Mastered By Love

by Tori Minard

  All the more reason to get out of here tonight.

  Lenora leaned forward, eyes gleaming. “They’re getting ready to do the Warrior Dance. You should join in, Tariza.”

  “Oh, no. I’m not a warrior anymore.”

  Lenora’s mouth fell open. “What do you mean? Of course you are. Mother, tell her.”

  “You have every right to participate,” Merita said. “You’ve earned it.”

  Tariza flushed. She sneaked a glance at Dario, who stared at the floor without expression. “I don’t know.”

  “Oh, come on,” Lenora said. “You always performed it so well.”

  “I’m out of practice.” If she danced, he’d see what she truly excelled at and it wasn’t ladylike ballroom dance where she followed the lead of a man.

  “It hasn’t been that long,” her sister said in a wheedling tone. “You’ll remember. Please? I think it would do the women of the court good to see you doing the things you used to do.”

  “Your sister is right,” the queen said. “It would be good for morale.”

  They had a point. Besides, it would help to lull everyone into thinking she wanted her old life back, possibly making it easier for her and Dario to escape.

  “All right. I’ll do it.”

  Dario touched her ankle. She looked down at him as he sent her a quick sideways glance.

  Tariza leaned in close. “Yes, Dario?” she murmured.

  “I’d like to see you dance,” he said under his breath.

  The table was blocking his view. She patted his shoulder as she straightened and turned to the queen. “I wish Dario to see the dance. I grant him permission to sit in a chair.”

  Merita frowned. “That would be highly inappropriate. He may kneel on top of the table, however.”

  “Very well.” She pushed her dishes aside to make room. “Dario, kneel on the table.”

  He looked as though he wanted to argue. Tariza frowned, shook her head. With a clenching of his jaw, he rose from the floor and climbed onto the table.

  “Good boy,” she said.

  He turned red from collarbones to hairline.

  Stifling a grin, Tariza left the dais and ran to the center of the room to join the dancers.

  “Are you joining us, Your Highness?” said a young woman with a knot of dark copper hair.

  “Yes, but I don’t have a spear.”

  “Take mine.” The redhead thrust her weapon at Tariza with a broad smile.

  “But what will you use?”

  “I’ll sit this one out. It’s an honor to have the Princess borrow my spear.”

  “The honor is mine. Thank you.” She bowed.

  The auburn-haired woman returned her bow along with another grin and left the circle of dancers. The rest of the women in the circle were grinning too as they lifted their spears in readiness for the music. Tariza did likewise, the long shaft of the spear a familiar weight in her hand.

  The music began. The dancers circled, stomping their feet in time with the tune. They lowered their spears to point toward the outside of the circle, performed lunges forward and back, all in time to the music, then raised the spears again before starting another cycle of the same steps.

  She saw Dario on the table top, his dark eyes fixed on her. What did he think of this?

  The dance returned easily to her mind and body. She chanted the fierce warriors’ words as she stomped and twirled, holding her spear aloft. Finally the dancers laid the spears on the floor and moved into the second, more athletic section of the dance.

  They leaped over the spears, kicking high, slapping their boot heels as the music went faster and faster. Tariza’s heart pounded. The blood sang in her veins. She laughed. The dancers whirled around in their circle, spinning and leaping, until on the last beat of the music they all went down on one knee with a shout of victory.

  The whole room burst into applause and cheers. Tariza laughed again, her face flushed, her whole body alive. She hadn’t enjoyed anything that much in a long time – except perhaps the reunion with Dario.

  The dancers gathered around her, slapping her back and hugging her. When she at last broke away and returned to the dais, Dario was still watching her. He gave her a sad smile as she mounted the dais, then ducked his head and stared at his hands clasped in his lap.

  A chill stole into her happiness. What was wrong? He hadn’t liked the performance, didn’t approve of the style of dancing. That must be it. He couldn’t accept this other version of her.

