Slave for a Day

by Jane Henry

“Pretend to be one of them?” I ask.

  Shaan nods. “He is right. The plan is sound. Those who serve as Vortrian’s men-at-arms get nearest to him at the many gatherings he hosts, and that would be the best place to learn of Cambri’s whereabouts,” he says. “But those closest to him have mates by their sides. I will join you, but we will not be able to get into his inner circle alone.”

  “I will go!” a female voice rings clearly. I groan out loud as my men turn to look. When will this woman learn her place? “Idan, I will go by your side as your mate so that you can infiltrate those closest in rank to Vortrian!”

  “Svali, you were not asked to come here,” I say, marching over to her. My palm itches to smack my wife’s willful, brave little backside. To dare to think I would allow her to put herself in danger like that!

  Her chin raises, her eyes bright. When I reach her, I take her by the elbow and spin her around toward the door, but she pushes against me. “Please, my lord,” she says, her voice shaking. “Please listen to me!”

  “I will not,” I say in her ear. “I am sympathetic to your loss and fear, which is the only reason I have not taken you across my knee in front of my men for your disobedience. You should not be involved in this discussion. I am trying to protect you, and cannot do so if you disobey me.”

  My hands tremble in anger. Cambri has been taken from her mother’s quarters in my own home, which means that the kidnappers were in the same house as my wife. They could have laid hands on her. The very thought of Svali being at the mercy of those men has me seething. I would kill every last one of them. I must keep her safe.

  “Idan, I want to help. I want to fetch her with you!”

  I shake my head, sighing, as I open the door. “Svali,” I begin, when Aldric’s voice from across the room halts me.

  “Idan.” Still holding Svali by my side, I turn to look at him. He is standing, frowning at Svali, but his fingers are tugging at his beard as if lost in thought. I wait for him to speak. “Shaan says those in Vortrian’s inner ranks are mated. The only way for you to get close to him is by having a woman by your side. Though I know you dislike the idea of Svali being in danger, it may perhaps be the most effective means of saving Cambri. After all, Svali knows the Kleedian terrain, and if you get separated from Shaan, she can help you, no?”

  I groan. He has a point, but I already hate this plan.

  Shaan gets to his feet, nodding. “Yes,” he says. “It is the best course of action. I can give you instructions and help you when you need assistance. I am afraid that I will be recognized on Kleedan.”

  “As will Svali,” I protest through gritted teeth. “She lived on Kleedan nearly her entire life, and could be recognized by anyone.”

  “No, my lord!” she insists. “Remember I disguised myself before? We can do it again.”

  I close my eyes briefly and groan. I remember how she disguised herself all right. When she and I first met, she tricked herself into the circle of women by disguise, which wore off within the first day of our wedding. The details of the past are behind us now, and I do not wish to revisit them. “I remember,” I say darkly.

  “I can take you to the enchantress,” she says. “We can disguise ourselves to look like people he associates with. It lasts for twenty-four hours, which may be just enough time.”

  “Why only twenty-four hours?” I ask, still frowning.

  Shaan’s voice carries across the room. “Longer than that, and the disguise threatens to hold permanently,” he says. “It can also alter a person both mentally as well as physically, and it is a risk.”

  We have no choice then. Sighing, I turn to Aldric and raise a brow in question. He nods. “It is important you move quickly, Idan,” he says. “Every minute Cambri is gone, it will be harder to trace her. And given what we know about Vortrian’s methods, I fear for her safety and health.”

  Svali clutches my hand.

  “Fine, then,” I say. “We go within the hour.”

  Svali’s arms encircle my neck impulsively. “Thank you,” she whispers in my ears. “I love you.”

  Despite my misgivings, my heart softens. This beautiful, impulsive woman might be the death of me, but I would gladly lay down my life for her. If anyone dares to attempt to hurt her, I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

  “And I love you, you little imp,” I say back in her ear. “Even if I will wear my palm out on your impertinent backside.”

