“Sure.” Kaya handed it over.
Camryn swung the black fabric over her shoulders and fastened the toggles on the front.
Ry planted himself in front of her, at a loss as to how to make this right. “Don’t go.”
“I can’t stay.” Camryn stepped around him and darted into the night.
Jannike placed her hand on his shoulder. “Captain, you—”
“I know,” he snarled, and strode after her.
“Touchy,” Jannike muttered.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m going too,” Kaya said. “I’m not going to miss this.”
“Me neither,” Nanu said.
Ry heard his crew and his scowl deepened. Of course they had opinions. He increased his pace. He would not let her go.
The crowd thickened and he lost sight of her. Her scent mingled with the other pedestrians and panic beat at him. It wasn’t safe on the streets at this time of night. He pushed past men, frantically searching for a glimpse of Camryn.
The furious squawk of birds told him of yet another bird fight. Cheers and booing made his ears ring. Where the blue blazes was she?
Camryn.
He shoved through a gap and caught a flash of her pale face. Ry lunged through another gap, saw a man wearing a red jacket grab her and drag her into a narrow alley.
A marine?
He sprinted after them. The people milled around, slowing him down. Cursing, he pushed and shoved desperate to get to Camryn. A large man with a bald head took exception to his use of force and swung with his fist. Ry dodged the punch. He raced into the alley just as Camryn and the marine disappeared from sight. Before he had time to rush after her, someone thumped him over the head from behind.
* * * * *
Camryn fought to return to Ry for naught as the marines hustled her away. Terrified, she had problems forming her thoughts, trying to communicate telepathically.
“Where are we going?” she demanded.
The marines ignored her, instead increasing their pace. There were so many of them. It didn’t make sense.
Camryn attempted to dig in her heels but they dragged her off despite her protests, hauling her down the street and leaving one shoe behind.
“Where are you taking me?”
Ry! Ry? Can you hear me?
She focused, emptying her mind of everything apart from Ry. For once she crashed through the barriers she normally kept intact. Nothing. No white noise or flashes of seductive thoughts. Just silence. Five minutes ago she would have cheered, and now she missed Ry’s presence. Worry and fear slithered down her backbone. “Where?”
“To a safe place,” one said.
Several sniggered and nudged each other. Apprehension lurched inside Camryn on seeing their faces. Something wasn’t right.
“Am I arrested? What have I done?”
The jail came into sight at the end of the street. They marched toward the fortified building, the lanterns on the main thoroughfare much brighter than the street they’d just traversed.
In front of them two men staggered along the edge of the road, holding each other upright. One burst out with a dirty ditty about a curvy trollop with a mole above her lip. Evidently she was infamous for pleasuring two men at once.
The marines marched her past a kafe shop, a pie shop and another tavern.
“I haven’t done anything. You’ve snatched the wrong person.”
Even though they hadn’t spent much time in the city, she’d heard stories about the jail. She’d seen the way they treated the convicts, the methods they used to rob them of dignity, their humanity. Just the idea of entering the place brought shivers of horror. The smell battered her when they reached the courthouse, an indescribable stench with a hint of toilets and sweat, along with things she didn’t want to ponder. She steeled herself and breathed in a last gasp of semifresh air, prepared for the worst.
But the marines kept marching. They didn’t stop at the jail.
Her mouth dropped open in sheer surprise.
“Best shut your mouth, girlie,” the marine walking beside her said. “No telling what might glide inside.” He winked at another marine and they burst into crude guffaws.
Camryn ignored their hilarity, her mind busily working on the why of this matter.
Ry?
She tried again. No response. Hard pressure forced down on her chest, fear taking its toll. He’d lied to her about taking her home, intending to keep her like…like some sort of love slave.
A snort escaped. Love slave didn’t come into her job description. She had to admit Ry had a way about him that made her want to offer her body every time they were alone. Yeah, she was a willing participant when it came to Ry.
The marines quick-marched and Camryn decided she’d better pay attention instead of daydreaming about Ry and his sexual prowess. If she wanted to escape, she needed to concentrate. Collect information.
They turned into a better part of the city where the men who held office lived. Halfway along the street they halted at a townhouse. One of the marines pounded the doorknocker. A loud clatter sounded when the lock slid back. The marines waited until the door creaked open.
“They’re waiting inside for you,” the marine standing beside her said. “In you go.” He gave her a nudge in the middle of the back.
