“Are their memories scrambled before they’re returned to their home worlds?”
“Of course. No one leaves the maze with memories that could endanger the occupants.”
“You’re Ontarian. How did you come to be here, and why do you stay?”
Aila tucked a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear. “Where’s your royal courtesy now?”
“A question is simply a request for information. You can always tell me to mind my own business.”
“You might look exactly like E’Lanna, but your personalities are very different.”
Echo chuckled and bit into a slice of bread. “An observation or a criticism?”
“An observation.” Aila’s perceptive gaze moved over Echo’s face before she went on. “I was huddled in the burnt-out ruins of what had once been my home when a hunting party happened upon me. It was dark, and they couldn’t really see me. By the time they got me to the maze, it was too late.”
“Why didn’t they return you to ...”
“The world above?”
Echo nodded, refusing to assimilate their terminology.
“Because Varrik knew I would die. He looked into my eyes and recognized the desolation of someone who had lost everything.”
“Who did you lose in the fire?” Aila was casting Varrik in the role of hero. Echo resisted the idea and focused on the shadows in Aila’s gaze.
“My life mate and our two children.” Aila glanced toward the door, inadvertently displaying the worst of her scars. “I’d stopped eating and did nothing to care for my wounds. I was beyond caring if I lived, yet too cowardly to end my life. Varrik spent nearly a cycle returning me to health. When spring came, the elders offered to return me to the world above. I asked what I had to do to remain in the maze.”
“You didn’t want to leave Varrik?”
“It was more complicated than that. I was no longer part of the world above, yet I had no desire to start over somewhere else. The elders told me I had to enter the lottery or make myself available as a pleasure giver.”
“What’s the lottery?” Echo was almost afraid to ask. So many of their customs were ... unusual.
“When a man is ready to fulfill his obligation to the maze and produce a son, he submits his name for placement in the lottery.”
Fulfill his obligation to the maze? Echo kept her comment to herself, but her gaze narrowed.
“The hunters bring back young, healthy women, and the men choose according to their placement.”
“Delightful.” She pushed the tray back, glad she had finished most of the simple meal before Aila got too far into her explanation. “If E’Lanna isn’t pregnant, will she be put in this lottery?”
“Yes.”
Echo accepted the answer with a stiff nod, more determined than ever to find a way out of the maze. “Why did you choose to become a pleasure giver rather than enter the lottery?”
Aila smiled. “What’s the first thing you saw when you looked at me?” She didn’t wait for Echo to reply. “My scars have faded a lot since I left the world above. If I had entered the lottery, the unlucky man who was left with no option but to choose me would have resented a ruined mate. As it is, I have shelter and solitude because very few men can be bothered with a scarred pleasure giver.”
They lapsed into silence as Echo finished the glass of water. Aila had no interest in leaving the maze, so what could she offer in exchange for her help? Varrik obviously trusted her, and Aila had good reason to be loyal.
“You’ve chosen this life.” Echo kept her gaze downcast, waiting for just the right moment to judge Aila’s reaction. “E’Lanna and I were brought here against our will. We have a life in the world above. Can you understand our desire to be free of the maze?”
“You’ll be returned to the life you knew as soon as you fulfill your purpose.”
Echo had to rein in her temper before she met the other woman’s gaze. “My purpose has nothing to do with the Shadow Maze.”
“I know Varrik explained what he is trying to do.” Conviction burned in her eyes. “His entire life has been conflict and pain, while you have never known hardship. Is this really so great a sacrifice?”
“You tell me,” Echo snapped. “You had two children. How would you have reacted if someone tried to take them from you? Would you have meekly bowed to the custom, knowing you would never see them again?”
“It’s not as simple as what you or I want. This might be our only hope of bringing change to the world below.”
Echo didn’t bother arguing with her. Aila was clearly a devoted disciple. If Varrik were really committed to changing his way of life, he could seek political asylum or ... Varrik’s brother had been executed for opposing the elders. Then how did Varrik expect his son to succeed where his brother had failed? She raked her hair with both hands and heaved an exasperated sigh.
She couldn’t allow herself to care about the “conflict and pain” he had suffered. She had to get E’Lanna out of the maze. It was now or never.
“I’m sorry to take advantage of your compassionate nature,” Echo said softly. “I really am.”
Aila’s brows drew together and her lips parted. Echo slammed the tray into the side of her head, preempting her response. Edible debris scattered, and Aila fell over sideways. Echo grabbed her chair, rushing to Aila in case the tray hadn’t done the trick.
Clutching her head with both hands, Aila moaned, blinking repeatedly. Echo tossed the chair aside and grabbed the front of Aila’s dress, dragging her to her feet. She swayed, leaning heavily on Echo as she guided her to the bed.
“This won’t accomplish anything.” Her words sounded muffled and somewhat slurred.
Echo ignored the prediction and snapped the cuffs around her wrists. “Where are the holding cells?”
Aila snorted. “You can’t get out of this room, much less find your sister.”
“Then you have nothing to lose by telling me.”