  Chapter 3

  Svali

  I know I have angered Idan, but I also know it is only because he cares about me. He hardly allows me to walk the grounds of our kingdom alone, always sending guards and servants with me if I so much as pick flowers for our dining table. I know the need to protect is in his blood, and most of the time, I enjoy how careful he is with me. But this time, I need to prove to him that I will not come to any harm.

  I need to save Cambri.

  How could I not want to save my own flesh and blood?

  Idan quickly arranges for his brothers to see to the oversight of East Avalere in his absence, while Shaan and I wait for him.

  “Have you met Vortrian?” Shaan asks me. He has been trained with Idan and his brothers, and is now sporting the black slashes on his neck and shoulders, marking him as an honorary member of the Hisrach. He holds his large, muscled frame erect, his black hair hanging to his chin, his eyes as dark as pitch staring sternly at me across the room.

  “I have,” I say, swallowing. “Before I came to Avalere, Cambri attempted to get work in the mines.”

  “I remember,” Shaan says, with a curt nod.

  I squirm. He will not like to hear what I have to say next. “Vortrian came in when we were inquiring about work. He… saw both of us and offered us… different work.” Shaan’s eyes narrow. “We declined and left quickly. He did not pursue us.”

  “Then you know he is a man given to temper and indulgence of every kind,” he says. “What you may not know is that the man also enjoys cruel, sadistic pleasure.”

  My skin crawls, intuitively knowing that what he refers to goes beyond what Idan and I enjoy. “Oh?”

  “He and all his friends think of women as little more than property. They do not care for them, and dispose of their women when they are done.” His jaw clenches.

  “And how exactly does that impact us?” Idan’s deep voice startles me. I jump, not knowing he has come in the room. His eyes narrow on me. “If you are to come with me on this mission, Svali, you must pay better attention.”

  I nod in repentance. “Yes, my lord.”

  Shaan turns to Idan. “Vortrian is enormously wealthy. He uses his employees and takes a large cut of profit. He wants for nothing. Slaves do his bidding night and day.” His eyes go to me. “I do not mean servants like we have here at the palace, Svali. I mean slaves. They are owned by him, both men and women alike. And as his property, he treats them little better than animals.”

  “How awful,” I whisper, my stomach churning at the thought of my sister being treated that way.

  “And that’s not all,” Shaan says. “He brings a woman with him everywhere he goes. He engages in… humiliation. His women wear collars and crawl by his side. They are chained to his bed. Their only job is to service him.”

  My eyes widen, but I remain silent, listening. “He takes great pleasure in causing them pain, whether they like it or not,” he says. “And his men are all the same.”

  Idan crosses his arms on his chest as Shaan continues. “In order for you and Idan to infiltrate his inner ranks, you will have to do the same.” He meets my eyes squarely. “You will need to be collared and chained.” He turns to Idan. “You will likely have to publicly demonstrate your ownership of her, and show that you are as sadistic as the rest of them.”

  To my shock, Idan’s lips turn up. “I think I can arrange that,” he says.

  “My lord!”

  He reaches for my hand, tugs me over to him, spins me around, and to my shock, he lands a sharp swat to my backside right
then and there in front of Shaan. My cheeks flush as he spins me around to look at him, my eyes wide and my mouth open in shock.

  “Collar you?” he says, as a wicked, slow grin spreads on his face. “Chain you? Show all around us who is master of you?” he asks, pulling me up against his chest as he threads his fingers through my hair and wraps his fingers around the back of my neck. “Can I muzzle her, too?” he asks Shaan, though his eyes are still on mine, twinkling.

  “Idan!”

  Shaan chuckles. The nerve!

  Idan pulls my ear to his mouth and whispers, “Relax, lovely. I only tease… mostly. I will expect your obedience, as you know. And I promise that anything I do to you, I will do with your utmost pleasure in mind.”

  My heart trips in my chest, my mouth dry. “Yes, my lord.”

  Idan sees to our transportation, clearing passage through the portal. Though interplanetary travel is now regulated, as Duke of Avalere, he has power enough to set everything necessary in place. He stands in front of the portal, palm to glass, and within minutes, we leave the lush, vibrant land of Avalere and enter the cold, dark mining planet of Kleedan. I shiver. I was born on Kleedan, and hate the very memory of everything here. The dank air, the cruel creatures that roam the lands unchecked, the abject poverty my family escaped.

