by Lisa Lace
By morning, Bethany’s fingers felt like they’d been ripped to shreds. The skin was tender and wet to the touch, but without light she couldn’t see what damage had been done. She quietly got up and felt her way around to the door and stood there, waiting.
It seemed to take hours, but finally the door grated open. Bethany winced as the light hit her eyes.
“Bathroom,” a voice grunted.
Bethany didn’t wait, but swung wildly at the slaver with her pipe. She hit him on the cheek and he screamed as she heard bone crunch. Bethany darted outside.
They seemed to be in an old abandoned lot, with nothing for miles in any direction. Adrenaline was pumping her onwards; Bethany ran faster than she’d ever run in her life. She leaped to the side at the sound of a stun gun firing, and an old tire next to her exploded. They weren’t being so careful with their settings anymore. Getting hit now may result in more than just a numb leg.
Bethany’s vision tunneled down to her goal: an old, broken down pod. It didn’t look like it had flown in years, but if she could just lock herself in long enough to get a signal out to the authorities, she’d be saved.
One of the slavers appeared right in front of her out of nowhere. Bethany realized to her horror that she’d been running right in the direction of the filthy little bathroom -- and right toward one of her captors.
He grabbed his gun, not even taking the time to draw it, and slammed it into Bethany’s face.
She didn’t hear bone splinter, but judging by the pain, it may as well have. Her vision went white and she crumpled like an empty sack.
A hand reached down and pulled her up by her hair. “Now that wasn’t very nice of you, is it? You can just go without food before you’re sold, then, see how smart you think you are on an empty stomach.”
Bethany tried to struggle, but it sent flames of pain through her face, so she stopped. She couldn’t stop the stinging tears. This had been her best chance, and she had failed. She was to be sold. Once she was in the hands of her new master, and there was little chance of ever escaping.
The slavers dragged Bethany back to the others, who were lined up with their hands bound. The man who’d caught her glared at Bethany. “That cheek will bring your price down, you little bitch.”
Another slaver slapped him on the back of the head. “Idiot! If you’d just hit her somewhere else, we wouldn’t have this problem. Could we just kill her?”
Bethany’s breath caught and the world tilted.
“Nah, we’ll still get a decent sum for her. Now, eat up, we don’t want you collapsing on the auction stand.”
The others were given some meager rations. Bethany was handed a cup of water, but nothing to eat. When one of the women tried to sneak her a bit of bread, the slavers kicked her brutally in the ribs. After that, no one tried anything.
The women were shooting Bethany looks that were a mixture of fear and sympathy. She wondered if her escape plan was as well considered as she’d thought. Who would take her as a bride now? The thought of having her soul sucked out was horrifying, but she realized that she didn’t want to die either, to be used and cast aside like a broken toy.
Cursing her stupidity, Bethany followed the others meekly back into the ship, her cheek still throbbing.
To her surprise, one of the slavers accompanied them. “I’ve got something to show you all.”
He shoved a screen under Bethany’s nose. “Since you’re so keen to leave, you first.”
Bethany looked down at the screen and gasped. She could see her parents sitting down at their dining room table, a police officer across from them. Clearly, they were reporting her disappearance. Her heart ached for them.
“We know where they are. One word and they’re dead. You understand me? And not quickly neither. As far as everyone else is concerned, you came willingly. Got it?”
Bethany nodded, terrified.
One by one, the slaver went along the row with the screen in hand. Gasps like hers told Bethany that she wasn’t the only one with a family in danger.
She felt numb as the ship took off, taking her to the auction. She couldn’t believe that it was just a day ago that she’d been walking to town to get some cloth and bread.
When the ship landed, the slavers growled at them to straighten themselves up. The women quickly tried to pat their hair down and straighten their clothes. Bethany didn’t bother. What was the point?
