Chapter Seventeen

Kievan slipped quietly into the small room. The route Diandra had taken had been long and circuitous but they hadn’t encountered anyone else along the way. She paused outside the door, gave him a quick, curiously sweet smile, and disappeared before he could say anything else.

Cam’s room was clean but bare, a straight chair and a narrow cot the only furnishings. She was lying on her back on the cot, body still, face blank. She had been dressed in a white slave gown and his mind flashed back to the first time he had seen her. At least now she wasn’t bruised and wounded—at least not physically. After a long second, she turned her head to the door and saw him. He winced at the flash of agony that crossed her face, a pain so deep it hurt to look at. Before he could react, the blank mask covered her face again. She rose gracefully and knelt beside the cot, perfectly positioned.

“Yes, Master?” Her voice was completely calm and emotionless.

Moving cautiously, he sat on the bed, not attempting to touch her.

“I have something to say. All you need to do is to listen.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Growing up on Sardor was hard. I told you my mother died when I was born. My father spent most of his time campaigning so I floated around from relative to relative, none of whom particularly wanted me, until it was time to start training.” He shrugged, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “But that didn’t work out very well, either. I was one of their best fighters but I was never a true Sardoran warrior. I didn’t care about honor, I didn’t care about tradition, I never felt like part of my clan. I rebelled every chance I got. I wasn’t surprised when I was declared Outcast. What did surprise me was that I missed Sardor.” He hesitated and studied her profile. Her face hadn’t changed.

“Those first years were…difficult. But then I won the station and it was mine. The first time that I was in control, the first thing that I truly owned. So I fought for it, I conquered every obstacle that stood in my way, and I never stopped working for it—because it belonged to me. But I still missed Sardor and when another Outcast showed up at my station, I enjoyed spending time with him. I felt…at home. Of course, unlike me he was a good and honorable man—” He saw her quickly suppressed flinch but continued. “When the opportunity to help Sardor arose, he left me and went back. I saw that as a betrayal.”

Her head had turned; her face was still blank but she was watching him.

“A short time ago, he showed back up on my station. He needed help. I helped him but because I was angry I made him pay for it. As a result, he attracted the attention of Prince Ustrod. I don’t know why, but the prince wanted that man. I didn’t give him up. I let him escape.”

A flicker of emotion crossed her face but he couldn’t read it. The next part was going to be worse but he kept talking.

“The man had a human mate. I was attracted to her.” That emotion was definitely pain. “I didn’t take her. However, Prince Ustrod also saw her and wanted her. I didn’t give her up, either.” Her body jerked and she looked away but not before he saw the desolation in her eyes. Quietly, he added, “Not because of what she was to me but because of what she was to him.”

Her eyes came to his but the mask was back in place.

“Prince Ustrod was very angry about losing the man. He threatened to send Imperial troops to take Sigrast. My men are good but he has many, many more. He would have won and a lot of people would have died. The station might have survived but it would have been under his control while he dredged every penny he could out of it.” He hesitated, wanting to lie to her but unable to. “Don’t misunderstand, it would have been terrible for everyone on the station but my main concern was that he would be taking what was mine, everything that I had worked and fought so hard to keep for so long. Fortunately, he had been distracted by the human female. He agreed to accept her instead of the man once she was fully trained.”

“That’s why you kidnapped me.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” He couldn’t look at her any longer. “I assumed one human female would be much like another.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I was wrong. Because you can’t stay here. Prince Ustrod is a cruel master. He will hurt you and I can’t allow that.”

“Could he hurt me more than you have?”

His eyes closed at her whispered question. “Not in the same way. But he will hurt your body and he will hurt those parts of you that I left undamaged. I am taking you out of here.”

“What about Sigrast?”

“As soon as we leave orbit, I will communicate with J’Ssett. He will issue an evacuation order. Anyone who chooses to stay behind will at least know what they are facing.”

“I don’t believe I want that on my conscience, Lord Kievan. I will stay here,” Cam said calmly.

“No, you won’t.” he growled.

“You’re not my master anymore.” She looked at him directly. “I learned to live with you. I’m sure I can learn to live with the prince.”

“Goddess damn it, weren’t you listening? He will hurt you.”

“You hurt me,” she responded. Something inside him ripped open.

“I know I did,” he said softly. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am about that but I’ll try—as soon as we leave.”

“I’m not leaving.” Her voice was calm but her chin tilted defiantly. Despite his anger at her refusal, the return of her spirit thrilled him.

“Cam.”

That broke through the calm; he had never addressed her by name before. Blue eyes startled, she looked at him and emotions flickered across her face.

“Please trust me. You can’t stay here.”

“Why would I trust you?”

“I never lied to you, pet.”

“Not with your words.” It was his turn to flinch.

“Perhaps not, but I always told you the truth with my words. And I am telling you the truth now. You must let me take you away.” He hesitated, took in the stubborn tilt of her chin, and added softly. “Unless you want the same type of scars that Talasi has?”

She paled but immediately smoothed her face. He reached over and grasped her chin. Her breath hitched when his skin touched hers. Ignoring his own reaction, he leaned closer.

“And what you are doing now will only make it worse. The fact that you have locked everything away will only challenge him. He will break you, pet.”

Raw emotion flickered on her face—anger and the pain he had only glimpsed so far.

“He won’t have to…you already did.”

His hand went to her neck, holding her in place so he could bend forward and lean his forehead against hers. “No, I didn’t, pet. I damaged you but you’re still in there.”

He felt her shiver as he drew back. “I’m not giving you a choice. We’re leaving. Now.”

Anger animated her face and once again he rejoiced at the sight. Without another word, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

“I could scream,” she hissed.

“And if we’re very lucky, we’ll both be killed when they come for us.” He made his voice hard and saw her flinch. She didn’t speak as he towed her to the door.

The corridor was still empty and they made it to the garden door without any interruptions. Slipping into the silent garden, Kievan led Cam through the lush greenery, keeping to the shadows. He kept Cam’s small hand firmly tucked in his and, somewhat to his surprise, she didn’t try and pull away. In fact, her fingers curled around his. He pulled her closer until he felt the soft brush of her body with each step. The flowers surrounding them enhanced her sweet scent and his body responded.

Knowing that it was a bad idea, knowing that time was critical, still he groaned softly, stopped, and yanked her into his arms. Startled, she gasped and he took advantage, mouth descending hard over hers, tongue thrusting into the sweet depths of her mouth. For one glorious moment she responded, moaning into his mouth, her tongue stroking his. Then her body went rigid. Reluctantly he lifted his head. Despite her stiffness, her nipples had tightened, her eyelids had dropped, and her mouth had softened. Her face was anything but blank. Suppressing the flare of triumph, he tightened his arms around her for a fraction of a second, took her hand again, and resumed their journey.

The garden opened into a series of smaller gardens, each enclosed with tall hedges, each centered on a special feature – a specimen tree, a tinkling fountain, a mosaic of herbs. The final garden room contained a maze. Kievan cursed under his breath. They didn’t have time for puzzles. He headed for a path that seemed to dead end at the hedge wall, intending to see if they could push through the thick greenery. What looked like a dead end turned out to conceal a hidden entrance into yet another garden room. Heavy with flowering bushes around the edge, the center contained open turf around an oval reflecting pool. Prince Ustrod and another man stood silhouetted by the pool.