Sabar stood, dumbfounded, at the collection station where his mate should be waiting for him. He’d rushed through the documentation, almost sprinted to the room where he thought his little Rella would be waiting, and she wasn’t there. Anger, confusion, and betrayal warred in his chest.
“We’re tracking her band now, and it looks like she is heading back to her home.” The female that stood in front of him was nearly vibrating with fear. He knew he needed to reign in his behavior, but it was damn hard to do when he wanted to throw things and curse at the top of his lungs.
“Sabar, what’s all the trouble?”
He whipped around and came face to face with his second-in-command. The scars that ran down one cheek gave the warrior an impressively intimidating look, but he seemed to be vibrating with concern as he stood watching Sabar.
“My mate seems to have run off.” He growled.
“I ran into her a few moments ago and she was headed in this direction. The irritation she tried to hide was enough to make me almost laugh. Such a spirited female you have chosen.”
“She was truly coming this way?”
At his friends nod Sabar’s anger deflated. If she was heading to the Collection Room, then she hadn’t backed out of their mating or been lying. Perhaps something had happened to scare her, or worse. Maybe she’d been harmed. Anger bubbled again in his gut. If another male had hurt her in any way, he would pay for touching Sabar’s mate.
“That isn’t why I tracked you down, though. I’ve been contacted by the general. They’ve seen a band of raiders approaching the city. He wants us to intercept them and bring them back to be questioned. We need to leave now.”
“Fuck. All right, I’ll have to contact Tannard to go and collect her.” Sabar turned from Matner and scowled at the pale woman standing behind the counter. “Continue to track her, and send me the codes so I may track her as well. I need to go to my home and I will send someone to collect her tonight.”
The female sputtered and she bowed. “Yes, Warrior. I will do as you instruct.”
“I’m heading to the barracks to gather my gear. Come find me when you arrive.” Matner turned and stalked off.
The drive back to his home seemed to take an eternity. He’d hoped to have Rella next to him. He wanted to be touching her, burying his fingers into her slick channel while she squirmed in his lap. The ride home he envisioned was nothing like the lonely path he took now.
Fucking raiders.
How there were such uncivilized groups still living and thriving on the planet surprised him. His group of soldiers was always being sent into the desert to track those groups, who seemed only trying to want to disrupt the lives of everyone in the city.
His emotions ranged from anger to something close to fear. He wanted to be the one to welcome Rella to his home, but now he’d have to send a servant and hope she’d come peacefully. He watched the little blinking light on his locator program that showed him her every movement. She indeed had gone home, but why? If she’d been lying to him while in the room, lulling him into thinking that she was obeying and then ran, she’d be punished severely. He was looking forward to her being outspoken, but he would not allow her to lie to him. But if she left the gathering because she was ill or harmed in any way, then he was scared for her. Why hadn’t she come to him?
He growled in frustration. He rarely felt like his obligation as a warrior was restrictive. Usually being a warrior was a boon, gaining him status where he wouldn’t have had any. Tonight being a soldier was a nuisance that he really wished he could turn down. He hoped that if Rella had run from him that she’d see a servant as someone she could confide in, and perhaps whomever he sent would be able to talk her into coming with them. He didn’t want to force her, but if she didn’t accept the ride, he would go to her home and drag her out. He sighed. He hated violence against females. If she forced his hand, though, she would find that he could definitely behave like the male she’d expected. He could be mean, controlling, and harsh.
“Yes, master, I understand your directive.”
Sabar sat at the table within his home, grumpy and concerned. He’d gathered his armor and weapons and just needed to settle the instructions for Rella’s collection. He hoped her reasons for leaving the ball were good enough to avoid punishment.
While his manservant made a quick meal, Sabar had instructed him to go and collect Rella from her home. He turned to face Tannard, the only servant his parents had allowed him to remove from their home when Sabar moved into his own dwelling. “Repeat my directive, please. I want to make sure you will follow what I’ve said and not your interpretation of my words.”
“You have instructed me to travel to the Cinders’ dwelling and bring your mate home without harming her. If she resists, I am to leave her and you will attend to her after you are back from your mission.”