  I want to cry for Cambri, my sweet sister who not only returned here, but did so as prisoner.

  We will find her.

  “Ample pay will get us what we need quickest,” I mutter quietly, hoping we can make it to the home of the enchantress who will grant us our wish. A pouch filled with golden coins hangs by my side. Within minutes, we are at her door. She opens when we knock, and ushers us in quickly.

  She is a young, beautiful maiden with jet black hair and keen green eyes, slender and reserved. “I remember you,” she says. My eyes flit to Idan. I prefer not to remind him of my own deception. I was dutifully punished and forgiven long ago.

  I swallow and face her. “Yes,” I say. “It is imperative that the three of us disguise ourselves, and we must insist upon your silence.”

  Her eyes go first to Shaan, and then Idan, taking in their strong, muscled bodies and stern warrior features. “Certainly,” she says, with a smile. “For a price.”

  She names her fee, and Idan nods his consent. She has us stand, one at a time, in a glass chamber. When it is my turn, warmth floods through my limbs, my vision blurs, and a tingling sensation races through my fingers. I turn to Idan, a laugh bubbling inside of me, as I look to him. The tribal markings—distinctive of the Hisrach—are now gone. His hair is no longer auburn but a muddy brown, shorter than it was, his skin a swarthy golden brown. Gone are his sword belt and swords.

  Shaan, being a former worker for Vortrian, needs a heavier disguise. I cover my mouth, stifling a giggle. His skin is pale, like the mine workers. His eyes are blue, and his form is now thinner than before. If Cambri could see him now! But my laughter does not last long, as both Shaan and Idan’s eyes come to me.

  I reach a hand to my neck. What is the chilly, heavy feel? Frowning, my fingers wrap around cold metal.

  “You said you must infiltrate the inner circle of Vortrian?” she asks. “Then you must play the part.” I look down, wide-eyed, at my ensemble. My breasts nearly spill out of the top of my slim-fitting top, the skirt I wear so short it barely covers my backside. My hair that once was golden brown hangs in straight, silky black sheets down to my waist. I start when Idan gives a tug to the chain that attaches to my neck.

  “Idan!” I gasp.

  He merely grins.

  “Be careful,” warns the enchantress, her eyes wicked as she lifts a shoulder to shrug. “You are not the only one outfitted for the inner sanctum.” She nods toward Idan’s hand. He lifts it in astonishment, his eyes wide and his mouth opened. In his hand he holds a stout, black riding whip. He gives it a flick in the air, and I jump.

  He smiles at me. “Be careful is right,” he says, fastening the whip on his waist. “I may be tempted to try this out.”

  I glare at him, but he narrows his eyes, shakes his head, and taps the whip at his waist. My mouth drops open.

  “Does she really have to be dressed like this?” Idan asks, frowning. I smile. He does not like other men looking at me.

  “Oh yes,” the enchantress says. “You will have to pretend to be one of the many inner circle members who attend his parties. It is the only way.”

  He scowls.

  “It is true,” Shaan says. “They all dress like that, and most share their women.”

  The heathens! “I will not share,” Idan growls. I barely stifle a chuckle.

  The enchantress is not finished. She presses a small flask into his palm. “This is a sleeping potion that will alter the recipient’s memory. Use it only if necessary, and use it with caution.” Idan nods. We follow Shaan out of the enchantress’s house, and start walking together toward the dark mines that lay ahead. Shaan will pretend to be a servant who is returning home, escorting us to the inner sanctum where Vortrian’s guests meet. With enough persuading, we might even get past the guards who surround the mines. Loud bangs echo in the darkness as we draw closer. My heartbeat accelerates, my nerves rising. My hand in Idan’s tightens.

  He pulls me to him. “Relax, Svali,” he whispers in my ear. Though his disguise tricks me, his voice is the same, and at his command, I feel my nerves calm. My shaking stills, as he leans in closer. “Keep your eyes on me, do as I say, and you will be fine.”