She was dragged out and lined up with about twenty other miserable looking people. There was a crowd growing in front of the stage. Bethany scanned it, confirming her fear that most of them were Evions. Slavery was a banned but well known pursuit across the galaxy, and in general, people didn’t want to take their own as slaves. Evions usually took humans as slaves. Humans, in turn, took Evions as slaves.
One by one, the women were dragged forward, and people started shouting out bids. Bethany watched as the younger woman who’d been with them sold for ten gold pieces to an Evion who held a hand out respectfully for her to follow. With the ugly mark on her face, Bethany doubted she’d be getting such a civilized buyer.
When Bethany was dragged up, there were a few chuckles as the crowd caught sight of her face. There were a couple of low bids, all by men who Bethany would rather have thrown herself out of a ship than gone home with.
“Two gold pieces,” called a voice. No one seemed to want to pay more than that for the damaged slave. Grumbling, the slavers handed her over and took the gold pieces.
“Come along.” The Evion spoke in a businesslike manner, grabbing the rope her hands were tied by and leading her away.
He wasn’t rough, but that didn’t reassure Bethany much. He led her a short distance to what she assumed was his ship. Unlike the slaver ship, this had a seal on it; he was from Telion. Telion didn’t abide by the slave trade, but then, neither did Earth, and that hadn’t prevented her from being sold.
He pushed her into a seat and quickly untied her wrists. “I am Untri.” He buckled in next to her. “I am taking you to your new master. I trust you have been told what will happen if you in any way disclose that you did not leave your home planet willingly?”
Bethany nodded, too terrified to speak. What was he going to do to her? More to the point, what was her new master going to do to her?
The ship shuddered as it left the atmosphere and entered hyperspace. Once they were riding smoothly, Untri got up and unfastened her seatbelt.
“There’s a bathroom and some clothes back there.” He gestured to the rear of the ship. “Go get yourself changed and cleaned up. Klowix expects the best for his harem.”
Harem? Bethany swayed as visions of everything he might do to her swam before her eyes. She staggered to the back of the ship, trying to control her breathing.
She didn’t know much about what was happening, but she knew that her life would never again be the same.
Chapter Two
Untri inspected her before letting her off the ship. At least the bathroom had been amazing – clean and as high tech as anything Bethany had ever seen. She’d been able to wash off all the dust and grit that had accumulated on her skin from staying in that cargo bay. Her hair was washed, dried, and tied up neatly. She wore the pale blue silk dress that Untri had left her.
“Hmm, that won’t do.” He looked at her cheek and her hands, which were swollen and cut in many places from wresting that pipe loose.
Untri picked up a small device about the size of his hand. Bethany had heard of healers, but never seen one in person.
It glowed green as he held his thumb down on one of the many buttons. “Hold still.”
Bethany closed her eyes as her cheek tingled and felt very hot. When Untri withdrew the healer, the pain was gone. He next moved to her hands. This was even more amazing, since she could watch it happen. The swelling lessened and the angry redness faded. The cuts closed, leaving no marks behind. Bethany flexed her fingers; they felt as good as new.
She glanced quickly out the window as the ship
descended, then she pulled back, afraid someone would see her looking out. She’d never been to another planet before. Telion was different from Earth. The divide between the advanced and the backlands was vast on Earth. Many lived their whole lives never seeing anything but the man-made, surrounded by robots and pods and all manner of new age technology.
Bethany, growing up in the backlands, was used to vast, dusty landscapes with a few scraggly plants. Telion seemed to be the strangest mix. There were huge towering buildings and docking platforms everywhere. Smaller ships zoomed around in place of cars, but there were also tall trees and vast green fields. It was beautiful.
Bethany wasn’t given long to appreciate the view. Untri took her arm and led her along a narrow path to a huge, imposing house. Bethany’s heart was pounding as she was led inside.
“Off you go.” Untri gestured her inside. The minute Bethany had passed the threshold, Untri closed the door behind her, not so much as setting foot in the building.
Bethany surveyed the room she was in, which seemed to be a kitchen, though one fancier than she’d ever seen. Perhaps this Klowix would want her to cook for him. That wouldn’t be so bad; she was used to cooking.
