by Lisa Lace
I manage to direct the conversation with Miruska to more trivial things. After she is gone, I lie awake long into the night. I sleep fitfully, and rise at dawn, restlessly prowling the hallways.
I look out the window and manage to catch Monani’s rising.
I wonder if Rasulus can see it as well.
“Come on. Don’t let him think you’re afraid of him!”
“But I am terrified!”
“You shouldn’t be! Mari is a sweetheart!”
The kashak towers above me. All I can see is a ball of talons and a slashing beak. Miruska sits easily on another kashak, watching with a grin as I try to make friends with the vicious beast.
“I think he wants to eat me.”
“He wants to eat the grain in your hand. Give it to him. I promise, he loves everyone, even people from Earth!”
I take a deep breath and hold out the handful of grain Miruska insisted I bring with me. My heart pounds faster as the kashak steps up to investigate. His beak feels surprisingly delicate as he picks at my hand. With a noise that sounds suspiciously like a purr, he folds down into a sitting position to slurp away the grains. When he finishes, he gives me a wide-eyed look. He seems positively heartbroken that I didn’t have more.
“You’re a sweetheart, aren’t you, you big baby?”
Mari gurgles again. Even though I’m out of food, he sets his head on my lap, showing me where he would like to be scratched.
“You learned something today. There’s nothing to fear at all!”
“Well, he’s still big enough to claw open my belly. I guess I can tolerate him for now.”
Casca is often too busy to do anything more than say hello at mealtimes, but Miruska and I are now fast friends. When she learned about my bad experience with kashaks at the palace, she insisted I get to know her favorite mounts. By now I know how to saddle and bridle one of the riding birds, but today is the first time I have been in the paddock, approaching one on my own.
Being with the kashak reminds me of how Rasulus rescued me at the palace. I wonder where he is and what he is doing. Is he thinking about me? If he’s not, I should be learning how to stop thinking about him, but it is hard. At some point, I gave him a piece of my heart, and it seems like there is no way to get it again.
Abruptly, Mari snorts, standing away from me and taking a few hopping steps back. When I look around to see what has alarmed him so, I gasp.
At first, I think the kashak approaching us has no rider. As it comes closer, I realize the rider is slumped low over the bird’s neck. He has been so hurt that his clothes are soaked with blood.
“Oh gods, what happened to him?” Miruska cries. We both rush forward, her on a mount and I on foot.
The rider is barely conscious as we lead his exhausted ride to the castle. At Miruska’s frantic call, people come rushing out to help. I am relieved beyond all measure when Casca appears.
The man refuses to say anything until she confirms for him that she is Lady Cascaron, and then he nods. “Rasulus. I have a message for Rasulus.”
Casca’s face turns white, and she orders everyone from the room except for Miruska and me. “What is it?”
“His allies are gathering, but Kelis was spotted, and maybe Marchan too. Tell him we must move fast.”
A helpless look crosses Casca’s face. She is too important to leave her home.
Miruska speaks up. “I can do it. I’ll go find Rasulus.”
“No! I will not have you go anywhere near the palace.”
From Casca’s frightened expression, I realize it was not only territory rights that caused Atrixan to challenge Crucis to a duel. She fears for her daughter. After spending some time at court, I don’t blame her in the least.
I decide to volunteer. “I’ll go.”
Miruska looks at me with shock. “You’d need to ride a kashak. You can’t take a carriage. It wouldn’t be fast enough.”
“I don’t care. Strap me to the bird if you must. I’ll find Rasulus.”
I am slowly discovering that the man who sent me away is not the real Rasulus. Rasulus is no drunk or decadent waste. He is a man people will fight and die for. Even if it’s a selfish desire, I want to learn more about him.
Rasulus
The Avarii are different from the other clans on Arietus. They have no territories or buildings. They consider their enormous ships to be their lands, and they only walk on the planet when trade requires it.
Today they have requested to meet in the Pearl, one of the best brothels in the capital. The girls work here willingly, and they do no business with the traffickers who prey at the edges of the country. There is little pretense of what kind of place it is, however. There are anonymous men everywhere, and they are outnumbered by the girls wearing sheer silk and little else.
Xanthe Avarii is the youngest person the Avarii have ever promoted to admiral. She watches me with a bright, speculative eye.
“You make a strong case for a land walker. Do you really believe we are on the edge of rebellion?”
“We come closer every day. I’m not asking for much from the Avarii. Pledge to stand beside me and keep Crucis’ navy from attacking the capital when word gets out.”
“Your brother’s toy ships won’t give us a problem. But that’s not what is important to us. What about our price?”
“Once I take the throne, you will have the right to govern your ships without interference. The taxes to pass through the southern gates will stop.”
“That’s an even trade, and I think the fleet will accept it. The taxes were your brother’s bright idea, and we have wanted them eliminated for some time. Do we have a deal, then?”
I grin. “Yes, Admiral. I wish all of my allies were as straightforward as the Avarii.”
“You land walkers make things too complicated. All I need is a ship, a sword, and a willing girl.”
She eyes the young woman serving us our meal, and I get the hint.