  “Yes, my lord,” I whisper. Suddenly, calling him ‘my lord’ with his metal cuffs around my wrists, his collar about my neck, and the clang of the metal links that bind me, strikes me all at once. I focus on the chafing of the metal against my skin. With a mere tug of his wrist, Idan pulls me closer to him. My heartbeat skips, and my belly clenches.

  I am completely at his mercy.

  “Good girl,” he whispers in my ear. Warmth floods my chest. I stand taller. His voice drops. “When we get closer to the guards, you are to keep your head down. I mean it, Svali. No lifting your head to see if Cambri is here. That will be my job and Shaan’s. Do you understand? The leather at my side is not for mere show, lovely.” Though there is a thread of humor in his tone, I know he is serious.

  “Would you, Idan?”

  “Spank you?” he asks, still speaking in a whisper. “You have to ask me that?”

  I barely stifle a gasp. “No,” I reply. “Would you… use that… in front of others?”

  His lips turn up, a slow grin spreading across his handsome face. “It would be the highlight of this journey.”

  “Idan!”

  He shrugs, and the humor leaves his eyes. He looks at me sternly. “Svali, this is dangerous. If we are discovered, our lives are forfeit. Before we left Avalere, you were pushing the boundaries of your obedience to me, and I will tell you now, woman, I will not tolerate it.”

  Though I will not admit it, and though I do wish to please him above all, I do wonder what it would be like to be whipped in front of others. That loss of control… his power over me… but, then again, some things are best left for fantasy.

  Chapter 4

  Idan

  I shiver in the darkness as we cross the Kleedian terrain. How anyone could live here and not sink into despair and misery is beyond my understanding. On Avalere, though we embrace old-fashioned principles, our people are happy. The sun shines on fields of lush green, and under Svali’s hands, the flora and fauna of Avalere flourish. Kleedan, on the other hand, is a place where our prisoners are sometimes banished in exile or punishment, to serve in the mines.

  When Svali came to me, she sought to help her family escape the dark misery of her home planet. She holds tighter to my hand as we walk beyond the dirty, dingy dwellings of the Kleedians. Though the select few on Kleedan live in luxury, the vast majority live in abject poverty. There is no ‘middle class’ on Kleedan. There are those who have, and those who do not. Most are poor.

  I hold Svali’s hand a little tig
hter. I long to have her back on Avalere and under my protection. Though I am by her side, I do not have the Hisrach at my back, armed men ready to defend her honor and keep her safe, and legions of servants prepared to do my bidding.

  “Idan?” she asks softly. “What is it? Did you see something?”

  “No, lovely,” I whisper in her ear. “I dislike that you are in a position of danger like this.” There is no point in keeping my true feelings hidden from her. I do not like that she has pushed her boundaries as of late, and I wish I felt confident that she would obey me.

  “I am not in danger,” she says, her wide eyes innocent. “I am here with you.”

  My chest constricts. I swallow hard. “Of course, Svali.”

  Shaan’s voice comes from behind us. “Several paces ahead,” he says. “Do you see the pathway that leads to the left?” A paved road leads downward, bending behind a group of trees. “That is where we go. It will take us to the mines, and once we arrive there, I can get us into the inner sanctum.”

  Now Svali’s hand tightens in mine. She hates the darkness. “When we find and rescue Cambri, I wish to return to Avalere and lay upon the sandy beaches in the sun. I will take my breakfast every morning in the garden, and bask in the glow and warmth.”

  I press her fingers to my lips. “You shall, Svali.” She is a brave, courageous girl.

  Her eyes meet mine. “Yes, my lord.”

  And with her final parting words, we move on deeper into the darkness.

  As we walk along the pathway that leads us down deeper toward the mines, the air grows dank, the colors around us minimal. We can hear the scurrying legs of insects around us, though none are immediately visible. Svali shivers, and I draw her closer to me.

  I hear a distant clank of metal, the shrill sounds of a whistle, and shouts.

  “Do you hear them?” Shaan asks. He comes to my side now. The two of us walk shoulder-to-shoulder. Droves of Kleedians work the mines, supervised by harsh overseers. I shudder to think my wife once lived on this planet.