to get all angry, now,” the man slurs. “I won’t keep her. I just want a taste.”
Idan’s eyes are mere slits, his jaw clenched. I can see the fury in his eyes and I silently beg him not to lose his mind. If anyone on Avalere dared to come near me, much less speak of me like this, Idan would kill them, and he’d be within the rights of the law to do so. If he loses his temper here, all might be lost.
“My lord—” I plead, reminding him of where we are before he loses his mind, but it is too late. His fist slams into the man’s jaw, and the man gasps, writhing in Idan’s grip. Idan rears back and punches the man’s stomach, doubling him over, before letting fly another vicious punch to his face.
My hands are at my mouth. All is over. Idan will be discovered, and so will I. We will never rescue Cambri. Tears well up in my eyes. Discovery at this juncture would be disastrous.
Cheers erupt around us as Idan lays waste to the man who dared touch me. The man falls to the ground, his lip split open, holding his stomach. Idan’s chest heaves from the effort, as he wipes his bloodied knuckles clean. His eyes meet mine. He is not sorry.
He lifts me to my feet. “It will be fine,” he says. “You will see. Are you all right?”
I nod, as he pulls me to his chest and kisses my forehead. “Yes, my lord,” I whisper.
To my surprise, the bartender grins at us. “Vortrian loves the ones who’ll give him a bit of entertainment,” he says with a chuckle. “Keep those buggers on their toes.” He signals to someone by the door, who comes to his side. “Take the man to Vortrian’s inner sanctum,” he says. “He certainly belongs there.”
I bite my lip, trying not to smile. It is working! Idan’s violence didn’t out us, but rather gained us entry to the inner sanctum. But seconds later, my head is pulled to Idan, his mouth at my ear. “This is when things become very, very serious. You do as I say, Svali, or I will spank you again here and again when we get home, with my folded belt. Do you understand?”
I swallow; scared, excited, terrified, and anxious. I close my eyes.
Do exactly as I say.
“Yes, my lord.”
Chapter 6
Idan
S
vali’s hand is in mine, my senses on high alert, as we are escorted with the others toward the heavy black door. There are two couples with us as well, one the couple who was sitting beside us, the woman upon the lap of her partner. Next to them stands a tall man with a shock of long dark hair, hanging onto the chain of the thin, red-headed woman who was near Svali in the bar.
It is not until we are near the entrance to Vortrian’s inner chambers that I realize Svali is hesitating. I look curiously at her. She nods her head discreetly to the redheaded woman. I was so intent on getting Svali into the inner sanctum that I have not realized the other women are not walking, but are on their hands and knees.
My stomach tightens, my lips thinning as I seek to control myself. Though my wife is submissive to me, she has never crawled, and certainly has not done so in a public setting like this. How far must I take this? It was not difficult for me to punish her. I have done so many times, and sometimes, if she is not in serious trouble, and I am merely reminding her who is in charge, she likes it.
The man who holds the chain of the red-head comes to my side, grinning. “Aye, you belong with us, all right,” he says, his words slurred. “Vortrian likes the feisty girls and the men who’ll give him a show. Why do you let her walk, though? Have her crawl and remember her place,” he says, with a nod toward Svali.
My fist clenches by my side. I wish to find her sister, rescue her, and return my woman home, where she is under my protection.
“She does not need to crawl,” I say through gritted teeth, but still I must play the part. “I spanked her backside raw in the bar, and want to see my handiwork as she walks.” I tug the chain. Svali’s eyes come to mine, her lips twitching. She is barely containing her amusement.
The man chuckles, and turns his attention back to his woman, as we are now in front of the heavy metal door at the end of the hallway. The guard who leads us, yanks the door open, revealing a large, brightly-lit room, elaborately decorated. I blink, not following him at first, I am so taken aback by this display of wealth. I have never seen anything like this on Kleedan. It is far different from what I expected.