“I would rather die than betray Varrik’s trust.” She pushed the chain tether out of her way and curled up on her side.
Shit!
Echo touched the side of Aila’s head and quickly scanned her memories. Then she crossed to the main privacy panel, staying just out of scanner range. She paused, centering her energy, and tuned out her surroundings. She pictured Aila, meticulously recreating the shape of her face and the intricate color of her eyes. Waiting until the memory was perfect, she transformed into Aila’s likeness.
She stepped forward and scanned open the door.
“How the hell did you do that?”
She heard Aila’s question just before the door slid closed.
E’Lanna, are you alone?
Yes. What’s going on?
Don’t speak. Just broadcast your signal. I’m on my way.
Chapter Eight
“Commander, we have a problem.”
Varrik looked away from his sparring partner for just a moment, and the lad kicked him in the chest. His companions laughed and slapped him on the back. “That’s called a cheap shot. Keep practicing, and you might not need them quite so often.” He tossed the staff to one of the other trainers and left the sparring field.
“What’s wrong?” He rubbed his chest as he approached Minekus, the head of security.
“Aila set off a general distress in your quarters. We responded to find her chained to your bed.”
“Where was my mate?” He pulled his shirt off and dried his face on it as they rushed from the common room.
“She released her sister. They’re loose somewhere in the maze.”
“What?” He shot the other man a disbelieving glare. “How did she open the holding cell?”
“You must have bagged a shifter, sir. According to Aila, she transformed long enough to scan open the door.”
“Gods damn her! Nothing in my research indicated she could shift. Is Aila harmed?”
“She’s got a massive lump on the side of her head, but she’ll survive.”
“Is the maze in lockdown?”
“Yes, sir. It’s just a matter of time before we find them.”
Varrik acknowledged Minekus’s confidence with a stiff nod. “Check the arrival deck. They were pretty out of it when we were there, but they’ll stick with what’s familiar. I’ll double back toward the crystal chamber.”
Minekus hurried off in the opposite direction.
A shifter. The development pleased Varrik far more than he cared to admit. Shapeshifting was among the rarest and most coveted abilities. What if she could Summon the Storm? His eyes widened, and he ran. It generally took twenty cycles of training to master long-range teleportation. What if she had been mentored in secret so her abilities weren’t widely known? His pulse thundered in his ears and his muscles strained. He had to find them, had to find her.
He rounded a corner and skittered to a stop. E’Lanna stood passively between two guards, while Echo fought off the third. She drove him backward with a brutal kick to his belly, then crouched, ready to strike again. He swung, his fingers tightly balled. She easily avoided the blow.
“Having fun?” he asked loudly enough to draw everyone’s attention. To her credit, Echo’s gaze remained fixed on her opponent.
“This one needs to be whipped,” her adversary snarled.
She caught him in the throat with a quick, sharp jab. He collapsed at her feet. She launched herself at one of the other guards, but Varrik intercepted her flight. She brought up her knee with vicious intent. He twisted, taking the impact on his thigh.
He whipped her around, crossing her arms at the small of her back. She leaned forward, then slammed her head back into his chest. He arched and turned without releasing her arms. Her head barely missed his chin.
“Enough!” Using his weight to buckle her knees, he took her down to the floor. E’Lanna cried out in alarm, and Echo stiffened. “Unless you want her to watch your punishment, you’ll stop this right now.” He whispered the threat for Echo’s ears alone, and she immediately went still. “Return that one to the holding cell and notify Minekus that my twins have been recovered.”
“When does this one go in the lottery?” one of the guards asked.
“When I clear her and not before. Now, move!”
One of the guards escorted E’Lanna, while the other helped their felled comrade back to his feet. Varrik waited until they turned the corner before he loosened his hold on Echo. He pulled her up, keeping her arms secured at the small of her back.
“I suppose blindfolding you would be pointless. You’ve already been down this corridor.”
She said nothing.
He took her directly to his chambers and placed her at the foot of his bed. When he turned her to face him, he found tears pooled behind her lashes. He raised her arm and snapped a cuff around her wrist. She just stared at him, silent and still. After securing her other arm, he stepped back and clasped his hands behind his back.
“List your abilities. All of them. Now.”
“I don’t sing worth shit, but I bake a mean blanterberry pie.”
Without changing his expression, he ripped the shoulder seams of her dress. The material swooshed down her slender body and pooled around her ankles. “I could whip you, as my friend suggested, but I suspect you’d like it. When I slapped your ass last night, your moans had nothing to do with pain.” The taunt penetrated her façade. Her lips trembled, and she quickly pressed them together. “I don’t blame you for trying to escape. If the situation were reversed, I would do the same.”
“If you really intend to secure a future for your son, the change must start with you.” Her conviction shocked him. She stood there naked, chained and helpless, yet dared to criticize him.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and sneered into her face. “Don’t pretend to understand our ways. You know nothing about the world below.”
