a natural part of life. And while a Fezami slave was legally free the moment they stepped on Entian soil, a lifetime of training would keep them from exercising that freedom. Some Entian nobles had taken to keeping Fezami slaves for their amusement and entertainment. Another symptom of a corrupt society in need of change.
Victoria couldn’t imagine who knew so little about her to think this was an appropriate gift but she’d be returning him immediately. “Who do you belong to?”
“This one is the property of Princess Victoria Kalsen, Daughter of Reynard the Great, Keeper of…”
She cut him off. The idea she was the ‘owner’ of another human being made bile form in her throat. “I mean who purchased you.”
“Princess Zariya had me shipped from Nysib. She presented me to the king as a gift for you,” the slave said to the ground.
Victoria burned with fury at the sound of Zariya’s name. As if she hadn’t suffered enough. Her reputation would be further sullied by the gift of a sex slave. The princess asked between clenched teeth. “Where is Zariya?”
“This one last saw her in the king’s chambers when he was presented a few hours ago, my Mistress.”
The princess was taken aback by her new title, but she pushed it aside. Once she gave Zariya her slave back, it wouldn’t matter. She couldn’t believe her father had approved this ‘gift.’ That wasn’t like him at all. He had to have known how angry she would be.
She stormed to her father’s door. Usually, the guards would simply allow her to pass when she wished to enter her father or brother’s chambers fearing her wrath more than theirs in these things.
But today, one of the guards stepped in front of the door, blocking her path. She stared at him in confusion.
“I don’t believe Your Highness wishes to enter right now.”
“How dare you! Either move out my way or prepare to explain to the entire court why you’ve attacked your better because that’s what it’ll take to stop me.”
The guard looked to his companion who shrugged, then with a sigh, he stepped out of the way. “I tried to warn you.”
Victoria entered her father’s chambers, but he wasn’t in his sitting room. She checked his bedroom, but he wasn’t there either. It wasn’t until she tried his private gardens that she found him, sitting on a marble bench, holding Zariya in his lap, kissing her passionately.
The princess shrieked as though she had seen the most terrifying monster of her life.
Zariya stared down Victoria with the same lack of shame she had when Victoria had caught her in bed with her brother. “If you’ve come to thank me for my gift, there is no need.” She was still sitting on the king’s lap.
“Thank you? You think I wish to thank you? I’ve come to do the opposite. Take him back. I don’t want him.”
Zariya shrugged. “Fine. I’ll have him taken from your room and destroyed immediately.”
“What do you mean, destroyed?”
“It’s customary in Fezam when a gift is refused to destroy it as a symbol of the selflessness in which it was given.”
“He’s not a bolt of cloth! He’s a person! You can’t just murder him because I won’t participate in your twisted game. Father, tell her you won’t allow it! Not in your kingdom.”
The king looked at Zariya, who lovingly stroked his cheek. “Well, if it’s her tradition.”
Victoria felt dizzy. Something was wrong. Her father would sometimes kill people when it was necessary for the safety of the kingdom. But he wouldn’t allow the murder of a helpless man. He wouldn’t make a spectacle of himself with his son’s former lover. Nothing he’d done for weeks made any sense. Victoria needed to leave. To think about things.
“Please, forget what I’ve said. I’ll keep the boy.”
Zariya smiled brightly. “That pleases me more than you’ll ever know.”
Victoria bowed and backed away slowly. Once she was out of sight, she broke into a full run. She dashed down the
Victoria couldn’t imagine who knew so little about her to think this was an appropriate gift but she’d be returning him immediately. “Who do you belong to?”
“This one is the property of Princess Victoria Kalsen, Daughter of Reynard the Great, Keeper of…”
She cut him off. The idea she was the ‘owner’ of another human being made bile form in her throat. “I mean who purchased you.”
“Princess Zariya had me shipped from Nysib. She presented me to the king as a gift for you,” the slave said to the ground.
Victoria burned with fury at the sound of Zariya’s name. As if she hadn’t suffered enough. Her reputation would be further sullied by the gift of a sex slave. The princess asked between clenched teeth. “Where is Zariya?”
“This one last saw her in the king’s chambers when he was presented a few hours ago, my Mistress.”
The princess was taken aback by her new title, but she pushed it aside. Once she gave Zariya her slave back, it wouldn’t matter. She couldn’t believe her father had approved this ‘gift.’ That wasn’t like him at all. He had to have known how angry she would be.
She stormed to her father’s door. Usually, the guards would simply allow her to pass when she wished to enter her father or brother’s chambers fearing her wrath more than theirs in these things.
But today, one of the guards stepped in front of the door, blocking her path. She stared at him in confusion.
“I don’t believe Your Highness wishes to enter right now.”
“How dare you! Either move out my way or prepare to explain to the entire court why you’ve attacked your better because that’s what it’ll take to stop me.”
The guard looked to his companion who shrugged, then with a sigh, he stepped out of the way. “I tried to warn you.”
Victoria entered her father’s chambers, but he wasn’t in his sitting room. She checked his bedroom, but he wasn’t there either. It wasn’t until she tried his private gardens that she found him, sitting on a marble bench, holding Zariya in his lap, kissing her passionately.
The princess shrieked as though she had seen the most terrifying monster of her life.
Zariya stared down Victoria with the same lack of shame she had when Victoria had caught her in bed with her brother. “If you’ve come to thank me for my gift, there is no need.” She was still sitting on the king’s lap.
“Thank you? You think I wish to thank you? I’ve come to do the opposite. Take him back. I don’t want him.”
Zariya shrugged. “Fine. I’ll have him taken from your room and destroyed immediately.”
“What do you mean, destroyed?”
“It’s customary in Fezam when a gift is refused to destroy it as a symbol of the selflessness in which it was given.”
“He’s not a bolt of cloth! He’s a person! You can’t just murder him because I won’t participate in your twisted game. Father, tell her you won’t allow it! Not in your kingdom.”
The king looked at Zariya, who lovingly stroked his cheek. “Well, if it’s her tradition.”
Victoria felt dizzy. Something was wrong. Her father would sometimes kill people when it was necessary for the safety of the kingdom. But he wouldn’t allow the murder of a helpless man. He wouldn’t make a spectacle of himself with his son’s former lover. Nothing he’d done for weeks made any sense. Victoria needed to leave. To think about things.
“Please, forget what I’ve said. I’ll keep the boy.”
Zariya smiled brightly. “That pleases me more than you’ll ever know.”
Victoria bowed and backed away slowly. Once she was out of sight, she broke into a full run. She dashed down the
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