“No. I just understand her.”
“Our kingdom has denied freedom to women for centuries, Lycan.”
“I’m aware of that. But maybe it’s time for change.”
Tor pushed back from the long wood table and stood, frowning. “You can’t mean you’re seriously considering changing our laws, our very way of life.”
Lycan shrugged, unconcerned with Tor’s challenge. They’d been friends since they were children and Tor knew he could speak his mind. “We would be stronger against the Centuri if we considered taking in the Dognelle.”
“They’re mostly women and useless to our cause against the Centuri.”
Lycan arched a brow. “Useless? Weren’t you there when we fought with them yesterday? Those weak women managed to topple many of our fiercest warriors.”
“Pure luck,” Tor mumbled. “Anyway, the people of Raynar won’t stand for such a drastic change. You’d have an uproar on your hands and we can’t afford that right now. You know the tensions have been building with the Centuri for months. Now is not the time for change.”
“You’re probably right.” Lycan sighed. It was a stupid idea, anyway. Give women their freedom in Raynar? What was he thinking?
He knew. He’d been thinking with his cock, visions of a golden-haired goddess in his bed. Time to start thinking with his head, before he caused the ruin of his entire kingdom.
* * * * *
“The first rule of a concubine is to always please her man. His pleasure comes before yours. It is not necessary for you to be fulfilled. Your fulfillment will come from your man’s release.”
Starr rolled her eyes at Mag’s speech, unable to believe the drivel she’d been forced to endure for the past hour. All about grooming and making herself beautiful for the king. Now she had to hear about how a concubine pleasured their king. She might just throw up.
The astronomical ego of the men in this kingdom was something to behold. If she ever…no, when she returned to Dognelle, she’d have her warriors laughing until they cried with stories of the Raynar men.
The colorful dress worn by Mag was a near rainbow blur as she paced back in forth in front of Starr. “Lycan of Raynar is a virile man with many sexual appetites. We are very fortunate that he also loves to pleasure his women, and all of our concubines reach fulfillment in his arms. Sometimes more than once.”
Mag explained Lycan’s sexual preferences as matter of factly as if she were describing the dinner menu. Was there no end to the folklore about Lycan of Raynar’s prowess? More likely he fell on a woman, fucked her for two minutes, left her with his seed and was off on the next battle. Just like most men she’d heard about. Finesse, prowess. Bah!
“It is a true honor to be one of his concubines. Lycan treats his women quite well and we have many freedoms.”
When she let out a disbelieving snort, Mag turned to her, eyes widening. Starr shrugged and said, “Freedoms? What freedoms? Can you come and go as you please?”
“Within the palace, yes, as long as we are escorted.”
“But outside the palace?”
“No.”
“Are you educated? Taught to read, write, handle weaponry?”
“Of course not. Those things are for the men.”
Starr resisted the sudden urge to scream out her frustrations. “Why do you think women shouldn’t be educated?”
“We know all we need to know.” One of the concubines stepped forward. She was roughly the same age as Starr. Gorgeous red hair hung past her waist in soft curls. Her curvaceous hips swayed seductively as she approached, but icy blue eyes showed her irritation.
“My name is Chalon, and I am the king’s favorite. You would do well to listen to what Mag says. Although you will never capture his interest like I have.”
Where was her sword when she really needed it? Although she could well imagine pummeling the smartass smirk off Chalon’s face without need for a weapon. “I’ll give it all the attention it deserves.”
“You’d be wise to heed my words, Dognelle slave. Or you might find your head separated from your body.”
“And who’s going to do that? You?” Starr laughed at the woman.
Chalon’s eyes turned dark and murderous. She started to approach Starr, but a warning cough from Mag stopped her. With a huff of air, she turned and sauntered out.
Another concubine approached hesitantly. She was very young and had long, dark hair and beautiful midnight eyes. She wore the same dress as the other women and had the same curvy body. Lycan must really enjoy women with huge breasts and ample hips. Taking a quick glance at her own body, Starr wondered how she’d measure up.
Ridiculous. As if she even cared.
“I am Ariana,” the girl said. “I welcome you to our home and hope you will try to be happy here.”
Her infectious smile was hard to resist, and despite her vow to remain indifferent to the concubines, Starr couldn’t help but smile back. “Thank you. But you know I don’t want to be here.”
Ariana sat next to Starr despite Mag’s objections. “Don’t be afraid. It’s really not bad. Lycan treats us all very well.”
Surprised the girl would chance getting so close to her, Starr said, “I’m not afraid. I just want to be free.”
“What is freedom like?” Ariana asked.
“Ariana!” Mag warned.
Starr watched the young girl’s chin lift defiantly for a second, then she bowed and stepped away. So, maybe all the women weren’t as cowed and happy to be slaves as Lycan thought. That could work well in her favor.
Mag continued her lessons despite Starr’s obvious disinterest.
“Some day, Lycan will choose his queen from among the Raynar women. All the concubines are hopeful one of them will be chosen.”
“Will they be free when they become his queen?” Starr asked.
Mag shook her head. “No.”
“Will he give up his concubines when he chooses a queen?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what’s the point of having a queen?”
