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but daft if she truly believed he would not hunt her down. She belonged to
him. He could do naught else.
Seating himself at the raised table, he laid his head back on the breasts of
the bound servant massaging his shoulders. There had been a time when she had
been his favored. Now he would give her to Gio as a gift.
Gio. The fully trained High Lord had not been himself since having learned of
Princess Dari s behavior at the trading stalls on Ti Q won. Truly, Death now
wished he had said nothing to him. The young beauty had done naught but shyly
flirt, yet Gio had taken the news as though the princess had invited him to
sample of her virgin channel.
Death s eyes narrowed as he asked himself what he would do if he learned that
Kari had so much as flirted with another warrior after fleeing from him. He
grunted. He would kill the warrior is what he would do.
Death sighed. He supposed Gio s grim mood was understandable after all.
Picking up his goblet, his thoughts turned to Kari as he sipped from it. He
would find her the soonest, he silently vowed, and when he did he would never
let her go again. He had come back to Jioti to regroup for a spell, to gather
his hunters that they might aid him on his bride-quest.
He needed Kari s sweet, luscious channel. He needed her greedy, voracious
mouth. And, he admitted with a resolved sigh, he neededher period.
He was a fool for having not recognized her in the first, he knew a fool who
would never again rest easy until she was firmly back under his dominion.
Love of the hearts. When he had been captured all of those years back, he had
been told twould never be his. The evil one had made him believe those words,
had made him believe he was a dead man walking.
Death. It had named him Death. And he had offered the evil one no resistance
for he had believed it.
But Kari was his. He knew she was. And that meant that the evil one had lied.
Mayhap if it had lied about that, it had lied about other things as well.
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There was but one way to find out.
But before he could do aught else, before he could allow himself to find the
answers, he needed to hunt down the key to his redemption, the woman whose
very existence gave his purpose. He needed Kari. And when he found her, he
would never let her go.
* * * * *
We were told your people might be willing to help us.
Kara gulped a bit nervously as she, Jana, and Dari spoke to the Galian woman
on the receiving end of the holo-communication. We need help the soonest,
before the bridal necklaces are clasped about our necks and
Bridal necklaces? the Galian woman murmured. Are you speaking of those
necklaces warriors wear with colorful gems threaded through them?
Kara glanced toward Jana. She found the question a bit odd, having
incorrectly assumed that all peoples of Trek Mi Q an understood the ways of
Trystonni mating. Aye.
What do these necklaces do? the Galian inquired softly.
Dari s nostrils flared. They chain you for life to a warrior uncaring of
your feelings, to a warrior who sees you as naught more than a receptacle of
his lust and a breeder of his heirs. Her eyes narrowed. She who is clasped
will know naught but grief, sadness, and a lifetime of having her every dream
and desire denied her. She will be given no independence, granted no choices,
for verily she is reduced to the status of possession.
Kara s eyebrows rose. A bit dramatic, mayhap, yet effective.
So will you aid us? Jana asked. We can pay you for your trouble, for we ve
barteredqi kas for credits.
The Galian glanced at her sisters before turning back to the princesses. You
are royal, are you not?
Kara nibbled on her bottom lip. How did you know that?
The Galian smiled. I used to share the same name as you, but when I came to
Trek Mi Q an I had to change it because it s forbidden by the Holy Law for a
non-royal man or woman to share the name of a member of the emperor s direct
line. If your name is Kara, it s not a giant leap in logic to figure out just
whose daughter you are.
Kara sighed. He will hunt for me, my sire will. I cannot lie to you when you
think to show me a kindness. If you are to aid us, we want you to know the
truth in full that you might understand the forces we would all be up
against.
The Galian inclined her head. Your honesty is appreciated. She smiled,
showing off two dimples that further reminded Kara of hermani . The
resemblance between the two women was nigh unto spooky. But to be honest,
the Galian continued, my sisters and I welcome the challenge.
So you ll aid us? Jana asked excitedly.
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The Galian nodded her head. We will. However long it takes you to escape
your respective prisons, feel secure in the knowledge that Galis will be your
salvation.
Dari s eyes lit up. Even if it takes us a year or mayhap two to escape, you
will truly not forget us?
No. A promise made by a Galian woman is a promise kept. She grimaced,
thinking about a certain promise she d made and then deliberately broken to a
warrior she couldn t stop thinking about. But that had been different, she
reminded herself, vastly different.
Kara smiled. Thank-you ever so much, kind mistress. Might I inquire as to
the name you now go by?
The Galian smiled. Kari, she said. Kari Gy at Li.
* * * * *
Dari swiped at the tears that tracked down her cheeks as she turned around to
wave goodbye to hermani and papa. Her sisters stood upon the conveyance
launching pad of the Palace of the Dunes huddled together and crying. Even
Dar, the bedamned brother she loved regardless to everything, looked as though
he might shed a tear for her leave taking.
But she didn t want them to be sad, not even Dar, so she raised her hand and
attempted a forced smile as she waved to them. They waved back, however
half-heartedly, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.
Dari s gaze flicked towards her sire. He was crying softly, trying to pretend
that he wasn t. But she knew him too well, could read his emotions almost as
well as hermani could. He felt grief for her leave taking, not to mention
powerfully guilty for spanking her, and she didn t want him to feel that way
at all. She didn t blame her sire, and truth be told she wasn t even angry at
him anymore.
Nay. If there was one to blame it was the warrior holding onto her elbow just
now trying to prod her along.
Tearing her elbow away from Gio Z an Tar, Dari flew towards her father and
into his arms. Do not grieve for me, she whispered, choking back her own
tears. I love you, papa, and I shall prevail.
Dak closed his eyes and held her tightly, smelling her scent as he had so
many times when she d been a tiny hatchling. For a certainty you will come
home soon to visit,ty ka . Tis a vow.
Dari didn t know if that were true, for the course had been set and the
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