“So explain it to me.” She licked her lips and stared into his eyes, undeterred by his anger or her helplessness. “What keeps you from recruiting others and moving against --”
He silenced her with his mouth, unwilling to listen to the words he’d heard so often in the back of his own mind. Sekall had died attempting to bring about change. This cause had plenty of martyrs. It needed a champion.
“Who trained you in hand-to-hand combat?” His fingers relaxed without releasing her hair. Her lips were rosy from his rough kiss, and he refused to look lower. This was an interrogation. His information was clearly incomplete. “The woman I encountered in the corridor was a soldier, not a princess.”
“Can you trust those men to leave E’Lanna alone?”
“You need to worry about me right now, not E’Lanna.”
“I can take care of myself.” Her chin rose, inadvertently increasing the tension on her hair. “E’Lanna is every inch the sheltered princess.”
“Answer my question.” Her gaze grew distant for a moment. He sensed a flash of telepathic energy; then it was gone. “Is she okay?”
“She’s worried about me.”
“Smart girl. I’m still waiting for your answer.”
“We both received basic defense training. I found it fascinating and continued after E’Lanna lost interest.”
He suspected there was more to it than that. Echo had been fearless from the start. Only experience in highly volatile situations afforded someone that kind of composure. Arguing with her was pointless, so he moved on to the next revelation.
“Aila said you used her likeness to scan open the doors. What other Mystic abilities do you possess?”
Rebellion flared within her gaze. “I gain nothing by telling you. My body might respond to your skill, but I will resist you with my dying breath.”
He dragged his fingers out of her hair and shook his head. “It is physically impossible to escape this place. Each time you try, people will get hurt. I can’t allow your belligerence.”
“Then punish me,” she snapped. “I’m tired of this conversation.”
Did Echo want to be punished? Was that why she continued to provoke him? Varrik studied her defiant expression, then allowed his gaze to descend. Her nipples had been pebble hard since he ripped the gown from her body. The faint sheen of cream had already gathered on her folds. If she was as inexperienced as he believed, she might not know what she needed to attain the heights of pleasure. Should he leave her restrained and test her responses?
He closed his eyes and let images roll though his mind. His cock throbbed and his senses burned as he immersed himself in fantasy. Each time he took her, each new pleasure he introduced made her wilder, more willing to surrender. He released a slow, controlled breath and opened his eyes. As much as the idea appealed to him, he pushed it aside. Better to seduce her gradually. If she accepted a fundamental joining, then he would move on to more exotic pleasures.
“As much as I’d enjoy punishing you, I’d rather come to a mutually beneficial agreement.”
She just stared at him.
“I want your willing participation and your vow that you will not attempt to escape.”
“I don’t understand.” She worried her bottom lip, confusion tempering her rebellious expression.
“You have something I want, and I have something you want. Isn’t that the basis for most negotiations?”
“What do you have that I want?”
He felt a smile tug at one corner of his mouth. “You aren’t going to ask what you have that I want?”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve got that figured out.”
He nodded, his spark of playfulness exhausted. “I will release your sister in five days, if you spend those five days with me. I will expect you to willingly participate in any and all intimacies for the full five days.”
“What happens to me at the end of the five days?”
“That would depend.”
“On whether or not I’m pregnant?” He gave a quick nod. “If I’m not?”
“It will likely take longer than five days to make that determination, but I will
only require your submission for five days.”
“That didn’t answer the question.” Her tone was sharp. Her fingers clenched into tight little fists. “If I’m not pregnant after five days, will you release both of us?”
“I will, but you must vow to stop fighting me in all things, for five days.”
“Release E’Lanna now.”
He shook his head and moved closer. “I’m not a fool. If I release her now, what motivation do you have to behave?”
“How do I know you’ll actually release her? I could do everything you ask, and you could still give her to your men.”
“Yes, I could. But I won’t. When I give my word, I keep it. Last night should have proved that to you.” He paused as his gaze swept over her body. “You’re chained to my bed, Echo. All I have to do is finish what I started before.”
She licked her lips, her gaze dropping to his mouth. “Why ... don’t you?”
“I don’t want my son to be conceived in violence. If you submit to me for five days, I will release your sister. Are we agreed?”
He held his breath as he waited for Echo’s answer. His secret hope, his grand design all hinged on this woman. Spirited, passionate, she would empower his son with centuries of noble breeding and Mystic power.
“Do I have to wear the cuffs?”
“For now.” Having her restrained excited him. Still, her willing submission would please him even more.
“What do you want me to do?”
Desire tripled his pulse for an instant before he could breathe past the tension in his chest. Had she agreed, or was she still negotiating? He deactivated her cuffs and nodded toward the bed behind her. “Lie down.”
With one last hesitation, she tugged off the wool socks and crawled onto the bed. She knelt facing him with her hands folded in her lap.
Perfection. Golden-brown hair framed her delicate face, streamed across her shoulders and down her back. One wavy lock followed the contour of her breast, drawing his gaze to her nipple. Allowing his gaze to wander over her body, he pulled off his boots and shucked his pants. He joined her in the middle of the bed, his hands balled into fists.
Ontarian Legacies 1 Shadow Assassins Page 7