“The children of the King and Queen of Raynar will become the heirs to Lycan’s throne.”
Wouldn’t it be a coup to become his queen and bear a child to rule over both the Dognelle and the Raynar? The possibilities were endless. Too bad the queen didn’t have any more freedom than a regular concubine. And sharing her man with other women? She’d never allow that to happen. When she chose a man as her mate, that man would be hers and hers alone. There would be no sharing.
And she would have to lie with the savage. No, really bad idea. Better to escape. Somewhere she’d find her own man to mate with and insure the survival of her people. Then she wouldn’t have to endure Lycan’s touch.
She pondered the thought, her musings drowning out the droning of Mag’s voice. His touch hadn’t been as repulsive as she’d imagined. Her nipples hardened as she recalled the way his hands glided over her skin, his gentle touch as he skimmed her breasts, awakening the female part of her that had never been touched before.
Her breasts swelled against the snug blouse she wore, and a throb began between her legs. Moisture pooled there and she longed to slip her hands under the skirt and ease the ache.
But she wouldn’t. A warrior was disciplined and never allowed feelings to get in the way of strategy. Right now she needed an escape plan more than she needed sexual relief, because she sure as hell wasn’t going to remain here and become one of Lycan’s sex slaves.
She listened to Mag until the woman finished and left the room. Motioning to Ariana, she smiled when the girl shyly sidled over to her.
“Do you ever think about being free?” she asked Ariana.
The girl glanced around the room, then whispered, “Sometimes. What’s it like?”
“I don’t know of any other way of life. I make my own decisions, come and go as I please. I’m actually the Queen of the Dognelle kingdom.”
Ariana’s eyes widened. “Really? I should bow to you then.”
r /> Starr reached for Ariana’s wrist, staying her attempt to rise and bow. “Don’t bow to me. We don’t require those kind of formalities in my kingdom. I’m queen by virtue of my birthright, but that doesn’t make me any better than any of the other people who live in my kingdom.”
“That is admirable.”
“You can become one of us, you know.”
Ariana shook her head. “I couldn’t. My destiny is as one of Lycan’s concubines.”
Trying to keep the frustration out of her voice, Starr said, “You don’t have to be. You should be free to make your own choices. Come with me, and I’ll make you a free woman.”
“You could do that?”
“Of course. And any of the other women in the kingdom who want freedom to choose the kind of life they’ll live. Do you think there are others?”
“I…I don’t know.” She chewed her lower lip, uncertainty evident in her frowning features. But Starr knew that Ariana was intrigued.
“You would be free. You could even become a warrior.”
Ariana’s eyes widened. “Then, maybe there are others who would want to be free, also.”
“Good. We’ll start with the concubines and see how many we can get to come with us. I’ll need your help to formulate an escape plan.”
“I don’t want to hurt Lycan,” Ariana said, her eyebrows knitting in a frown. “He’s been very good to me.”
Shit. Starr could just imagine how “good” Lycan had been to her. Ignoring the direction her thoughts took, she said, “I understand, but you also have to think about yourself and what you want out of life. Wouldn’t you love to learn how to read and write? Can you imagine wandering around an entire city without someone escorting you or telling you what to do?”
Ariana sighed. “Yes, I can imagine that. It would be like a dream.”
“I’ll make it a reality for you.”
The excited gleam in Ariana’s eyes sent a triumphant thrill through Starr. She’d show Lycan of Raynar that not all of his concubines were happy to be slaves. Maybe she could convince them all to escape. Wouldn’t the high and mighty king be surprised, then?
Chapter Four
Starr settled in on her small cot, confident that she had the beginnings of a plan for escape. Ariana had promised she would speak with some of the other women. The lure of freedom had to be great in this land. She was certain that before long she’d amass a small army of her own.
Tomorrow, she would put her plans in motion.
But she had no more closed her eyes than the lights flew on in the chambers. She sat up as two guards entered and headed straight for her. They pulled her upright, unlocked the chains securing her to the wall and dragged her out of the room. As she was propelled through the doorway, Chalon stood at the other side of the door, a smug smile on her face.
In short order she found herself back in Lycan’s chambers.
“Leave us,” he commanded.
The guards closed the door behind them, leaving her alone with Lycan. She refused to speculate on what brought her to his chambers, but from the satisfied look she’d seen on Chalon’s face, it couldn’t be good.
He bent down and picked up the chains, holding them loosely in his hand. “You think to cause insurrection among my concubines?”
Lifting her chin, she said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Spare me your lies. Chalon told me you coerced Ariana to speak to the others about escaping.”
That conniving bitch. Chalon would make a good Centuri woman, since they frequently stabbed their enemies in the back. “I was merely telling them about my life in Dognelle.”
Lycan sighed. “I do not have time to deal with you, woman. And yet I cannot have you poisoning the minds of my concubines. You will remain here with me.”
He fastened the end of the chains to his bed.
This was not good. It would be much more difficult to plan an escape if she was constantly under Lycan’s watchful eye. Somehow she would make Chalon pay.