  “You were wonderful!” Lenora said. “The best one out of all of them.”

  She smiled at her sister, yet she turned away from her to take Dario’s face in her hands. “What’s troubling you?” she whispered.

  “It’s not my place to say, Mistress,” he replied just as quietly.

  “I’m asking you.”

  He took a breath. “You were magnificent and I can’t take you away from this. You belong here.” He said the words in a toneless rush, as if they pained him.

  They certainly pained her. He seemed to have some ridiculous idea of nobly sacrificing his freedom so she could remain in Concordia. That wasn’t going to happen. Didn’t he know how much it hurt her to see him debased?

  The queen and Lenora were watching, probably straining to catch the whispered words.

  “We’ll discuss this later,” Tariza muttered.

  She planted an open-mouthed kiss on Dario, who responded with an eager groan. “I’m pleased you enjoyed the performance,” she said, loudly enough for the others to hear. “Now resume your usual position.”

  He obeyed promptly and with no sign of resentment.

  Tariza waited through the tedious ceremony that followed, something she’d always enjoyed in previous years. This time the lighting of candles, singing of songs and whipping of a slave – said to represent the beaten spirit of Winter – failed to hold her interest. She waited while the people around her drank glass after glass of wine and stronger liquor, until the laughter and talking went from loud to boisterous and then began to die off.

  Heads were down all over the hall. Women and slaves alike had succumbed to excessive drink. Some had left the hall, either to fuck or sleep. Some had lost consciousness where they sat.

  The queen looked drowsy and bored, and Lenora dozed in her chair.

  Tariza looked down at Dario. His gaze was clear and steady as he looked back. Neither of them had taken more than two glasses of wine between them both.

  “It’s time to retire,” Tariza announced. “Come, Dario.”

  ***

  In her quarters, Dario pulled the absurd flower crown off his head and tossed it to the floor. Good riddance. He swiftly unbuckled the harness while Tariza stripped off her festival pants, replacing them with heavy trousers in preparation for their flight.

  He thought of the way her face had glowed during the Warriors’ Dance. She’d never looked like that in Saturnios, except perhaps in the midst of sexual passion. Would she have that opportunity on Belleren? His movements slowed, then stopped. “We’re not going.”

  Tariza gave him a startled look. His jaw clenched tightly. She’d argue with him, but it wouldn’t change his mind. He wouldn’t tear her away from her family and people a second time. Not after what he’d seen tonight.

  She yanked a thick woolen tunic over the fancy festival one she already wore. “Yes, we are.”

  “It isn’t right.”

  “We don’t have time to argue, Dario. We’ve got to go. Now.”

  He caught her hand. “I saw your face when you were dancing. I’ve never seen you look so happy.” He swallowed heavily. “I can’t take that away from you.”

  “Maybe they dance on Belleren too.”

  He closed his eyes against a sudden surge of irritation. She was being deliberately obtuse. “That isn’t what I meant.”

  “Get your clothes on.” She tugged against his grip.

  “Tariza, if we leave, things will change.”

  “Isn’t that the point
?”

  “I’ve already done enough harm.” He palmed the side of her face, willing her to understand. “I don’t want to make you into someone else. Someone docile. I love your fire.”

  Her brown eyes were so wide and steady. Fearless. “That’s why we’re going to Belleren and not Saturnios.”

  “I’m not sure I can be trusted.” There was something ugly in his soul, something that wanted to dominate women.

  “Love, we’ve already had this discussion,” she said. “Now, I’m going. With or without you.”

  She wouldn’t really do it. Would she?

  Tariza slung her already-packed bag over her shoulder and turned for the door.

  “I’ll stay,” he said. “For you.”

  She shook her head. “Not acceptable. Dario, don’t you know how much it hurts me to see you humiliated and debased? I love you. I don’t want to–I won’t–live in a place where you aren’t free.”

  Frowning, he hung back. “You laughed at the flower crown.”