“That is perfect. You will contact me as soon as you have information about her. I want to know the moment she agrees to travel home with you.” A flicker of something in the wrinkled face of his servant made him add another thought to his instructions. “And, Tannard, you will not lift a hand against her. She is mine to deal with, do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.” With a bow Tannard turned toward the door. “I will contact you the moment I know anything. Talk to you soon, Master Sabar.”
Sabar watched the stooped back of the other man until Tannard had slowly climbed into the vehicle he’d use to visit Rella. He wondered again if he should just go to Rella’s home and collect her and not send his servant. Going against orders was tantamount to desertion, though. He couldn’t see his commander allowing him to miss a mission only because of a wayward mate.
* * * *
Rella wiped Marena’s forehead for the hundredth time, cooing softly to her sister in hopes of giving some comfort. The fever was fierce and wasn’t reacting to medicines normally used to lower the body’s temperature. Her sister’s eyes slowly opened to reveal bloodshot orbs. Her gaze was pain hazed and not fully there. For hours, Marena had been floating in a semiconscious, illness-induced stupor. Rella and Bana had stayed with her in shifts, bathing her with cool cloths and administering medication. They now waited for the healer to arrive after their father had decided it was time to summon someone more capable than the females.
The band on Rella’s arm snagged her shirt, drawing her attention to it again. The lights had long stopped flashing on it, but the foreboding that its weight carried hadn’t diminished. She’d spent all night bouncing her worries from her sister to the consequences of her abrupt escape from the gathering. Even when Bana had taken her watches over Marena, sleep hadn’t come for Rella. She’d tossed and turned, terrified that Sabar, or worse, would come storming into the house to pull her out for punishment.
The question on her mind wasn’t about if something would happen, it was what would happen when he came for her. Would he wait to find out her reasoning or just haul her out to the magistrate for a public flogging? Would he even want her back after the punishment? Had she ruined her chance with him? Why did it matter to her that he might walk away from her?
“Rella?” Bana’s voice pulled her from the whirlwind of unanswered questions. She turned to find her sister looking at her with stark terror shining in her wide eyes.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“The manservant of Warrior Sabar is here, insisting that he see you.”
It was happening. All her questions were going to be answered shortly and she’d reap the consequences of her actions. Fear and resignation flowed through her, spiking her heart rate. She climbed to her feet, checked Marena one last time and turned toward the door. Sliding suddenly sweaty palms down her skirt helped soothe away a little of her nervousness. She wasn’t hopeful to get out trouble, but she did hope that because the servant came and requested an audience instead of barging in with warriors that she might not be in too deep.
“I’m ready. Is he in the library?”
“You better hurry.” Bana’s face twisted in hatred. “I can’t wait to see what happens to you. Now, go see to your fate.”
With a bow, Rella left the room. She knew that her sister wouldn’t stand with her or protect her in any way. With a sigh of resignation, she walked into the room where she’d spent hours of every day going through her school books. It was a fitting place to learn of her punishment and what consequences she had reaped. At least she didn’t see any towering males waiting on her. The withered man sitting at the table seemed harmless enough.
“Good evening, sir. I’m Rella. How may I help you?” She was surprised to only hear a small shake to her voice. She bowed her head, waiting for his response.
“Girl, you are in more trouble than you can fathom. Bring the oldest female in your house to me at once.” His voice was clear and menacing. She’d expected a fatherly tone or a raspy edge.
She jerked at the anger in his words, but did as he bade without another word. Turning quickly, she ran through the house until she found Bana sitting in the same place Rella had been, tending to Marena.
“You need to come with me. He’s requesting the oldest female, but Marena is too sick.”
Bana turned slowly. “Fine. Give me a moment and I will be right with you.”
“Fine, whatever. Just hurry.”
Rella bound through the house again determined to do something right. She entered the library again and settled into a submissive posture before addressing the man again. “Sir. My sister Bana will be with us shortly. My older sister is ill. Could I get you something to drink?”