Refusing to budge, she stood where she’d been since the guards brought her in. Lycan moved around his chambers, shuffling papers, pouring drink, then finally approaching his bed. With a yawn, he pulled off his shirt, his muscles bunching hard in the soft light of the room. Starr turned her head and regarded the wall.
When she heard the rustle of clothing, she couldn’t help but peek as he dropped his breeches. Her pulse skittered nervously as she took in his body. Tall and muscular, with wide shoulders, a narrow waist and sturdy thighs.
And his cock, more impressive now that she could see it than she had imagined when she’d felt it press against her. Her cunt moistened, imagining his firm flesh buried deep inside her. She licked her lips and once again contemplated the bare wall to the other side of the room.
The lights went out and Starr heard movement on the bed in front of her.
“Where am I to sleep?”
“The carpeting on the floor is comfortable enough.”
She crossed her arms, irritation replacing her earlier arousal. “Could you not ask the guards to bring in my cot?”
“I could, but I won’t. You had the chance to sleep in comfort. Now you can sleep on the floor. Besides, I’m sure a great warrior like you is used to sleeping on hard, bare ground. The carpet should be a luxury.”
He went silent, which was fortunate since she was currently plotting his demise.
“Unless you wish to share my bed.”
She laughed. “I’d rather sleep with the balon in the stables.”
Lycan yawned, then murmured, “I can arrange that.”
Apparently he wasn’t going to offer her even a blanket for warmth, because before long his deep, even breathing indicated he was asleep. Starr fumed for awhile, hoping the chains rattling around her ankles as she paced back and forth would wake him up.
Unfortunately, the sound didn’t bother him.
Maybe he was a heavy sleeper, which could work to her advantage. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she looked around for anything she could clout him over the head with. And where did he put the keys to the ankle restraints?
He had moved all heavy objects out of her reach, so unless she could pick up the bed and turn it over, she was out of luck. Nothing to use as a weapon except the chains, and they didn’t stretch long enough for her to wrap them around his thick throat.
Too bad. She’d enjoy watching his eyes bug out of his head when he woke to find her strangling him. Maybe she could climb on top of him and choke him with her thighs. But that thought had her mind moving in other directions, namely the image of her pussy being so close to his sexy mouth.
That line of thinking would get her nowhere but more frustrated than she was now. She’d plot killing him later. Right now she might as well sleep.
But she’d be damned if she’d lay on the cold floor like an animal, despite the fact she’d be more than comfortable on the thick rug. Despite his insufferable manner, Lycan had been right. She had slept on the hard ground in the cold desert without so much as a light blanket to cover her more nights than she cared to remember.
The rug was fine. But since Lycan wanted her to sleep there, she’d sleep at the foot of the bed. It was certainly big enough to contain her body and not touch his at all. She crawled up and settled in, comforted by the huge, satiny blanket caressing her skin. Thoughts of stripping down and rubbing her naked skin against the silken softness occurred to her Remembering that Lycan shared this bed with her, she decided that wasn’t a wise choice.
She tried to keep her mind sharp and focused on any potential movements at the other end of the bed, but before long exhaustion overtook her and she felt herself drifting into unconsciousness, her last thoughts of the freedom she missed already.
* * * * *
Lycan woke with a start, a strange sound permeating the haze of sleep. It sounded horrible, like the growling of a gomai in distress. He sat up in bed, his eyes adjusting to the hazy light of early morning.
&n
bsp; The sound continued, coming from the area at the end of his bed. A lump formed under the blankets. Blankets that had not, he just realized, been covering him when he woke.
It wasn’t a wailing gomai, after all. It was Starr. She snored! Quite loudly, in fact.
Wrinkling his nose at the awful sound, he rose and stood next to the bed, watching the sleeping woman. She had pulled his blankets over herself and lay huddled underneath them so that only her head was visible.
He considered rolling her off the end of the bed and letting her wake up by falling on the floor, but then thought better of it. She was a woman, after all, and despite the ruckus she’d caused with his concubines, he understood her unwillingness to change her way of life simply because she found herself a captive.
If his freedom had been taken away, he was certain he’d be acting in much the same way. Worse, probably. And, yet, what could he do? He could not let her roam free. First, because she’d likely cut his throat the minute his back was turned, and second, because she was female and therefore must be protected as all their women were. He could not treat her any differently than any of the other women.
Before the wars, when Raynar was still a free land, women came and went as they pleased, even venturing into other towns. But then the kidnappings and rapes started. Women were taken by rival kingdoms, sometimes assimilated by the Centuri or other clans, sometimes beaten, raped and left for dead in the middle of the desert.
That was when his ancestors built the wall around the kingdom and offered protection to all their women. And the laws had remained for centuries. To make the women more agreeable to living in near captivity, Lycan’s forefathers had stopped educating them in anything but the rudimentary understanding of keeping a household and pleasing their men.
Was it so wrong, then? The women of Raynar were revered, and well cared for.
Bah! He threw up his hands, feeling foolish at even thinking that the way things were should be changed. He pulled the covers back from the slumbering Starr.
“Get up. It is near dawn.”
She mumbled and drew her knees to her chest. Her hair had fallen over her face like a golden blanket. Lycan curled his fingers into his palms, refusing to sweep the tendrils away.