  “That was only teasing. If it’s real ... if we had to play those roles every day ... I couldn’t bear it.”

  “You really mean that.”

  She tilted her head, a hint of impatience in her gaze. “Of course I mean it. I love you.”

  He caught her in a desperate embrace. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.”

  She smiled up at him. “I feel the same way about you.”

  They shared a long and tender kiss. When they parted, Dario pressed his lips to her forehead. “Are you sure, sweetheart? There’ll be no coming back.” He searched her gaze for any hint of doubt.

  “I’m sure.”

  Dario nodded. He needed to trust her. After all, that was part of love, wasn’t it? “All right, then. Let’s go.”

  Dimples appeared in her cheeks. “Clothes first.”

  She still scrambled his thoughts. He’d forgotten he was still naked.

  He laughed. “Right. Clothes first.”

  Chapter 27

  The royal Concordian stables weren’t as large or nearly as grand as the ones in Saturnios. Not that it mattered – he wasn’t here to appreciate their horseflesh. Curious mares and geldings peeked from their stalls, pointed ears flicking, dark liquid eyes following him as he followed Tariza’s confident stride down the center aisle of the stable all the way to the end. She stopped and opened the door of a roomy box stall.

  “In here.”

  Inside the stall was one of the float cars he remembered from the capture in Saturnios. It squatted in the straw, gleaming in a sinister Galactic way in the yellow glow of the lamp she carried.

  “It looks like a tight fit,” he said. “How are we going to get it out of there?”

  “Carefully.” She pressed a control on the side of the vehicle and a door slid open soundlessly.

  “Halt! Who’s there?” shouted a strident female voice.

  “Shit,” Tariza said.

  Dario turned to see a guard making for them, a grim set to her jaw. She carried a sword on her left hip and a Galactic weapon of some kind on her right. He could see the butt peeking out from a discreet leather holster.

  “We’re just having a look,” Tariza called.

  The guard’s hand strayed to her gun. Tariza edged around him. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to be shot. Dario put out an arm to block her.

  The guard lifted her weapon. “Stay where you are,” she snapped.

  “It’s me. Tariza Concordia.”

  The guard frowned, looking baffled. “Your Highness? Is it really you?”

  “Yes.”

  “What are you doing here?” The woman took a couple more steps toward them, frowning suspiciously. “Why aren’t you in the hall with everyone else?”

  “I was bored. I wanted to see the float car.” Tariza tried again to outflank Dario.

  “Stay back,” he said. “She’s armed.”

  “Get out of my way, Dario.”

  “Are you in danger, Your Highness?” the guard said.

  Tariza laughed, the sound false. “No. Of course not.”

  Intrigue was clearly not her greatest strength.

  The guard glowered at him. “Step away from the princess, slave.”

  He didn’t trust the twitchiness of her finger on the gun. She looked like she was waiting for an excuse to fire it, and if he gave her a clear shot at Tariza... . “No.”

  “She’s not going to hurt me,” Tariza said calmly. “I’m her princess. It’s all right, Dario.”

  “If she doesn’t mean to hurt you,” he said, “she can put away her weapon.”

  “This is the Saturnios creature,” the guard said. “Isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Tariza said.

  “He’s out of control, Your Highness.”

  “No, he isn’t. He’s just protective of me.”

  “Some of us think you should never have taken him out of that dungeon.” The guard’s weapon trembled in her hand.

  Tariza lifted her hands in a peace-maker’s gesture. “Put your gun away.”

  “I can’t do that. He’s not secured. You – you don’t even have shackles on him. No leash. What’s going on here?” The guard’s voice rose, agitated.

  “I told you. I was bored so I brought him out here.”

  The woman’s gaze flickered from Tariza to Dario and back again. “Does he have some kind of hold on you?”

  “No, no. Nothing like that.” Tariza darted around him.