Still, she feared he may have much darker purposes in mind for her.
Not knowing where she was supposed to go or what she was supposed to do, Bethany folded herself into a corner. Not being noticed for as long as possible was probably her best chance.
That idea didn’t last well. A tall, beautiful woman strolled into the kitchen, humming lightly. She looked human, but before Bethany could so much as blink, she was suddenly on the other side of the room. Bethany gasped. She knew that Evions had those lightning quick movements, but it still shocked her.
“Oh, hello.” The woman smiled at Bethany. “You just arrived?”
Bethany nodded.
“I’m Trili.”
“Bethany…”
Bethany reached out to shake her hand, but Trili took Bethany’s face in both of her hands and tilted her head back. Terrified, Bethany didn’t move. Was she about to have her neck broken?
Trili paused, apparently confused. “Oh, you don’t know? Here, do this.” She took Bethany’s hands in hers and guided them so that Bethany was holding her head, tilting it up gently to face the ceiling for a moment.
“That’s how we greet here on Telion.” She released Bethany. “You’d better learn fast if you want to stand a chance; Klowix is not a patient man.”
“Stand – stand a chance?” Bethany stammered a bit.
“A chance at becoming his secrena, of course. But you know that already.”
Bethany froze. She couldn’t let on that she’d been kidnapped and sold, not if she wanted her family to live.
“I… I don’t know much about anything. I come from the backlands on Earth. My parents always wanted a better life for me, so they sent me here. It’s all new to me, though.”
“You must have really impressed Untri.” Trili raised her eyebrows. “Usually he doesn’t even consider applicants without a good amount of experience in Telion culture.”
“Just lucky, I guess.” Bethany shrugged. “Um… applicants?”
“Oh, maybe your parents did the application for you. I handled my own, but a lot of the girls had help from their families.”
“I don’t understand.”
Trili laughed. “Wow, your family really didn’t tell you anything before dropping you here, did they? Don’t worry, they were right about this being a better life, though. You’ll come to see just how lucky you are.”
Trili led Bethany through to a spectacular lounge area.
“Bethany, meet the rest of Klowix’s harem. This is Beoli, Snia, Culip, Anna, Ruth, and Lizzy.” She gestured to three Evion women and three humans. All of them looked happy and relaxed.
They crowded around Bethany, the Evions tilting her head in greeting, the humans hugging her. Some of Bethany’s panic was starting to fade. She still missed home, but it didn’t look like she was going to be killed or have her soul stolen, at least any time soon.
Trili raised her voice slightly. “Girls, we have a lot of work to do before Klowix gets home. Bethany’s parents dropped her here knowing nothing. She has a lot to learn.”
Snia wanted in. “Ooh, me first! Come on, Bethany, let me do your hair for you.”
Before she knew what was happening, Bethany found herself being led by the hand to a large bedroom with a double bed and silk coverings.
“So tell me what you know.” Snia pushed Bethany into a chair and grabbing a hair brush from the dresser.
“Not much. That I’m to be part of Klowix’s harem – that’s it, really.”
Giggling behind her told Bethany that the other girls had followed and were sitting on the bed behind them.
Lizzy sighed. “Well, Klowix is the head of the army here on Telion. He’s so strong and handsome…”
Ruth joined in. “He’s looking for his secrena. That’s why there are so many of us. Not many Evions look for secrena anymore; it’s sometimes a lifelong quest.”
“His… secrena?”
Anna giggled. “His soul mate, silly. Once he chooses one of us, we’ll be his and he’ll be ours… forever. It’s said to be a bond like no other.”
Bethany hesitated. “And you all… applied?”
“Of course.” Culip tucked her long hair behind her ears, smiling brightly.
Bethany looked from one woman to the other. “I don’t understand. Klowix will only choose one secrena, right?”
“That’s right.”
“And you all want to be his secrena?”
There were nods all around.