“Of course. I am here often. Stay for the evening and tell them to bill it to my account.”
“We call that good diplomacy.”
I start to rise from the table when I hear a commotion at the door. Someone is shouting, but they are being denied entry. All in all, it’s another normal night at the Pearl. A small form staggers out of the crowd dressed in Savi riding clothes, and I realize who is standing before me.
“Perri!”
“Rasulus! I have a message for you, and I need to speak with you privately. Where are we?”
My wife looks around in shock, and I know what she is thinking.
“You’re at a brothel, pretty thing. Did you get lost?” Xanthe’s tone drips with sympathy, but I catch the gleam of interest in her eye as she steps forward.
“I was looking for Rasulus. I did not expect to find him here with a whore.”
“I’m an admiral, sweetheart. I’d stay longer and see if some nice words and some alcohol could loosen you up a bit, but I can see you have business here. Rasulus, I’ll see you another time.”
I nod at Xanthe before grabbing Perri’s arm. “What are you doing here?”
“There’s a message for you. I went up to the palace, but they said you were here. Rasulus, what are you doing in this place? Who was that woman?”
I internally consider the likelihood of getting her outside without drawing more attention. There are already people staring at us. Some of the men are more interested than I want them to be in the small Earth woman in our midst.
“Come with me.” I pull her up the stairs and into a vacant room. I lock it from the inside before turning to her. I am on the verge of asking her what in the name of the gods she is doing in the capital when I had sent her to the Savi to get away.
My instincts get the better of me. Instead of demanding an answer, I pull her into my arms. Her scent and the way she feels next to me is intoxicating. I can’t stop myself from kissing her. After a moment of shock, she throws her arms around me and kisses me in turn, her mouth as hungry as m
ine. I remember how good she sounds and the way she feels. The hunger that has been banked for the past two weeks roars up inside me.
Perri moans softly against my mouth. When I pull back, her eyes are dark with desire, and her mouth glistening from our passion.
“Stop!” She takes a step back. “We are not doing this now. I have a message for you.”
“Is it from the Savi?”
“No, it’s from a messenger. He says your allies are gathering. Marchan may be spotted, and Kelis definitely was. He says you must move as fast as you can.”
I question her about who the man was and how he was dressed. Things are beginning to move, and we are approaching the time when we must strike or give up. I will not allow Crucis to keep the throne. I’ll only have one chance to stop him. Despite the need for speed, I have not seen Perri in weeks, and I pause before calling for my kashak. “How did you get here?”
“I rode. Miruska tied me to Mari’s back, and we started this morning. I would have been faster if you were at home and not in a den of iniquity.”
“It’s not what it looks like.”
For a moment, I think she is going to argue with me. She shrugs and slowly offers me a tremulous smile. My heart thuds in my chest. “All right. I trust you. You have secrets. Someday you will tell them to me.”
“My love, I would like nothing more. Listen to me. I know you have your own ideas about what you need to do, but this is important. There are people I need to meet with. I cannot do what I am required to do unless I know you are safe. The Pearl, no matter what it looks like on the outside, is a good place for you to hide. Remain here until I send for you. Please. Will you stay?”
“I will. I don’t like it, but I’ll listen.”
“Thank you, my love.”
I give her another lingering kiss. My body insists I stay and make up for all the time we have spent apart. I tear myself away, stride to the door, and call for the manager of the Pearl.
“Yes, sir, how may we serve you?”
“Have my kashak brought to the back of the building. I am leaving a woman in your care. Give her whatever she wants. You know my account is good for it. But understand one thing. If I return and anyone has harmed a single hair on her head, I swear to all the gods that I will burn this place down around you.”
Perri
It is unwise for me to accompany Rasulus at all, let alone as far as the door. After he threatens the poor worker, he turns to me.
“Thank you. For everything.”
I can’t be flippant and tell him it’s nothing. The sacrifice comes at a cost. My entire body aches as if it has been beaten with sticks, and I feel both so tired that I could drop to the ground and so starved that I would eat just about anything. Still, when Rasulus runs a gentle finger down my face, I have the energy within me to respond. I cannot help but lean closer to him and flutter my eyes closed. Something in me comes to life at his touch. The Savi took good care of me, but it wasn’t the same. I was practically asleep the entire time I was with them. Now that I am back with Rasulus, I feel alive again.
“Please come back to me safely.”
“Of course, I will.” I think he wants to say something else, but he turns from me. He doesn’t look at me again. He’s afraid of something. I don’t know what it is, but the only thing that brings me comfort is feeling like he wants to be away from me as little as I do him.
I remember where I am as soon as he leaves. The people at the palace had stammered and stuttered before giving me the name and address of the place. They could have just said the brothel, and I would have known what they meant. I don’t need any euphemisms. I gulp, fury and confusion warring together in my mind.
Is this where he went when that beautiful woman appeared at his door?
I turn to the manager who had been threatened by Rasulus. My mouth half-opens. I intend to tell him I would like a private room, but he is nowhere to be found. A half-dozen Arietan women surround me, dressed in little more than jewelry and strips of silk. Like all of their kind, they are tall and lean. Six faces peer down at me with a fascination that startles me.