  No! The guard’s pistol hand jerked. Dario lunged for Tariza, throwing himself in front of her. Savage pain exploded in his torso. He crashed to the stable floor and the world turned black.

  ***

  Tariza stifled a scream of horror as crimson blossomed in Dario’s chest, soaking his winter jacket.

  “Oh, Goddess, no.” She fell to her knees beside him, hands shaking. “No. Dario, no, no.”

  “Your Highness, are you unharmed?” the guard said.

  She stared wildly up at her. “What is that weapon? What have you done to him?”

  The woman took a couple of hesitant steps toward her and Dario. “It’s a needler.”

  “What does that mean?” She’d never heard of it before.

  “It fires small needle-like projectiles that enter the body and fire off charges once inside. They’re lethal at close range.”

  Her mother had authorized such a weapon? What had she been thinking? “You shot my slave with that thing.”

  “He’s done for, Your Highness. He’ll bleed out in minutes.”

  She glared over her shoulder at the woman. “Damn you, no, he won’t. I won’t have it. We have to get him a doctor.”

  “There’s nothing Doctor Holla could do. The needles have torn up his internal organs.”

  Tariza ripped at Dario’s jacket until the buttons popped off, revealing his shirt and vest, soaked and sticky with his blood. She kept tearing until she reached bare skin. The holes were so small. There were only two of them. They oozed a continual flow of blood, though, and Goddess only knew what was going on inside him.

  The guard was right. Holla would be of no help at all. No doctor on Argelia would be able to handle a wound like this. She needed a Galactic, but that would involve going off-world and how was she to manage that? She had no access to spaceships.

  Shadow. Hadn’t Dario mentioned that Shadow wanted to help them? This was his chance. Maybe he had a doctor with him at the embassy, or perhaps he could get them to some kind of medical facility. She didn’t know what these Galactics were capable of, and probably they’d be too late. But she had to try.

  “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” the guard said, looking vaguely regretful. “I thought you were in danger.”

  “I should have the skin whipped off your back. Help me get him in the float car.”

  “What?” The guard blinked.

  “Get him in the car. Now. I’ll take him somewhere with a Galactic doctor.”

  “You’re taking him out of Concordia?”

&nb
sp; Tariza rounded on her with an animal snarl. “Help me now or this will be the last night you ever breathe.”

  The guard paled as she holstered her weapon. “All right. Yes. What should I do?”

  “Get his feet. I’ll take his shoulders.”

  The guard obeyed, her hands visibly shaking almost as badly as Tariza’s. Tariza grabbed Dario under his armpits and together the two women hefted him the short distance to the float car. They laid him on the floor in front of the back passenger seats.

  He looked so pale, as if he were dead already. Tariza brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. Please live. Please don’t leave me.

  “Your Highness, what now?”

  She fixed the guard with a lethal glare. “Give me your gun.”

  The guard’s mouth opened and closed twice. She pulled out the weapon and handed it butt-first to Tariza.

  “Turn around.”

  The guard turned. Tariza slammed the butt of the weapon over the woman’s skull and she collapsed to the ground. She hoped she hadn’t killed the hotheaded idiot, but if she had, well, it was more than deserved. At any rate, now the guard couldn’t sound the alarm and have the queen’s soldiers after them in the other float car.

  Tariza closed the door of the car and slipped into the pilot’s seat. Thank the Goddess she’d taken Lenora’s advice and gotten some flying lessons in. She started the engines. They made an unholy roar in the warm silence of the stable. Horses began to snort and stamp. These damned contraptions would be a lot more useful if they weren’t so noisy, but it couldn’t be helped.

  Easing the thing out of the box stall and into the aisle, she headed for the back doors of the stable. They were still standing open. She got the car through and out into the yard, the running lights still dimmed to avoid attracting attention.

  A shout came from behind her. So much for avoiding attention. Tariza accelerated wildly, lifting the float car above the stable yard and the trees surrounding it. They were out. Free.