“Then why are you so… shouldn’t there be a bit more competition going on if you all want to be chosen? Why are you doing my hair and explaining everything to me rather than letting me look like a fool?”
Beoli giggled. Bethany thought she’d heard more giggling in the last ten minutes than she’d heard in her lifetime.
“Secrena aren’t like that. The secrena bond needs to come from both sides. It’s not really a case of Klowix choosing; it’s a case of a coming together of him and his secrena. Either it’s one of us, or it’s not. Our actions towards each other aren’t going to change that. The secrena bond is about who you are; nothing can change or hide that.”
“Besides, it’s not like those of us who aren’t chosen will be losing out.” Culip sounded chipper.
“Why not?”
“It’s all part of the application. Maybe you should explain, Ruth, my parents did most of mine.”
Ruth obliged. “The agreement here is simple. One of us will eventually be chosen as a secrena – either that or Untri will keep bringing more women until Klowix finds the right one. When one is chosen, the rest of us will be sent home, but we’ll never want for anything again.”
Trili filled in the gaps. “Klowix isn’t just a great military commander, he comes from a long line of great generals. He’s got more money than most of the people on the planet. In the end, we’ll all find our true loves – for one of us, that will be Klowix. For the others, we’ll have the means to travel the universe to find the right person for us. We’ll never need to work or worry, and neither will our families.”
“You mean… if I’m not chosen, I’ll get to go back to my parents?”
“Of course, you can do whatever you want. We’re not sure how long the selection process will take, which is why the down payment to our families was so big.”
Bethany thought she saw where this was going. “How much?”
“Twenty gold pieces.”
Bethany nodded, suddenly understanding. Perhaps this Klowix wasn’t such a good judge of character. Clearly, he didn’t know Untri was buying slaves and pocketing eighteen gold pieces. She wondered if any of the other girls got there the way she did. Looking at their bright eyes, she doubted it.
Snia’s hands suddenly moved through Bethany’s hair lightning fast. “Anyway, enough history.” Bethany gasp
ed at her sudden speed.
“Come take a look, Bethany.”
Snia pulled her towards a tall mirror. When Bethany looked into it, she gasped. Living in the backlands, covered in dust half the time and always working, she’d thought of herself as plain at best. The woman in the mirror wasn’t plain.
Snia had somehow curled her hair up into an elegant bun on top of her head, with loose ringlets falling around her face. Bethany’s long brown hair was usually flat and dull, but a good wash and Snia’s magic had brought shine and bounce into it that she never knew it had.
Somehow, the blue dress Untri had chosen matched exactly with the color of her eyes, and it hugged her curves in a way that none of her clothes from home did. Bethany was tall, and the dress had slits down the side that showed off her legs. It cut under her breasts, giving them more shape and form than she usually displayed.
It surprised her to see that in these clothes, her body was a lot shapelier than she’d imagined it to be. Her gentle curves were accentuated by the silk, and the cut of the dress made her neck look longer, giving her a regal look.
Snia took charge. “Bethany needs to know some things before Klowix gets home.”
The human girls were standing back grinning, especially Anna. “Don’t worry, it’s fun. We all had to get used to it as well.”
Snia took Bethany’s arm. “Don’t be afraid.” Bethany opened her mouth to ask what she shouldn’t be afraid of, but then the room was flashing past her. Her hair blew back and she gasped. When she blinked, she and Snia were standing back in the kitchen.
Snia smiled. “Here, it takes some getting used to, but Klowix does it all the time, so you’ll want to get accustomed.”
Bethany’s knees were shaking. She’d known about Evions’ strange, quick movements, but experiencing it firsthand was another matter altogether.
“Culip, get in here!”
A second later, Culip was there, moving so fast she burred.
“Here, let me do your hair. Watch this, Bethany.”
Bethany felt like her eyes were bugging out of her head as Snia’s hands flew over Culip’s hair, having it up in an elegant plait piled on the top of her head in about two seconds.