WindDeceiver (9 page)

Sajin tensed. “Normally I do not, but I am here for my brother, Jashir.”

“I am amazed he would send you, Your Grace, for such an errand.” She swung her attention to Azalon. “Your servant could have done this.”

Azalon opened his mouth to speak, but Sajin interrupted.

“Jashir is not all that happy with me at the moment,” Sajin explained with a sneer in his voice. “The man never grows tired of trying to match me with one of the sisters or nieces or cousins or--“ He flung out his hand angrily. “--.one of a dozen more relations of his wives.” He sighed. “I have no desire to wed and I grow weary of his efforts.”

“His Grace turned down a most worthy betrothal just recently and Prince Jashir was not pleased,” Azalon improvised.

“Worthy my ass,” Sajin mumbled. “The woman was a sow.”

“But a rich sow, Your Grace,” Yuri joined in, gaining frowns from both Sajin and Azalon.

Yuri lifted his chin. “I thought she was pretty.”

Sajin’s eyes twinkled. “You would!”

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Sabrina looked from the tall warrior to the handsome Kensetti and lowered her head, smiling. She knew play acting when she heard it. “So,” she said, her voice tight to keep from laughing, “Prince Jashir sent you on an errand he knew you would find distasteful.”

“Exactly!” Sajin quickly agreed.

The dark woman slowly lifted her gaze and looked at him. “I am told you wish to see how our farm works. May I ask why?”

“I--“ Sajin looked to Azalon for help.

“”Prurient curiosity that ill befits him,” Azalon jeered. He grinned crookedly at the lady when she turned her fathomless scrutiny to him. “I have been with the Ben-Alkazar family for as long as I have drawn breath. If you know anything of His Grace’s reputation, you know the burdens I have endured over the years.” He turned a hard glare at Sajin. “The man is somewhat of a voyeur.”

Yuri watched the Kensetti’s mouth drop open and his face turn brick red.

“That is not true!” Sajin hissed.

“Then why do you wish to see how my farm operates?” Sabrina asked.

“I…i’s because I--“ Sajin’s face turned redder still. He swallowed hard. “I just do!”

Azalon shook his head sadly. “See, my lady? He can not justify such a dark need, but who knows the ways of royalty?”

Sajin snapped his mouth shut with an audible click and squinted at Azalon, silently warning the man he’d gone too far.

“I see no reason why you can not watch one of the sessions,” Sabrina told him. “I have several women in heat at the moment.”

Yuri’s face also turned a dull red at the matter-of-fact words. He looked away from the others and found great interest in the tapestry Sajin had stroked.

“That would be,” Sajin grinned sickly, “nice.”

She studied the men, watching the way they were nervously looking at one another.

Waiting patiently for their next question, she folded her hands in her lap and smiled sweetly at them, wondering who would get up the nerve to speak.

“Lady Sabrina.” It was the Rysalian. “We heard a most interesting thing in Asaraba recently.”

Sabrina inclined her head politely. “One hears many things in Asaraba, sir.”

Azalon nodded. “True, but this was most astounding.” He looked at his companions, then turned back to her. “Is it true you paid the largest sum ever for a slave there?”

Ah, she thought, at last!

“I think you are referring to the Serenian I purchased.”

Sajin clenched his hands together. “You have a Serenian? Here?”

Sabrina laughed. “I have many men here, Your Grace.”

“I’ve never seen a Serenian,” Yuri remarked, drawing the woman’s notice. He withered beneath her calm stare.

“Yuri is from the Outer Kingdom,” Sajin said, wishing the man would drop through the floor.

“Serenian’s are no different from any other men,” Sabrina informed them. “They have the same necessary equipment with which to perform.” She tried to keep a straight face as the tall warrior and the Kensetti prince began to look ill at ease. “Would you like to see the Serenian?”

Sajin’s brows shot up. “Could we?”

“In due course,” she answered.

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“Why not now?” Sajin inquired.

Azalon shot Sajin a nasty glance. “Your Grace, please! Let us get the matter of business out of the way before you indulge yourself in your sick pursuits.”

If he could have, Sajin would have leapt up to strangle the man. He hoped the look he gave the caravan leader was sufficient to make his feelings known.