Camryn staggered forward before skidding to a halt. The last thing she saw before the door shut were the smirks of the marines. Their sniggers were audible even after she could no longer see them.
A single lamp lit the entranceway. Camryn gained the impression of dark wood and a tiled floor. She shivered at the cool air, a direct contrast to the humidity outside. The tiles were cold on her bare foot.
“This way, if you please.” A slender woman with her bright orange, red and gold hair piled on top of her head appeared from the shadows and the large man who had opened the door stepped away to sit on a spindly chair, a gleaming cutlass at his side.
Camryn hesitated, glancing at the stout door and the silent man guarding the escape route. She wouldn’t be leaving via this door. She turned to the emotionless woman and followed, her curiosity aroused. What was this place and why had the marines acted so amused? It didn’t smell like a jail despite the security.
Once they left the gloomy entrance hall and headed down a narrow passage, myriad scents bombarded her, so many her nose twitched. She sneezed. Sandalwood. Patchouli. Citrus. Floral, floor polish and a faint tinge of something antiseptic.
A buzz of feminine chatter pelted her when the woman led her into a huge reception room. Velvetlike red fabric screened the windows. The white tiles were still cold beneath her feet, and it was a relief to step onto the large red and black carpet, which concealed all but the outer tiles around the edges. A table laden with beverages and plates of pretty iced cupcakes stood to her right.
About thirty women occupied the room, chatting and laughing with each other. Their gowns were sumptuous synsilk and lace. Decadent. In different colors, they showcased the women’s figures to perfection. Camryn had never seen so many beautiful women in the same place at one time. Some were obviously alien with delicate pastel coloring or slanted eyes but all appeared humanoid in appearance.
Confusion didn’t begin to cover Camryn’s emotions.
Her female escort glided into the middle of the room and clapped her hands. Silence fell.
The woman gestured in an imperious manner to Camryn, indicating she should join her. Slowly Camryn obeyed, halting at her side. Every woman seemed to focus on her then, their quick summations and conclusions clear on their faces. Her muddy appearance and disheveled hair amused them. Some tittered when they noticed her single shoe.
“This is Camryn O’Sullivan. She is joining us.”
Camryn didn’t understand. A guard stood at the door yet these women lived in apparent luxury. Not one of them appeared unhappy. What kind of a jail was this?
“You may go back to your tea now,” the woman said, and the gay chatter recommenced. “Come,” she said to Camryn. “I will show you to your room and arrange for new clothes and a bath.”
“But—” Before Camryn could ask questions the authoritative woman swept away with a rustle of skirts. Camryn ran after her. Her breath came in pants by the time she caught up at the top of a flight of steps. “Wait,” she gasped. “I don’t understand. What is this place? Why am I here?” She tugged on the woman’s scarlet bell sleeve in a demand for answers.
The woman frowned at Camryn’s hand, her displeasure clear. Camryn released the woman’s creased sleeve and stood defiant. She wanted answers. Now.
The woman smiled, although it never reached her eyes. Camryn’s instincts urged her to step away since the woman reminded her of a tiger about to pounce. “You are at the governor’s house. This is where he quarters his harem. And you, my dear, are his latest addition.”
* * * * *
“Hell, is that Ry?” Jannike raced down the narrow alley to where Ry lay on the ground.
Kaya sprinted after her. “Is he dead?”
“He’s not moving,” Nanu said.
Jannike snarled, sending the trio of scavenging males fleeing. She castigated herself for letting Ry and Camryn leave ahead of them. Although she hadn’t liked the woman at first, she’d come to admire her courage and tenacity. The way she’d trained the hell-horse despite the great danger to her personal safety.
Jannike’s long legs took her to Ry’s side quicker than the others. She squatted beside him. Blood matted his hair at his nape. With her fingers, she touched his neck. A strong pulse.
Air whooshed from her lungs with relief. Turning his head gently, she checked for further damage. Although his head wound still bled, already the flesh knitted together. Thanks to his feline genes, Ry healed fast.
“Is he okay?” Kaya demanded.
“Let me see,” Mogens said.
“Yeah, his hard head saved him.” The panic in Kaya’s voice made Jannike look closely, made her question. As part of the crew, Kaya lived with the danger and accepted they were on the run and might die. “Why?”
“Jannike, I’ve…um…done something bad, something stupid.”
After studying Kaya’s guilty face, Jannike took a wild guess. “You’re the informer.”
