stood before Aidar.
“My lord.” It took a moment before she could lift her eyes. “Please, my people are not used to this treatment. They will sicken and die in this cold. Please, some blankets and heating unit . . .”
His disbelief was evident. “They will not die. Even Tellarans cannot be so weak.”
“They will. Look at them.”
His glance ran over them with a mixture of contempt and calculation.
“Please, some comfort for them would—”
His lip curled. “Think you I care for the comfort of slaves? Come, does looking on them upset you so, we will leave.”
She put her hand on his arm. He went still and she could feel the muscle under her palm go taut.
“Please, Ad—my lord,” she said, her voice low and her eyes downcast. “I’d . . .” She swallowed. “I’d be grateful.”
He looked at her face, glanced at her body. “And in your gratitude, Cy’atta , what do you offer?”
She couldn’t leave them like this. Anything she’d hoped for, dreamed of, while watching all those sappy holodramas was wiped away by cold necessity of offering the only thing she had to bargain with.
She wet her lips. “You wanted to bed me. You wanted me willing. That is what I offer.”
Aidar’s dark gaze bored down at her. “You offer yourself in return for a few trifles for slaves ?”
“I offer it for my people’s well-being. Some blankets, a heater . . .” Kinara swallowed. “You have my word. I will come to your bed willingly.”
He held her eyes a heartbeat longer then stepped away to speak to the warrior waiting at the door. If the guard was surprised by his orders, he did not show it.
Tedah frowned. “What’s going on?”
“He’s going to have them bring in some supplies,” Kinara murmured.
She took a few moments to speak to each of the crew, to ask how they were doing, to offer some encouragement, some hope.
Aidar, for all his barbaric ways, did not stint her. Heavy blankets were distributed to her crew and the large heating unit set up was both cheerful and bright. He even had pillows for each crewmember. He must have given orders for the heat to be set at maximum because the floor was warmer under her feet. He also had food brought in. And while it wasn’t exactly festival fare, it was hot and there was plenty for everyone.
With her crew distracted, and the Az-kye busy distributing supplies, Kinara took the opportunity to draw Tedah aside.
“How are you holding up?” she asked.
“When we woke up here and I didn’t see you . . .” He shook his head, dropping his voice to a whisper. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“This ship is like a damn fortress,” Kinara replied softly. “I don’t even know how many warriors are on board.”
“Any idea where they’re taking us?” Tedah asked. “What happens next?”
Aidar’s gaze was on her, hot but patient.
He could afford to wait.
“They’re taking us to their capital,” Kinara murmured. “They consider us slaves now. He’s going to give us to their Elders or something.”
“Fucking barbarians,” Tedah spat. “If they think we’re going to take that without a fight, they’re as stupid as they look.”
“We can’t do anything now,” she warned quietly. “And we’ll need a way off this ship.”
“If we can fight our way out of here, the Rapier —”
She touched his arm. “It’s been destroyed.”
Tedah went ashen. “What?”
“I know. We’ll think of something else.” She swallowed hard. “I’ll find a way, I promise.”
Her crew was happy for the improvements. She wanted to soak in the sight of them, sitting comfortably now, enjoying their meal, wanted to take the image of it with her.
She took one last look at them. Finally, she nodded to Aidar.
It was time to pay for all this.
Tedah caught her arm. “Where are you going?”
“I have to leave. I might not be able to come back. Take care of them for me. Don’t do anything that will get our people killed.” She wet
“My lord.” It took a moment before she could lift her eyes. “Please, my people are not used to this treatment. They will sicken and die in this cold. Please, some blankets and heating unit . . .”
His disbelief was evident. “They will not die. Even Tellarans cannot be so weak.”
“They will. Look at them.”
His glance ran over them with a mixture of contempt and calculation.
“Please, some comfort for them would—”
His lip curled. “Think you I care for the comfort of slaves? Come, does looking on them upset you so, we will leave.”
She put her hand on his arm. He went still and she could feel the muscle under her palm go taut.
“Please, Ad—my lord,” she said, her voice low and her eyes downcast. “I’d . . .” She swallowed. “I’d be grateful.”
He looked at her face, glanced at her body. “And in your gratitude, Cy’atta , what do you offer?”
She couldn’t leave them like this. Anything she’d hoped for, dreamed of, while watching all those sappy holodramas was wiped away by cold necessity of offering the only thing she had to bargain with.
She wet her lips. “You wanted to bed me. You wanted me willing. That is what I offer.”
Aidar’s dark gaze bored down at her. “You offer yourself in return for a few trifles for slaves ?”
“I offer it for my people’s well-being. Some blankets, a heater . . .” Kinara swallowed. “You have my word. I will come to your bed willingly.”
He held her eyes a heartbeat longer then stepped away to speak to the warrior waiting at the door. If the guard was surprised by his orders, he did not show it.
Tedah frowned. “What’s going on?”
“He’s going to have them bring in some supplies,” Kinara murmured.
She took a few moments to speak to each of the crew, to ask how they were doing, to offer some encouragement, some hope.
Aidar, for all his barbaric ways, did not stint her. Heavy blankets were distributed to her crew and the large heating unit set up was both cheerful and bright. He even had pillows for each crewmember. He must have given orders for the heat to be set at maximum because the floor was warmer under her feet. He also had food brought in. And while it wasn’t exactly festival fare, it was hot and there was plenty for everyone.
With her crew distracted, and the Az-kye busy distributing supplies, Kinara took the opportunity to draw Tedah aside.
“How are you holding up?” she asked.
“When we woke up here and I didn’t see you . . .” He shook his head, dropping his voice to a whisper. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“This ship is like a damn fortress,” Kinara replied softly. “I don’t even know how many warriors are on board.”
“Any idea where they’re taking us?” Tedah asked. “What happens next?”
Aidar’s gaze was on her, hot but patient.
He could afford to wait.
“They’re taking us to their capital,” Kinara murmured. “They consider us slaves now. He’s going to give us to their Elders or something.”
“Fucking barbarians,” Tedah spat. “If they think we’re going to take that without a fight, they’re as stupid as they look.”
“We can’t do anything now,” she warned quietly. “And we’ll need a way off this ship.”
“If we can fight our way out of here, the Rapier —”
She touched his arm. “It’s been destroyed.”
Tedah went ashen. “What?”
“I know. We’ll think of something else.” She swallowed hard. “I’ll find a way, I promise.”
Her crew was happy for the improvements. She wanted to soak in the sight of them, sitting comfortably now, enjoying their meal, wanted to take the image of it with her.
She took one last look at them. Finally, she nodded to Aidar.
It was time to pay for all this.
Tedah caught her arm. “Where are you going?”
“I have to leave. I might not be able to come back. Take care of them for me. Don’t do anything that will get our people killed.” She wet
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