“I also purchased an Ionarian,” Sabrina informed them, watching their expressions. She was not surprised to see keen interest flicker in the Outer Kingdom warrior’s face.

“I have heard they are a fierce race,” Azalon injected.

“They can be,” Sabrina agreed. “My Ionarian is most deadly with a bow.”

Sajin stared at her. “You’ve given the man a chance to show you his expertise with a bow?”

Sabrina nodded. “I treat my slaves quite well, Your Grace.” She schooled her face in a tight grimace. “Of course there are exceptions to that.”

Sajin glanced quickly at Yuri. “In what way, milady?”

The black woman let out an annoyed breath. “It is the Serenian,” she said in a flat voice.

“He has given me trouble since the day we dragged him here.”

“Dragged?” Yuri bit out.

“I am sure the Lady Sabrina is speaking figuratively,” Azalon was quick to point out.

“On the contrary!” Sabrina disagreed. “If you have heard of the auction that day, you know he was shown totally naked before the buyers.”

“What?” Sajin whispered, not daring to look at the other men.

Sabrina nodded. “Oh, yes. He was manacled hand and foot, even yoked and gagged to control him.” She shrugged eloquently. “That should have warned me he would be a problem, but he was so--“ She smiled. “Well, let’s just say he was well-endowed, though not circumcised.”

Sajin

flinched.

Azalon

groaned.

Yuri stared, his gaze hot as fiery embers.

“He was not pleased to have been purchased.”

“I would think not,” Sajin muttered.

“Especially when told where he would be going and what would be done to him.”

“Done to him?” Sajin croaked.

“We brought him kicking and screaming to one of the breeding huts.” Sabrina clucked her tongue. “He had to be restrained.”

“Restrained,” Sajin stated in a flat voice.

“Yes. Tied hand and foot. I grew tired of his vulgar cursing, so I keep him gagged.” She smiled dreamily. “Even when he is being mounted.”

“Mounted?” Yuri exploded, taking a step closer to the woman.

Sabrina turned her sweet look on the warrior. “Well, of course. Since he is bound in the breeding cot, he can not perform, sir. We let the women go in and--“ She fluttered her eyes. “Shall we say ‘manipulate’ him?”

“Sajin!” Yuri thundered, tearing his gaze away from the woman to impale the Kensetti.

“Your servant is most disrespectful, Your Grace,” Sabrina admonished.

“And you are playing with fire, sweet one.”

Sajin turned and found a tall blond man standing in the doorway. Yuri’s head had snapped around at the sound of the man’s voice and Sajin watched as the Outer Kingdom warrior stalked to the newcomer and grabbed the front of his robe.

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“Where is he, Montyne?” Yuri shouted, shaking his captive. “Where is Conar?”

“He isn’t here,” Chase said, disentangling his clothing from the man’s hard grip.

“You let her sell him to someone else?” Yuri bellowed. His hands went back to Montyne’s robe. “By all the gods in your world, you’d better not have!”

“Sabrina,” Chase sighed, looking to her.

“If you will calm down, Yuri,” Azalon tried to intervene, but the Shadow-warrior shook Chase violently.

Sajin stared with surprise as one moment the hulking warrior was shaking the blond man, the next he was half-way across the room, sliding down the wall, a look of stunned shock on his beefy face. The Kensetti looked back at the Ionarian with admiration.

“Conar teach you that?” Sajin asked.

“I taught Conar,” Chase answered. He held out his hand. “Sajin Ben-Alkazar, I take it?”

Sajin gripped the man’s wrist. “Chase Montyne?”

“You will have to forgive Sabrina,” Chase said. “We had to know why you were looking for Conar.”

“To get him back,” Yuri grumbled, pushing himself off the floor. He glared at Montyne.

“Don’t you ever do that again.”

“Don’t you ever put your hands on me again,” Chase warned.

Sabrina coughed delicately, gaining the men’s attention. “I take it you have not come to purchase slaves.” At Sajin’s shrug, she grinned. “Or watch my slaves performing?”

“Enough, Sabrina,” Chase chastened her. He motioned the men to sit down. “She gets bored and does this on occasion.”

Sajin grinned. “I have to admit thinking of Conar being--“ He chuckled. “--used in that fashion was a most amusing fantasy. But I’m glad to know he’s all right.”

