awe.
Tying the shirttails at her waist, Autumn smoothed down her
hair before she turned to confront her ex-madam. “Ra’jen said you would be too
dangerous to leave alive, but I’m going to risk it.”
“Ra’jen? He lets you call him by his given name?” Celinna
stayed a step back from the madam as they advanced across the room.
“And what have you decided instead?” Belietta asked with
obvious dread.
Autumn had expected a power struggle, at least some
sarcastic repartee. “The southeast embassy is the least profitable. I’m having
you transferred there to see if you can turn things around.”
Belietta gasped, hands planted on her hips. “That’s an
impossible task. The refineries around the embassy are played out. The only
customers they get are offshore workers who venture inland on leave.”
“I have confidence in your abilities. The embassy will turn
a profit within a year, or I’ll reconsider General Noirte’s recommendation.”
“Autumn, please. I’ve been fair with you. I allowed you to
ease into this life and I never—”
“Threatened to withhold the compound if I failed to seduce
the most powerful man in the Protectorate? A man who made no secret about his
disdain for pleasure ambassadors? Sounds rather like an impossible task to me.”
“Give me the West Coast. I’ll make so much money for you—”
“I’ve made my decision. A transport is waiting outside. Pack
what you need for a day or two, and I’ll have the rest boxed up and delivered.”
“Autumn—”
“That’s Mistress Autumn to you. Now get out of my sight!”
Motivated by two embassy guards, the madam rushed back up the stairs, and
Autumn turned her attention to Rebecca. “Come here.”
The ambassador ran across the room and threw herself at
Autumn’s feet. “Please, Mistress. I am so sorry. I was jealous and petty and—”
“You’re going with Belietta. You better hurry. If they leave
without you, I’ll let Ra’jen deal with you when he returns.”
Easily seeing the wisdom of Autumn’s choice, Rebecca darted
up the stairs after the madam. Autumn looked around the room. The others
watched her with a mixture of fear and hope. Belietta had been selfish and entirely
focused on the profit margin. Maybe Autumn could develop new policies that
would focus more on the safety and well-being of her girls. Her girls? This was
all happening so fast.
“Mistress Autumn?”
She looked at Celinna, deciding she liked the sound of the
title. “Yes?”
“I would very much like to stay. I will serve you faithfully
as I did…” Apparently she decided any mention of Belietta was counterproductive
to her cause.
“I have no quarrel with you, Celinna. You’re a patient and
talented trainer. I will need your assistance in the coming days.”
“Thank you, Mistress.”
It was imperative that Autumn surround herself with people
she could trust. Loyalty would be nurtured and rewarded while the slightest
betrayal would be met with harsh consequences. She was setting precedence here
today.
“Would you like Belietta’s room?” she asked the trainer. “I
prefer to keep mine.”
Celinna’s gaze widened and she nodded. “I would like that
very much.”
“Then come to the office once they’ve gone. I’m going to
audit the records.”
“Of course, Mistress. Is there anything else I can do for
you?”
Giddy with pleasure and triumph, Autumn embraced her new
role. “Coffee would be wonderful, lots of cream, no sugar.”
* * * * *
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.” Ulrick Brant sauntered
into Ra’jen’s office and sat in one of two chairs situated in front of the
general’s desk.
“Thanks for responding to my request. I really didn’t want
this conversation to go out over a com-link.” Deactivating his display, Ra’jen
gave his full attention to his visitor.
“Don’t trust your own security?”
“I don’t trust anyone.” Ra’jen pushed his chair back from
the desk and stood. “Would you
Tying the shirttails at her waist, Autumn smoothed down her
hair before she turned to confront her ex-madam. “Ra’jen said you would be too
dangerous to leave alive, but I’m going to risk it.”
“Ra’jen? He lets you call him by his given name?” Celinna
stayed a step back from the madam as they advanced across the room.
“And what have you decided instead?” Belietta asked with
obvious dread.
Autumn had expected a power struggle, at least some
sarcastic repartee. “The southeast embassy is the least profitable. I’m having
you transferred there to see if you can turn things around.”
Belietta gasped, hands planted on her hips. “That’s an
impossible task. The refineries around the embassy are played out. The only
customers they get are offshore workers who venture inland on leave.”
“I have confidence in your abilities. The embassy will turn
a profit within a year, or I’ll reconsider General Noirte’s recommendation.”
“Autumn, please. I’ve been fair with you. I allowed you to
ease into this life and I never—”
“Threatened to withhold the compound if I failed to seduce
the most powerful man in the Protectorate? A man who made no secret about his
disdain for pleasure ambassadors? Sounds rather like an impossible task to me.”
“Give me the West Coast. I’ll make so much money for you—”
“I’ve made my decision. A transport is waiting outside. Pack
what you need for a day or two, and I’ll have the rest boxed up and delivered.”
“Autumn—”
“That’s Mistress Autumn to you. Now get out of my sight!”
Motivated by two embassy guards, the madam rushed back up the stairs, and
Autumn turned her attention to Rebecca. “Come here.”
The ambassador ran across the room and threw herself at
Autumn’s feet. “Please, Mistress. I am so sorry. I was jealous and petty and—”
“You’re going with Belietta. You better hurry. If they leave
without you, I’ll let Ra’jen deal with you when he returns.”
Easily seeing the wisdom of Autumn’s choice, Rebecca darted
up the stairs after the madam. Autumn looked around the room. The others
watched her with a mixture of fear and hope. Belietta had been selfish and entirely
focused on the profit margin. Maybe Autumn could develop new policies that
would focus more on the safety and well-being of her girls. Her girls? This was
all happening so fast.
“Mistress Autumn?”
She looked at Celinna, deciding she liked the sound of the
title. “Yes?”
“I would very much like to stay. I will serve you faithfully
as I did…” Apparently she decided any mention of Belietta was counterproductive
to her cause.
“I have no quarrel with you, Celinna. You’re a patient and
talented trainer. I will need your assistance in the coming days.”
“Thank you, Mistress.”
It was imperative that Autumn surround herself with people
she could trust. Loyalty would be nurtured and rewarded while the slightest
betrayal would be met with harsh consequences. She was setting precedence here
today.
“Would you like Belietta’s room?” she asked the trainer. “I
prefer to keep mine.”
Celinna’s gaze widened and she nodded. “I would like that
very much.”
“Then come to the office once they’ve gone. I’m going to
audit the records.”
“Of course, Mistress. Is there anything else I can do for
you?”
Giddy with pleasure and triumph, Autumn embraced her new
role. “Coffee would be wonderful, lots of cream, no sugar.”
* * * * *
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.” Ulrick Brant sauntered
into Ra’jen’s office and sat in one of two chairs situated in front of the
general’s desk.
“Thanks for responding to my request. I really didn’t want
this conversation to go out over a com-link.” Deactivating his display, Ra’jen
gave his full attention to his visitor.
“Don’t trust your own security?”
“I don’t trust anyone.” Ra’jen pushed his chair back from
the desk and stood. “Would you
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