A few hours after the princess left, the guards came back. They turned off the magnetic field and freed his hands—always keeping him at blaster-point. At first Kyron was hopeful that they were going to take him to see their Monarch. But they only gave him a short bathroom break before shoving him back in position on the stone bench.
“Hey, what about the Monarch?” he asked, frowning. “Or at least some food and water?” He wasn’t starving yet but it had been hours since he’d last had a drink and his mouth was so dry he was tasting cobwebs.
The head guard laughed harshly.
“The Monarch will see you when he’s damn good and ready, Kindred.” He spat on the floor. “And we find that keeping our prisoners hungry makes them so much more cooperative.”
“You’re lucky you get a break to piss,” another guard said. “We only do it because Tanfo here doesn’t want to mop the floor.”
His remark was greeted with a roar of laughter—apparently this was the height of humor here. Kyron reflected that if he hadn’t met the little princess, Dani, he would think these people were complete fucking savages. But she was different, which told him that not all of his captors were ill-bred louts.
He said nothing aloud, but he eyed the ones holding weapons on him, wondering if he should make a break for it. This might be his best chance—he wasn’t yet weak from hunger and he was bigger and stronger than the males surrounding him. Yet there were six of them but only one of him and four of them had their blasters pointed directly at his head. Their fingers were on the triggers, clearly itching to blow him away.
No, he told himself reluctantly as they pushed his hands over his head again and engaged the ferromagnetic field so he was stuck fast with his manacles locked in place. No, better to wait. Maybe the girl—maybe Dani—can help me.
He didn’t want to admit to himself that he wanted to see her again, that his wish to see those large dark eyes once more had colored his decision about trying to escape. But deep down, she was all he could think about.
He hoped like hell she would come back.
* * * * *
Dani wondered again if it was safe to go back.
Well, it’s too late to wonder now, whispered a snarky little voice in her head. Because you’re going, aren’t you?
Yes, she was. But at least this time she was armed. She fingered the sharp little sudden-stab that was hidden in her pocket. Though most of her dress was see-through—as befitted a high born Goshan female—the extra folds of fabric in the pockets made concealment of small items possible. The sud-stab was no longer than her middle finger but when she pressed a button on the handle, a sharp length of cold blue steel punched suddenly out of it with the force of a stabbing blow.
With such a weapon a female might defend herself against even the largest attacker—if she knew where to place the sud-stab before she pressed the button.
Of course, Dani wasn’t supposed to have such a deadly instrument in her possession but she had found it in her dead mother’s things a few years ago. She doubted her mother had ever used it—it would have caused a dreadful scandal if she had. But it was clear that she’d known how to defend herself, which precious few Goshan females did.
Dani held her breath as she slipped behind the tapestry in the royal sleeping chamber and knocked lightly in the correct rhythm. She’d had to wait a night and a day for just the right opportunity but at least now she had no fear of her father coming back at the wrong time. There was a royal banquet going on right now to welcome Chief Warro, the ruler of the Thuggors. They occupied the fertile Southern continent on the far side of the planet—the only area her father did not rule over.
Dani knew that some of the councilors, Tornk in particular, lusted greedily after the Thuggors’ land which was rich in natural resources and mineral deposits. They would be doing everything in their power to ingratiate themselves with the Thuggor chief in order to make some sort of alliance.
She had faked sick to get out of the banquet—something she hadn’t done since childhood. Normally affairs of state interested her intensely—much more than they should since she was a female. But tonight the pull of the prisoner chained in her father’s private cell drew her more.
Her old nurse, Yana, had bemoaned the fact that the Monarch’s oldest daughter would not be in attendance at such an important event but Lavi had, surprisingly, come to her rescue.
“I will go, Yana,” she’d told the old woman who was wringing her hands in distress. “There are bound to be lots of interesting people to see.”
Of course by “people” she no doubt meant Jontu but Dani didn’t care. For once she was grateful to her spoiled little sister for taking her place and easing the drama her absence would otherwise have caused.
“Thank you, Lavi,” she had said with sincere gratitude. “It’s sweet of you to take my place.”
“It means you’ll miss dinner though,” Lavi pointed out. “Here—take some of these.” She drew a handful of sweet-berry nuggets, wrapped in nutty-tasting raba leaf peels from her pocket.
