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"The only thing you need to do right now is go and see your father before he loses his patience," Kemes said.
Khan stopped walking. "I do, but that means you will have to help Fen in my stead."
"How? Nektos won't like anyone giving him orders on dealing with his slaves, and whatever we do will get back to Hasina. You know he's her lap cat."
An idea hit him, and Khan looked up at them and smiled. They both groaned.
"Oh no, Kash. He's going to do something stupid," Kemes complained.
Khan's grin widened; he had the perfect solution.
Eight
Fen was still smiling when the guards escorted her out of the palace to where Azra was waiting with a litter. She had expected the night to go many ways, but having fun hadn't crossed her mind once.
She was surprised that the twins had made her laugh for the first time in weeks. She had liked Khan's interest in magic and how he seemed so confident one minute and clueless the next.
A prince with magic. Who could've imagined it?
Azra saw Fen's disheveled state, and a look of relief passed over her face.
"I am happy to see you took my advice and performed your service admirably," she said as the litter began to move. "He didn't take as long with you as I thought."
"He was called away to attend the Pharaoh, but don't worry, I did what I was meant to," Fen replied. It wasn't exactly a lie. Her stomach was full, and the pressure in her chest had eased, even if it wasn't going to last.
"Nektos wants to see us when we return. You must tell him everything that occurred with the prince. He will want to know if you are someone he should keep exclusive or not," Azra said, smoothing down her skirts with the back of her hand.
Fen swallowed down all the choice curse words she wanted to spit out. It wasn't Azra's fault; she was a slave like Fen.
Khan's sincere expression flashed in her mind's eye.I will do what I can to keep you out of the arena.
Time would tell if Khan had actually meant it.
Azra had been right about Nektos. Fen had barely stepped out of the litter and back onto the arena grounds when two smirking guards appeared to escort her to their master.
Nektos was drinking wine and working at a desk. He looked her over and put down his quill. "Ah, so the champion returns triumphant yet again."
He walked around the edge of his desk, and before Fen could stop him, he ran his hand over the inside of her thighs. She had suspected he would, but the act still made her dinner rise in her throat. Fen vowed to the gods that one day she would break his hand for touching her that way.
"Well, well, the prince has an appetite after all." Nektos removed his hand with a smug smile. "How was he?"
"He was a very generous and thorough lover, my lord," she replied. She liked Khan and wanted to make sure if rumors got started, he looked good in them. She had no doubt that hewouldbe a generous lover. Not that she had thought about it. Well, maybe a little when he had smiled at her.
"Is that so? Well, I am impressed by both of your performances today. Keep serving me well, and you will earn your freedom in no time," Nektos replied.
Liar. Nektos would never let her go when he could make money from her suffering. No one ever went back to Midgard. He would work her until she was dead and then find a way to make money off her corpse.
"That will be all. You will have an extra ration of food tomorrow," he said, gesturing to the guards to take her away.
Fen followed them through the apartments and the cells under the arena. Some of the slaves and gladiators nodded and smiled at her. Some whispered their congratulations. Fen acknowledged them with a smile but didn't say anything. She didn't want to get familiar with any of them. The baker dying that day had affected her more than it should have, and she didn't want to see anyone else die in her arms. She had too much of a soft heart, even if she kept it buried deep.
"I have to admit, I want to know what the virtuous, untouchable prince saw in her to be tempted," the guard behind her said as the other opened her cell door.
"Let's find out. Who's going to know?"
Fen's hands balled into fists, ready to fight him off if she had to. A sharp prod with the end of a spear made her freeze.
"That's right. If you make one move we don't like, bitch, I'm going to fuck you with this spear," the guard said and pushed her hard, sending Fen sprawling onto the straw on the cell floor. Fen rolled over, and the guard struck her in the stomach, winding her. He gripped her around the throat with one meaty hand.