She could hear his scoff from across the room. She tried not to tense, tried to keep the irritation from showing in her body language. Who was this male to come in her home and act as such?
“No. A drink is not necessary.”
Rella fidgeted a little when he didn’t yell at her. He actually looked similar to her father. White fluffy hair topped his head. Wrinkles bunched at the corners of his mouth and eyes. His shoulders were hunched forward, but he carried an air of strength. His clothes were typical for a warrior’s servant, cream-colored cloth made into a tunic and trousers. Nothing carrying Sabar’s mark could be seen, but that didn’t surprise her. He didn’t seem the type to having his mark flashed around by his people.
She heard Bana coming through the kitchen and sucked in a breath to calm her nerves. Whatever was going to happen would occur with or without her consent. She needed to be strong and just accept the consequences.
“Sir.” Bana bowed low when she entered the room. “My sister tells me you’d like to speak with me?”
“Yes. I am Tannard, head servant in Warrior Sabar’s dwelling. You are the female in charge of this girl?”
“She is my sister, and at the moment I am the eldest female of the house, so yes, she is my charge.”
“Good. Then you can prepare her, pack her things, and ready her for transport.”
“Prepare her how? I’m not quite sure I understand.”
“She is to be punished when master gets home, but until that time she is to be coated in Linax oil and placed in the same restraints she wore last night.”
Rella gasped and looked up, glancing between her sister and Tannard. She couldn’t help it. Linax oil? The substance that had been diluted by water during her ritual bathing a few nights prior? The straight oil had been so bad that her sisters had worn gloves while pouring it into the water. How much worse would it be to have the oil directly on her skin? She backpedaled toward the doorway.
The slap was so unexpected she clamped her hand over her cheek before she could stop the motion. Her gaze jerked to Bana’s face, and she was surprised at the glee there.
“You will stand and show appropriate deference to this man. He is in charge of your new household even if you don’t wear the medallion yet. You will not disgrace our family, or your mate, by behaving this way.”
Rella lowered her head and closed her eyes, willing herself to behave. Anger and disbelief tried to bunch her shoulders but she made them relax. There was no way out of her punishment and no way she would give Bana or Tannard another reason to hurt her. “Yes, Bana. My apologies for my behavior.”
“I will take her and prepare her. It may take me some time as I am the only female here right now. Could I pack her items and have them sent after you leave? I would assume she won’t be needing anything personal until this time tomorrow?”
“That would be fine. I do have duties to attend to, and would like to get some sleep this night. I would greatly appreciate you handling her belongings later.”
Bana’s hand clamped on Rella’s upper arm. She was yanked through the doorway and rushed toward the bathing room. Rella’s mind was blank, spinning around the pain to come. Linax oil hadn’t been known to kill anyone if rubbed directly on the skin, but it had driven people into a long, unending sleep. Terror had sucked all of the fight right out of her. Even the rough treatment by her sister couldn’t drag her from the swirling vacant thoughts.
“Strip, Rella, and stand here. I need to find Nopot. He will have to put the oil on you because I don’t have the stomach for it.” Bana turned and stomped from the room without a backward look. Rella’s anger spiked. How could her own sister feel nothing about torturing her? Even after the venomous words she assumed that Bana would feel something for her. Straight Linax oil would likely drive her insane. If she made it through the day she’d never be the same. But she obeyed without an argument, pulling off her dress and dropping it to the floor.
It only took a moment for Bana to return with the eunuch. She watched her sister bustle around the room, gathering a cloth and a jar of the dreaded oil, a small grin on her lips. A shiver coursed down her back. Perhaps she did deserve this, but having her sister so accepting of the torture was too much.
You are not to blame for this. Bana forced you home.
She sighed. True enough, but that didn’t explain away her reasoning for not fighting her sister’s actions. Why hadn’t she told Bana the truth and made her listen? Why hadn’t she gone to Sabar? The answer was complex, but fear was at the center of it all. She feared Sabar’s reaction to her running away. Would he hate her now? Would he treat her like males normally treat females? She couldn’t face him and see anger in his eyes.