“Candy for dinner?” Dani took them and looked down at the colorful little blue and green packets doubtfully.
“Not just candy, silly! These are new—they have four times as much protein in them. They’ll fill you up without making you fat.” She eyed Dani’s full hips significantly. “I’ve been meaning to give you some—I’ve been eating them for weeks myself.”
“Thanks. I might try some later but right now I just want to go lie down.” Dani shoved them in the pocket of her dress. “Have fun at the banquet.”
“You know I will!” Lavi said brightly. Turning to their old nurse she said, “Yana, I want to look beautiful tonight. I want to be the prettiest girl in the whole room.”
“Of course you will be, my sweet! You always are.” Yana started fussing about the proper dress and hairstyle for Lavi to wear—she had always liked Lavi better, considering that she was what a real princess ought to look like.
Dani didn’t care about the old nurse's favoritism. Relieved, she had slipped out of the room, pretending she was going to her own chambers to turn in for an early night. Instead, she had waited an hour until she knew the banquet was in full swing. Then she’d put on her darkest dress—a red so deep it was almost black—and snuck out the back door of her apartments to go gliding along the echoing mirrored glass hallways to the royal bedchamber.
Now she was in the drafty passage that led to the cell. What would she find when she got there? Would the Kindred truly turn into some kind of beast? Would she have to use the sud-stab on him?
She reached the end of the corridor and stood on tiptoe to peer in through the window. What she saw wasn’t threatening, though. It was more alarming, at least to Dani.
The huge Kindred was slumped on the stone bench, his head hanging tiredly, his chin resting on his broad chest. Dani felt a stab of unease—had the guards hurt him somehow? Was he wounded?
Quickly she pressed her palm to the scanner and the door clicked open. Forgetting to be careful, she rushed into the room and stood before him, much closer than was safe.
“Are you all right?” she exclaimed. “Kindred, speak to me!”
“Ky.” He looked up at her, his piercing green eyes smudged with shadows. “Call me…Ky.”
“Ky, then—what’s wrong with you? Why are you all slumped over like that?”
“Haven’t…” He coughed hoarsely, a hollow sound from his deep chest. “Haven’t had anything…to eat or drink in…over twenty-four…solar hours,” he rasped out at last. “So damn…thirsty.”
“What?” Dani was incensed. Why was he being treated in such a barbaric fashion? She turned for the door but he called her back.
“Dani—”
“I’ll be back,” she promised and fairly flew down the dark corridor back to the royal bedchamber. She ran to the bathing chamber and found the largest vessel she could—a decorative vase of gold with curling crimson scroll work. It was a bit dusty but she rinsed it in the shower-fall, heedless of the way the falling water droplets splashed her dress.
When it was nearly full, the vase was almost too heavy to carry but Dani bit her lip and went as quickly as she could with her burden, not minding that the water slopped over the sides and wet her even more.
Back in the cell, she saw the huge Kindred had slumped down again, his chin resting on his broad chest. It seemed he was hardly breathing. Again she felt a stab of panic.
“Ky? Are you all right? I brought you some water.” She went to stand in front of him and tried to give him water but this time he seemed so weak he could barely lift his head.
Heedless of the danger he presented, Dani did her best to help him. It wasn’t easy though—the vase was so heavy and his head wasn’t light either. Still, she managed to curl one arm around the sloshing ornamental vessel and the other around his neck. She ended up with his head resting heavily on her left breast but she managed to get the side of the vase to his lips, which were cracked and dry with the need for moisture.
“Here you go,” she said, dribbling some of the water against his mouth. “Try to help me, will you? This is heavy.”
“…trying,” he whispered. His lips parted and the next bit of water sloshed into his mouth. It seemed to revive him some and Dani watched in relief as the strong cords of his throat moved while he swallowed.
His head still rested against her breast but she barely noticed it, so intent was she on getting him to drink. He took the water in slow sips at first, then in big, thirsty gulps.
Dani watched him anxiously until he stopped for breath.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Better now, thanks to you, little girl.” He turned those piercing green eyes up to hers although he was so tall he didn’t have to look far. Even with him sitting and her standing, they were nearly the same height.
