wrong, Ad—uh, my lord?”
“It is unseemly you walk at my side.”
Kinara, willing to observe any stupid Az-kye custom to keep from losing this chance, obediently slowed her steps so she was a little behind him. This, however, just seemed to bother him more.
“Do you anything for a worthless bunch of slaves, Cy’atta ?” he grumbled. “Did I say, disrobe here and I will free one of them, would you?”
Kinara pulled up the hem of her smock, gripping it to pull the thing over her head. “Do you mean it?”
She didn’t have a halter or even underwear on under this thing. Her cheeks were already going hot with the idea of standing in front of him— and any warriors that happened to walk by—completely naked.
But if it means freedom for even one of them . . .
She lifted her chin. “Do you?”
His dark eyes became veiled. “No, I do not.”
Kinara dropped her hem and it swung around her knees. Apparently slaves weren’t allowed shoes but at least they were moving fast enough to keep her feet from getting too cold.
Tall and heavily muscled, the warriors they passed were indeed an intimidating bunch. Between the arrogance of their strides, the dark skins they wore, and the obvious scars of battle hardened men, they seemed to be just spoiling for a fight.
They might be strong but she guessed if something blocked their way they would probably hammer at it for hours with a sword rather than simply walk around it.
The thought made her smile.
“That warrior pleases you?”
“Huh?” Kinara said, jolted out of her thoughts to find a warrior looking back at her intently as he passed.
“Perhaps pleases you enough to share a bed with him.”
She looked at Aidar to see that he was genuinely annoyed. “No, I was just thinking.”
“And looking on other warriors.”
“Is there something wrong with looking? I’m curious about your people too.”
“Do you look so boldly on them, they will think you wish to join with them.”
Kinara immediately dropped her eyes. She didn’t want any of these warriors thinking she was making offers and she didn’t want any trouble right now either. She watched her feet, looked at the walls, and tried to create a mental map to get back to her crew if any opportunities for escape came up.
The observation window he’d taken her to before was the other way and the curve of the floor was so steep she knew they were going down another level. Aidar nodded to the warriors at the door. One of the warriors stepped forward to follow them inside and the other opened the door.
The sight that greeted her was appalling. Her crew was here, barefoot and dressed in plain, white smocks, but if Barin’s slave quarters were bad these were atrocious.
They were herded together like animals and without so much as a heating unit or a blanket. Cold lights placed high on the walls gave a sickly greenish glow and the room was freezing. Kinara suddenly realized they were huddled together mainly for warmth.
Tears stung her eyes at the enthusiastic greeting they gave her. Tedah rushed forward and pulled her into his arms.
The stubble of his beard scratched her cheek as he hugged her.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, hugging him back. “I’m sorry about all of this.”
“You’re limping,” he said, pulling away to look at her, frowning. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head. “An accident. They treated it though. I’ll be fine.”
“Kinna, I thought they’d . . . no, never mind.” He cupped her face, and briefly pressed a kiss to her mouth. He’d only done so a few times before and this one was just a brush against her lips. “You’re here now.”
“Tedah, is everyone—?” This was her fault, all of it, and the shame she felt wouldn’t let her finish.
“We’re all right. We haven’t been hurt and everyone else is here.”
All right for now. But in a place like this they wouldn’t be for long.
She let go of Tedah, motioning him to stay behind.
She
“It is unseemly you walk at my side.”
Kinara, willing to observe any stupid Az-kye custom to keep from losing this chance, obediently slowed her steps so she was a little behind him. This, however, just seemed to bother him more.
“Do you anything for a worthless bunch of slaves, Cy’atta ?” he grumbled. “Did I say, disrobe here and I will free one of them, would you?”
Kinara pulled up the hem of her smock, gripping it to pull the thing over her head. “Do you mean it?”
She didn’t have a halter or even underwear on under this thing. Her cheeks were already going hot with the idea of standing in front of him— and any warriors that happened to walk by—completely naked.
But if it means freedom for even one of them . . .
She lifted her chin. “Do you?”
His dark eyes became veiled. “No, I do not.”
Kinara dropped her hem and it swung around her knees. Apparently slaves weren’t allowed shoes but at least they were moving fast enough to keep her feet from getting too cold.
Tall and heavily muscled, the warriors they passed were indeed an intimidating bunch. Between the arrogance of their strides, the dark skins they wore, and the obvious scars of battle hardened men, they seemed to be just spoiling for a fight.
They might be strong but she guessed if something blocked their way they would probably hammer at it for hours with a sword rather than simply walk around it.
The thought made her smile.
“That warrior pleases you?”
“Huh?” Kinara said, jolted out of her thoughts to find a warrior looking back at her intently as he passed.
“Perhaps pleases you enough to share a bed with him.”
She looked at Aidar to see that he was genuinely annoyed. “No, I was just thinking.”
“And looking on other warriors.”
“Is there something wrong with looking? I’m curious about your people too.”
“Do you look so boldly on them, they will think you wish to join with them.”
Kinara immediately dropped her eyes. She didn’t want any of these warriors thinking she was making offers and she didn’t want any trouble right now either. She watched her feet, looked at the walls, and tried to create a mental map to get back to her crew if any opportunities for escape came up.
The observation window he’d taken her to before was the other way and the curve of the floor was so steep she knew they were going down another level. Aidar nodded to the warriors at the door. One of the warriors stepped forward to follow them inside and the other opened the door.
The sight that greeted her was appalling. Her crew was here, barefoot and dressed in plain, white smocks, but if Barin’s slave quarters were bad these were atrocious.
They were herded together like animals and without so much as a heating unit or a blanket. Cold lights placed high on the walls gave a sickly greenish glow and the room was freezing. Kinara suddenly realized they were huddled together mainly for warmth.
Tears stung her eyes at the enthusiastic greeting they gave her. Tedah rushed forward and pulled her into his arms.
The stubble of his beard scratched her cheek as he hugged her.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, hugging him back. “I’m sorry about all of this.”
“You’re limping,” he said, pulling away to look at her, frowning. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head. “An accident. They treated it though. I’ll be fine.”
“Kinna, I thought they’d . . . no, never mind.” He cupped her face, and briefly pressed a kiss to her mouth. He’d only done so a few times before and this one was just a brush against her lips. “You’re here now.”
“Tedah, is everyone—?” This was her fault, all of it, and the shame she felt wouldn’t let her finish.
“We’re all right. We haven’t been hurt and everyone else is here.”
All right for now. But in a place like this they wouldn’t be for long.
She let go of Tedah, motioning him to stay behind.
She
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