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I don’t like it. I don’t like any of it.
I help her out of the tub carefully, and she murmurs some words of appreciation while she stares at the ground. I can’t help my grin. She hates being reliant on us, and I find it more than a little amusing when she swallows her pride and thanks me. But she always does.
‘We need to talk to you,’ I say, deciding that I don’t want to be the one to tell her that we’ll need to practice releasing her so the authorities will let us all leave next week. Somehow, I don’t think she’s going to take it well at all.
But she simply nods and walks slowly out into the main room. Dane and Kallum stop talking when they see her, their eyes moving over the sheet she’s wrapped around herself, though she’s well covered.
She sits on the bed and leans back.
‘How are you feeling?’ Dane asks her.
She shrugs. ‘Tired, but better.’ She thinks for a moment. ‘My ribs feel all right, and the headaches I was getting have mostly stopped now.’
‘Good.’ He frowns and then looks at me.
‘No, I haven’t spoken to her about it yet. She was asleep. I thought it best to give her a few moments so we don’t have to repeat anything.’
She glances from me to Dane, suddenly looking as if we’re going to pull out a death shroud at any moment and cover her with it.
‘The council will call for us as soon as Reyn gives you a clean bill of health,’ Dane begins. ‘You’ll be told to lean over a table as Reyn’s slave did, and … we will be expected to …’ he looks away, ‘release you,’ he growls, his eyes flashing.
She looks uncomfortable. ‘Yes, I know.’
‘If we fail, then you won’t be allowed to leave with us.’
She glances up and then down again. ‘Yes.’
Dane stands and paces the room. ‘Are you so certain that one of us will be able to make you come while you’re on display to a room full of strangers?’ He stops in front of her. ‘Because, while I’m grateful you think us so accomplished in pleasuring females that we’ll just be able to do it, I have my reservations.’
She clears her throat and looks up. ‘I thought I’d probably just … pretend.’
Dane’s mouth opens and then shuts, and I can’t help my chuckle. ‘That’s a good plan.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Kallum says. ‘I’ve asked around. It’s done in a special room with some conjure that … They’ll be able to tell if it isn’t real.’
She lets out a small laugh. ‘Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. What do you suggest?’
Dane looks down at her with an expression that I can’t see but makes her eyes widen. ‘Practice.’
‘Practice?!’ she shrieks, standing up suddenly. ‘No!’
‘Yes,’ he growls. ‘Would you rather we’re not able to do it to their satisfaction, and you’re sold to Reyn to be his bull’s broodmare?’
The color that’s come back into her face the past few days drains away. ‘What?’ she asks faintly.
‘Lay over the table like you saw Rayn’s slave do,’ Dane orders.
She shakes her head.
‘Do it, or I’ll conjure you to do it.’
‘Can’t you just conjure me to come at the right time?’ she asks.
‘No,’ he says. ‘If Kal is right about the room, it’ll have to be done properly. Now, go to the table and bend at the waist so that we can begin.’
She looks at me and then at Kal, clearly hoping for one of us to argue with Dane. When she sees we’re united, her shoulders droop, and she steps forward slowly.
‘No conjuring me. Nothing at all,’ she says.