Dani became suddenly aware that she was much closer to him than was proper. In fact, his cheek was pressed against her left breast and she could feel the scratchiness of the black whiskers which had begun to grow on his jaw against her tender nipple right through the thin, wet fabric of her dress.
“I…um…” She suddenly didn’t know what to say. She only knew they had locked eyes and she couldn’t look away. His brown hair was soft against her arm and this close to him she could smell a warm, masculine musk that seemed to draw her like a distant strain of music—a low note that called her name and pulled her inexorably closer.
“Thank you,” he murmured. “I thought I was a goner before you showed up, little girl.”
The movement of his jaw when he talked rubbed against her sensitive left nipple, sending a strange feeling of warmth from her breasts to the spot between her legs.
To my sacred channel, she thought and felt hot blood rushing to her face.
“I…you’re welcome,” she said, stepping back abruptly. “Did…did you get enough?”
“For now.” His eyes flickered over her chest. “Seems like you spilled some.”
“I…was in a hurry.” Dani didn’t know why his eyes on her made her blush. She looked down at herself.
She was dressed modestly enough for a Goshan female—the fabric of her dress came all the way up to her chin, all the way down to her ankles, and even covered her arms down to her wrists. Of course, the water that had spilled on her had made the garment a little more see-through than usual and the thin fabric clung to the curves of her breasts and the peaks of her nipples, but still, she was properly covered.
She looked back up and saw his eyes were still on her, which made her blush even harder.
The Kindred noticed that she was watching him watch her because he shook his head and seemed to make a concerted effort to look at her face again.
“Gods,” he groaned and “Sorry—I’m acting like a jerk, staring at you. It’s just…you’re fucking gorgeous all wet like that.”
“Oh…thank you I guess.” Dani wasn’t sure if she should cover up or not. In the past when she’d sometimes felt males’ eyes on her—especially Councilor Tornk’s—it had made her skin crawl. But for some reason the big Kindred’s gaze caused a kind of delicious embarrassment in her instead.
I have nothing to be ashamed of, she told herself. I am well formed, though I am as big as a male.
Lifting her chin high, she looked down at him.
“I came back to ask you some questions.”
He didn’t answer her in words. Instead, a deep, rumbling growl came from his midsection.
“Sorry,” he lifted his shoulders in a shrug, as much as the magno-lock cuffs holding his hands over his head would allow. “I haven’t had anything to eat in a while. Don’t suppose you have anything with you?” he asked hopefully.
“I would have to go and get something from the royal kitchens,” Dani said doubtfully. “They’re pretty crowded right now because of the banquet going on but I guess I could slip in. It will probably take some time though.”
“Don’t go then,” he said quickly. “I’d rather have you here talking to me than wasting time getting food.”
“Making sure you have something to eat isn’t a waste of time,” Dani objected, putting down the heavy golden vase.
As she did, she felt something bump against her left leg. At first she thought it was the hidden sud-stab but then she realized it was the sweet-berry nuggets Lavi had given her.
“Oh, I do have something!” she exclaimed. “Here.” She pulled out one of the nuggets. The colorful and edible blue and green leaf covering gleamed like a small jewel in the dull, monochrome cell.
“What is it?” Ky leaned his head forward, as much as the manacles would allow.
“Only a sweet-berry nugget—a kind of candy,” Dani said apologetically. “But it has extra protein in it so it’s supposed to fill you up. That’s what my little sister said, anyway.” She looked at the big Kindred doubtfully. “Do you want to try it?”
“Sure—I’ll try anything you’ve got. But I’m afraid you’ll have to feed it to me.” He nodded ruefully at his manacled hands. “Unless you want to let me free for a little while?”
Dani frowned. “I’m sorry but I can’t do that. I don’t know you well enough and if you wanted to escape I couldn’t stop you.”
He sighed. “I don’t suppose you’d take my word that I wouldn’t try to escape?”
She shook her head. “Again—I don’t know you. I don’t know if your people are honorable or not. I am still trying to learn about the Kindred to determine what to think of you. That is why I came back tonight.”
“Well feed me a sweet-berry nugget and ask me some questions then, little girl.” He gave her a warm smile that seemed to do strange things to her insides. “Let’s get to know each other.”