I get up the courage to speak first. “Um, excuse me.”
“What a pretty voice you have!”
“Are you from Rigel, or perhaps from Sephorn?”
“How small you are but so curvy!”
I start to explain that I am from Earth. I yelp when one of the girls reaches forward and pinches my hip.
“Ouch! Don’t do that!”
The leader of the girls lets out a snort.
“If you are going to tame Prince Rasulus, I hope you are tougher than you look.”
I can feel my temper start to smolder. “What do you know about taming him?”
The girls laugh, pushing at the girl who spoke and turning their teasing attention to her.
“Don’t mind Meena,” says another girl, slinging an arm over my shoulders. “She wishes she could get the prince to look twice at her.”
Meena glares at us, trying to regain some of her dignity. “I’m not jealous if that’s what you mean. He doesn’t fuck any of you either.”
She has my immediate attention. Does Rasulus come to brothels regularly without sleeping with any of the girls? I know my feelings for Rasulus are strong, but I try to go into relationships with eyes wide open. The idea of a rich, handsome man like Rasulus spending time at a brothel full of women who look like they are all made from the same mold is easy to believe. The thought that he has not slept with one seems unlikely.
I start listening to the girls more closely. The way the girls talk makes it sound like none of them have ever had the prince.
“You must tell us all about the sex,” says another girl. “Is he good? We are all extremely curious.”
I start to say it is absolutely none of her business. Before I can get a word out of my mouth, I let out a loud yawn. I have been on my kashak for hours. I can feel my body starting to ache. “I’m sorry. I think I need a place to rest.”
Rather than directing me to a place where I can pass out, the girls gather into a quick knot. One steps forward. Before I can ask what she is doing, she pops something in my mouth, and I swallow it.
“What was that?”
“Something that will make you feel better. We promise!”
I’m wondering if I should try to throw up whatever it was they gave me before I turn into a pumpkin. A wave of energy courses through me, leaving me feeling as light as a bubble. Fatigue dissipates from my body, and I suddenly feel as if I have gotten twelve hours of sleep in the world’s softest bed. I no longer ache, my vision is sharper, and my body relaxes.
“I hope whatever you gave me isn’t addictive.”
“It’s not! It’s a little concoction they sell here in the capital. It’s totally safe if you use it sparingly. You feel better, right?”
“That’s one way to put it. I feel like I could run a marathon and bake a cake afterward.”
“We can’t let you go outside to run, and the cook who runs the kitchen won’t let any of us inside. Perhaps we can entertain you here.”
I start bouncing on the balls of my feet, smiling at the girls around me. They’re gorgeous. Being with them reminds me of the companionship shown by the women of the Savi clan. They are offering me the same kind of affection and care.
“What do you suggest we do? If we keep our clothes on. You’re all very beautiful, but I prefer Rasulus.”
Some of the women have been giving me a speculative glance that I mostly know from men. They look disappointed.
Meena laughs. “Don’t worry about your virtue, little Earth woman. Let us teach you to dance.”
Her suggestion is greeted with laughter as they drag me farther into the Pearl. I start to wonder what in the world I am doing, but before long I start laughing. I don’t care.
It’s good to dance.
Two days later, Meena is patiently showing me a twist of my hips when I hear a commotion in the hallway beyond the practice room. I
look up in time to see the door fly open, making the other girls in the room shriek with surprise. Rasulus looks around wildly. His eyes flicker over every woman in the room until they land on me.
“Perri!” He comes over to my side, wrapping me in an embrace that smells of wood smoke. He is shaking, and I realize with some wonder that the emotion affecting him so much is relief.
“I’m still here, Rasulus.”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I’m so glad you are safe.”
“Everything is fine. Where have you been?”
“You wouldn’t believe it.” He cuts off sharply, pulling back to look at me. His eyes narrow. “What are you wearing?”
When I arrived at the Pearl, I only had the riding clothes Miruska loaned me. They were filthy, and I gratefully traded them for whatever clothes the girls had available. Of course, the only things they had to lend me were harlot silks. It hadn’t seemed particularly scandalous when only women were around me. Things are different now that Rasulus is staring at me.
“I have a new outfit! It’s very comfortable for dancing.”
Rasulus’ grin looks wicked. “Is it, now?”
I start to answer, but a yelp comes out of my mouth. I feel one of his large hands come down to press against the side of my thigh, between the long strips of silk that form my dancing skirt. His hand is warm against my skin. I gasp as he slides his hand up and I cling to him, trembling as his hand comes around to my rear, caressing my buttocks before moving back down.
“Perri, lean against me.”
I do as he says, burying my face in his chest. Behind me, I know the other girls are watching avidly. My cheeks burn with embarrassment, but I do not stop him when his hand slides between my legs, parting them slightly.
“I see you are dressed appropriately for the Pearl’s dance.”
“The other girls said I should use my time here wisely.”
I had been curious to go along with them without putting up much resistance. I gasp when Rasulus’ hand starts to stroke my breast through the thin silk.
