and…” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “the other slaves are becoming more accepting. Please whatever I have done. Forg i ve me.”
Bray grabbed her chin and forced her eyes up, “Still willing to convince me that you’ve learned your place? ”
The trembling of her frame was matched by her tone, “ Y-yes Master.”
Bray chuckled humorlessly , “Tonight then.”
“Tonight what?”
“Tonight we shall be bound.”
“Master…bound?” Neomee shook her head in confusion.
“To each other.”
“I’m sorry Master , I still do not understand. What does it…”
Bray cut her off, “You’ll find out tonight.”
Neomee’s heart thudded to a halt. Tonight?
Then Bray leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Now, I am convinced you are up to something. Your heart has accelerated, your blood is rushing through your veins, and I can smell…” He sniffed her throat, “ … I can smell deceit barely covered by the scent of your fear . ” Bray pulled back to look her in the eye, “Never lie to a Cat.”
Neomee stood motionless and terrified as Bray exited the garden.
He knows!
With her thoughts preoccupied, Neomee woodenly finished her shift in the garden before she hurried back to the slave quarters. Her poor body nearly sang with unreleased tension. She’d never been more exhausted or terrified in her life. Bound ? If only I knew what it meant. Whatever it is it can’t be good.
The sun was dipping low on the horizon and it was nearly time for Neomee to implement the first stages of her plan regardless of what the Prince of Cats had in mind. With any luck, I’ll be long gone by the time he comes for me .
***
Bray couldn’t help the snarl that escaped his lips. He knew his lily was up to something and whatever it was it had her terrified.
He stomped through the corridors and down the tunnel that led to the altar room. When he saw the congregation of Cat’s milling outside the large wooden doors he almost corrected his course. However, when he thought of Neomee and her unknown scheme he forced his legs to carry him down the corridor.
“ Aww , another one down for the count! ” Madu yelled before turning his attention to Bray’s approaching footsteps. “Brother!” He smiled and shoved his pitcher of henqet into the chest of the nearest Cat before he wobbled toward Bray. “Have you come to laugh at these fools with us?”
Bray’s lips pressed into a grim line. In previous years he too had enjoyed heckling the guardian Cats who , on the day of the Honoring of Osiris Festival, sought out the altar room. Once a year the Cats were allowed to petition the Priest for bonding to a mate. While the Cats could claim a mate any day of the year and could seal that bond with consummation, only on the day of the Osiris Festival would the bond be acknowledged —upon petition—by the Priest and then rendered to the Vizier for his blessing. No bond was considered valid or recognizable by law without the Vizier’s blessing.
While t he Cats were permitted a mate and even children if they so chose, his chosen mate and any subsequent offspring were expected to spend their lives in service at the temple until the guardian Cat was released from his obligation. It was the reason some Cats sought the challenge of fighting to gain their freedom.
“No,” Bray began harshly frowning at Madu and grabbing his shoulders to straighten him when his fellow Cat lost his balance and leaned heavily into his chest. “I am not here to chastise the fools.” He drew in a long breath through his nose, his dark eyes glinting. “I am among them.”
The crowd of Cats gathered in the hall instantly grew silent and all eyes turned on him. Even Madu seemed to sober at his brother’s revelation.
“Bray?” He shook his head as a huge grin split his features, “No?”
Bray snorted once. “Yes.” He frowned at the other Cats and couldn’t help the
Bray grabbed her chin and forced her eyes up, “Still willing to convince me that you’ve learned your place? ”
The trembling of her frame was matched by her tone, “ Y-yes Master.”
Bray chuckled humorlessly , “Tonight then.”
“Tonight what?”
“Tonight we shall be bound.”
“Master…bound?” Neomee shook her head in confusion.
“To each other.”
“I’m sorry Master , I still do not understand. What does it…”
Bray cut her off, “You’ll find out tonight.”
Neomee’s heart thudded to a halt. Tonight?
Then Bray leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Now, I am convinced you are up to something. Your heart has accelerated, your blood is rushing through your veins, and I can smell…” He sniffed her throat, “ … I can smell deceit barely covered by the scent of your fear . ” Bray pulled back to look her in the eye, “Never lie to a Cat.”
Neomee stood motionless and terrified as Bray exited the garden.
He knows!
With her thoughts preoccupied, Neomee woodenly finished her shift in the garden before she hurried back to the slave quarters. Her poor body nearly sang with unreleased tension. She’d never been more exhausted or terrified in her life. Bound ? If only I knew what it meant. Whatever it is it can’t be good.
The sun was dipping low on the horizon and it was nearly time for Neomee to implement the first stages of her plan regardless of what the Prince of Cats had in mind. With any luck, I’ll be long gone by the time he comes for me .
***
Bray couldn’t help the snarl that escaped his lips. He knew his lily was up to something and whatever it was it had her terrified.
He stomped through the corridors and down the tunnel that led to the altar room. When he saw the congregation of Cat’s milling outside the large wooden doors he almost corrected his course. However, when he thought of Neomee and her unknown scheme he forced his legs to carry him down the corridor.
“ Aww , another one down for the count! ” Madu yelled before turning his attention to Bray’s approaching footsteps. “Brother!” He smiled and shoved his pitcher of henqet into the chest of the nearest Cat before he wobbled toward Bray. “Have you come to laugh at these fools with us?”
Bray’s lips pressed into a grim line. In previous years he too had enjoyed heckling the guardian Cats who , on the day of the Honoring of Osiris Festival, sought out the altar room. Once a year the Cats were allowed to petition the Priest for bonding to a mate. While the Cats could claim a mate any day of the year and could seal that bond with consummation, only on the day of the Osiris Festival would the bond be acknowledged —upon petition—by the Priest and then rendered to the Vizier for his blessing. No bond was considered valid or recognizable by law without the Vizier’s blessing.
While t he Cats were permitted a mate and even children if they so chose, his chosen mate and any subsequent offspring were expected to spend their lives in service at the temple until the guardian Cat was released from his obligation. It was the reason some Cats sought the challenge of fighting to gain their freedom.
“No,” Bray began harshly frowning at Madu and grabbing his shoulders to straighten him when his fellow Cat lost his balance and leaned heavily into his chest. “I am not here to chastise the fools.” He drew in a long breath through his nose, his dark eyes glinting. “I am among them.”
The crowd of Cats gathered in the hall instantly grew silent and all eyes turned on him. Even Madu seemed to sober at his brother’s revelation.
“Bray?” He shook his head as a huge grin split his features, “No?”
Bray snorted once. “Yes.” He frowned at the other Cats and couldn’t help the
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