Chase frowned. “I hope that’s the case.”

Sajin’s smile vanished. “What do you mean? You DO know where he is, don’t you?”

“Not at the moment,” Sabrina answered. As the others turned to stare at her, she shook her head. “The last we heard he was with a group of resistance fighters somewhere near Hujurn Oasis.”

“That was two months ago,” Chase added. “He sent word to Sabrina that he was alive.”

“Did something happen?” Sajin asked.

“We were on our way here when a group of mercenaries attacked the camp,” Chase explained. “They were after Conar.”

“Guil’s men,” Sajin spat.

“We believe so,” Sabrina answered. “He bid against me for Conar.”

“Did they take him?” Yuri snarled.

Chase looked over at the man. “You know better, Andreanova. I’d have given my life to keep him safe. You know that.”

Sabrina turned her shocked face to her lover. They had not discussed Sirocco’s relationship to the Serenian. She had thought them nothing more than friends, warriors in the same fighting force in Serenia. To hear the man she loved tell another man he would give his life to keep the Serenian safe, was something that disturbed her deeply.

“He escaped then?” Sajin inquired.

“Into the desert with no water and a horse with a quarrel in its ribs,” Chase told him. “But if you know Conar at all, you know the gods are with that man every step he takes. He beat the desert.”

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“He is a survivor,” Yuri agreed, pride in his thick voice.

“So now he is with the resistance,” Sajin echoed. “Not exactly a safe place for him to be.”

“Perhaps he’ll find Jale,” Yuri said.

Chase glanced at the man. “Jale is missing?” At Yuri’s nod, Chase exhaled a hard, long breath. “I was afraid of that. Was he sold like me?”

“Not like you,” Sabrina grinned.

Chase blushed and leveled his gaze with Yuri’s. “Have you any idea where he is?”

“He was purchased for the quarry near Kilnt,” Azalon told him. “We were going to go there after we left here.”

“That’s only four miles from here!” Chase exclaimed.

“And no place for an Outlander to be,” Sabrina put in. “I have heard gruesome tales of how foreigners are treated there.”

“As have I,” Azalon admitted, “but I did not want to alarm His Grace and the warrior.”

“This resistance group Conar is with,” Sajin asked, “how do we find it?”

“You don’t,” Azalon warned him. “I am surprised your friend even admitted to being with them. It is very dangerous for all of them, especially so since he told you where they were camping.”

“He didn’t,” Chase was quick to point out. “The man who brought the message to us thought it would be worth a few extra silver pieces to inform on the group.”

“I hope you slit his conniving throat!” Yuri growled.

“Better than that,” Sabrina laughed.

“If you’d like to speak with him,” Chase chuckled, “you’ll find him in hut number five.”

Sajin turned admiring eyes to the black woman. “Your idea, lady?”

Sabrina sighed. “One does what one can for the cause, Your Grace.”

Chase leaned forward in his chair. “I have convinced Sabrina to go home with me to Ionary just as soon as she can rid herself of her holdings here.”

Yuri stiffened. “I would not think a man who spent three years of his life in a penal colony would condone slave selling, Montyne!”

Sajin’s left brow shot up at the look the blond gave the Outer Kingdom warrior.

“There is no man in this room more strongly against slavery than am I, Andreanova. But where would you have these people go? How would they fend for themselves when they have led pampered lives since the day they were born? It takes time to find adequate homes for the children whose mothers do not want them. It takes money to give free lots to those who do not want to join other households.” He stood up and stared down at the Shadow-warrior. “Did it ever occur to you that there are some slaves who do not want to be free?”

“I have already found a buyer for the brothel I own on the Nilus,” Sabrina said quietly.

“Those who work there are free to go or sign contracts with the new owner.”

“Don’t judge me, Andreanova,” Chase warned. “I am doing what I can to help these people.”

“And what of Conar?” Yuri grumbled. “He is fighting to free those same people. Will you help him?”

“If he asks me!” Chase snarled. “I don’t even think he knows I’m here!”

“He will!” Yuri shot back. “What then, Montyne? Will you join him or will you stay here with your woman?”

Sajin stood up, put himself between the two men. “If Conar needs us, we’ll fight alongside him. So will Montyne.”

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