“I don’t know what happened. I didn’t mean to tell Talor a thing then suddenly I’m spilling my guts.” Her head drooped, glossy blue hair sweeping over her cheek.
“Mogens thinks Talor has magical powers.”
“That’s it,” Kaya said, slashing her hand through the air with a hint of passion. “He asked me a question. I didn’t want to answer and the next min I’m babbling every secret without hesitation. I’m so sorry!”
“We’ll talk about it once we’re back at the hotel room.”
Kaya nodded. “I guess I need to confess to Ry once he recovers. Do we carry him?”
“Unless Mogens has any ideas.” Jannike stood aside to let the seer check Ry. “Mogens? How is he?”
“His head is healing. He will recover.” Mogens grimaced. “It might take time for him to wake.”
Nanu gestured at Ry. “How will we get him to the hotel? We’ll attract attention.”
“Hire a sedan chair,” Mogens suggested.
Jannike frowned. “We’ll have to pretend he’s drunk. If they think he’s sick, they’ll suspect the plague and refuse to take him.”
“We’ll need to get him to the main street. None of the chairmen will come down the back streets. They’ll think we’re going to rob them,” Kaya said.
“We’ll drag him if we have to.” Jannike went to his shoulders and lifted while Kaya took his feet. She held back a grunt, knowing this wouldn’t be easy and would take time and much exertion. But Jannike did it because Ry was a friend. And she knew he’d do much more to save any of them.
Mogens grasped Ry’s middle, easing the weight. Moving slowly, Nanu led the way, watching for trouble with weapon drawn. They splashed through a deep puddle, the rank water leaking over the top of her boots. Jannike grimaced but didn’t complain. Instead, she worried about Camryn.
“Ry is going on short rations once he’s better,” Kaya said with a grunt.
“He’s all muscle,” Mogens said. “Nothing wrong with him.”
“Try telling that to my back.” Jannike didn’t think the entrance to the alleyway appeared any closer than when they’d started. “What do you suppose the squishy things are underfoot? I can’t see but they’re slippery.”
Nanu’s laugh held humor. “There’s a tannery shop next door.”
“
Eew
,” Kaya said.
They passed a pile of furry debris, which backed up Nanu’s statement.
“Not much farther,” Jannike said. A lie. The distance hadn’t reduced but she figured encouragement would help.
“Ry didn’t want to get his boots dirty,” Kaya grumbled.
“Bloody oath,” Ry said in agreement.
Startled, Mogens released his middle, and Jannike staggered under the extra weight. He almost hit the ground before she caught him.
“How long have you been awake?” she demanded.
“The smell woke me.”
“Can you stand?”
“No idea.” Ry groaned. “What hit me? My head feels as if it might explode.”
“Damn, Ry. You weight a ton,” Jannike said. “New plan. Kaya’s gonna let go of your feet. I’ll help you balance.”
He staggered but to Jannike’s relief, managed to stay on his feet. With her help, along with Kaya’s, they shuffled to the end of the alley.
“I’ll get a sedan chair.” Mogens disappeared around the corner.
“Did you see Camryn?” Ry asked. “I saw a marine grab her.”
Jannike frowned. “Marines? If that’s true they’d take her to jail.”
Ry winced. “What? Why?” He closed his eyes. “I can’t contact her.”
“Telepathically?” Kaya asked.
“Which means she’s not in the vicinity,” Jannike said. “We will find her, but first we need to get you to safety.”
“No. I have to find Camryn.” He attempted to stand on his own. Kaya lost her grip, and Ry toppled to the ground, dragging Jannike with him.
“Damn it, Ry. Get off me.” Jannike struggled to her feet, mud soaking her jacket. With Kaya’s help, she managed to haul Ry to his feet again. Ignoring the snickers from Nanu who ambled behind them, they made it to the main road where Mogens had waved down a sedan chair.
An hour later Jannike let herself out of the hotel room again. Ry had wanted to search for Camryn, despite being in no condition to leave his bed. With her help, Mogens had managed to force a sleeping draft down him and he’d fallen silent. But only after extracting a promise from her to go to the jail to learn what she could. Jannike snorted as she made her way down the rear hotel stairs to the street outside. Her back ached from dragging Ry around and her shirt clung to her back and chest. She could smell herself and it wasn’t pretty. A yawn slipped out. It had been a long day and about to get longer.