Sapient Salvation 1: The Selection (Sapient Salvation Series) by Jayne Faith, Christine Castle Page B

what Mother always called us when we sat like that.
    “We stopped at a pub for a bite, and then we danced the rest of the night.”
    “Really,” she said, a statement rather than a question. A sly smile formed on her lips and spread to her eyes. “You just danced?”
    “Just danced.”
    She giggled. “I could have sworn you intended more than that.”
    “Shh.” I swatted her wrist with the back of my hand and cast a glance toward Mother’s closed bedroom door. “We just danced. Nothing more.”
    “Maybe you should have done something more.” She snorted a good-natured laugh. “Better Rand than Court, that lying dog.”
    “Speaking of Court, we ran into him at the pub. With Farrah.”
    Lana’s mouth dropped open and she sucked in some air. “What did you do?”
    I recounted the whole conversation, word for word or as close as I could remember, and Lana nodded approvingly when I got to the end.
    “Lana,” I said, my tone turning serious. “I asked Rand if he would help with your quotas, and he said he would.”
    “That is more than I would ever expect of someone,” she whispered. “Thank you for taking care of me. I don’t know how I could ever repay him for something like this.”
    We were silent for a few seconds, and then Lana shifted. “Did you at least kiss him?”
    “Of course, I’m not a total prude.”
    “And how did he stack up to Court?”
    “I give Rand the edge. I didn’t expect it, but he has more passion than you’d guess.” I couldn’t reveal what he’d said about wanting to marry me. It felt too painful, somehow. “I bet he’s more than acceptable in bed.”
    She slapped her hand over her mouth, and we both tried to stifle our childish giggles. It felt so warm and wonderful, laughing with my twin late into the night just as we’d done countless times since we were small.
    Then Lana’s hands dropped to her lap and her face turned grave. “Maya, I’m scared about what Lord Toric will do to you. The rumors . . .”
    I decided not to remind her that Lord Toric’s sexual appetites would only be my problem if I survived the competition and won a place in his harem. The fact was, none of us knew the particulars of what he did with his harem. The rumors ranged from unspeakable humiliating acts to bloody rituals to forced orgies . . . every rumor I’d ever heard, every scenario I’d ever imagined, tried to crowd into my mind at once and I sagged against the backrest of the sofa.
    The only thing we really knew for certain was that the female Obligates would enter a series of competitions of charm, wit, physical strength and stamina, and of course, sensuality. The women were competing for a place in Lord Toric’s harem. The male Obligates were competing to become one of his many personal servants. Some stages of the competition were deadly, so all of us would be competing for our lives.
    My stomach knotted as I reached over to grasp Lana’s forearm. “Don’t worry, I will charm Lord Toric so thoroughly he will want to be my slave.”
    Her lips twitched as if she thought to try to smile, but then her face pinched and her mouth trembled. “I hate them, Maya. I hate the overlords for taking you away from me.”
    A sickening mix of anger, sadness, and fear poured through me in a dark flood. I hated them, too. For stealing my life, my future. For taking me from the only people I cared about. I knew I shouldn’t feel that way—we survived on Earthenfell only at the mercy of the overlords’ protection. But I couldn’t help my anger.
    She placed her hand over mine, and for once I was glad she couldn’t see my face. I was glad she couldn’t see how truly afraid I was.

 
     
    5
    Toric
     
     
    ON SELECTION DAY I always woke with a raw feeling in the pit of my stomach, as if the soft spot just behind my sternum had been roughly scraped out while I slept. For the people under the shield on Earthenfell, the day of the Selection was a day of ceremony and revelry into the night. For