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“Oh, Nox—help me!” she gasped. “Peep-a-cheek found the Far Box—it’s here, behind this plate! I only wanted to look at it but now my hand is caught in an invisible cuff and Master Lendrex wants to punish me!”
“He will not touch you,” Nox growled and Seline thought she had never seen him look like this before. Not even when they had once been attacked by a roving band of Cast-offs—discarded male bodyslaves who roamed the seedier streets of Opulex, the capital of Yonnie Six.
During that attack, Nox had gone into action, moving like a well-oiled machine. His big body had been a blur but his face had been impassive as he had dispatched seven of the angry males before the rest of them turned and ran. Afterwards, he hadn’t even been breathing hard.
Seline had dissolved into tears—she was normally pretty tough but being ambushed by a band of males who wanted to rape and kill her was too much, even for her sunny personality.
Nox had seemed uncertain of what to do, though he had eventually put an arm around her while she cried. But he had never shown any outward emotion, either during the attack or in the aftermath. It was as though it simply didn’t bother him.
Well, he was definitely bothered now, Seline thought, looking at his red eyes and the way the corners of his mouth were turned down. His nostrils were flared and his brow was furrowed—he looked like a man about to explode with fury.
“You will not touch her,” he said to Master Lendrex again. “If you do, I swear you will DIE!”
“All right, all right.” Master Lendrex put up both hands, making it clear he wasn’t touching Seline. “But whether you like it or not, your pleasure slave has been caught in an act of thievery. She must be tried and punished.”
“She has taken nothing from you.” Nox’s voice was a deep, menacing growl. “You will allow her to go free at once!”
“I could do that,” Master Lendrex said. “But if you do not agree to abide by our rules of crime and punishment, then I will be unable to deal with you on the matter of the artifact you came looking for.”
Seline felt her stomach drop.
“You mean…if I let you punish me, you’ll sell us the Far Box?” she asked, trying to keep her voice from trembling.
Master Lendrex nodded his bald, golden head.
“Of course—I have no use for the artifact you want. I’ll be pleased to sell or trade for it—but I cannot deal with a rule-breaker.”
Seline felt sick but she knew there was no other way to get the other half of the Far Box—no other way to get home.
“Tell…tell me more,” she said at last. “What kind of punishment are we talking about?”
“You must be put to trial first,” Master Lendrex told her. “A panel of both males and females will determine your fate and then you will be punished immediately. Then and only then will I be willing and able to deal with you.”
“No,” Nox said flatly. “Release my female at once. We will leave the Upper Disk and never bother you again.”
“Nox, wait!” Seline protested. “This is the only way to get the other half of the Far Box! The only way.”
Her Protector’s face was like a thundercloud.
“I do not care—I refuse to see you hurt.”
“What are you talking about?” Master Lendrex scoffed. “You’re her Master—surely you must punish her regularly. A little pain is an excellent deterrent to misbehavior.” He frowned at Nox. “Are you truly a Master or not?”
“Of course he is!” Seline said quickly. “Please—I’ll take the punishment, whatever it is. Er…what is it?” she added in a small voice.
“That will be determined by the Judgment Panel,” Master Lendrex told her. “Are we in agreement, then? Your pleasure girl will be judged and take her punishment?” he asked, looking at Nox.
Nox’s face was still dark and angry but Seline caught his eyes and sent him a pleading look.
Finally, he nodded.
“Agreed—on the understanding that no punishment you order can been so extreme that it draws blood. If you spill a single drop of my female’s blood, you will pay with a flagon of your own.”
Seline wasn’t sure how much a “flagon” of blood was—apparently a lot. But Master Lendrex nodded, as though this was acceptable.
“Agreed—no blood sports or knife play,” he said, which made Seline’s stomach twist into even more knots. “But she must be tried and punished.”
Nox nodded.
“Very well. Now let her go.”
“I will, but we’re going directly to the Punishment Room,” Master Lendrex warned. “I don’t want you grabbing her and running away.”
“I would not do that. Seline wishes to stay here and bargain for the Far Box, so that is what we will do,” Nox told him. “Now free her.”
“Of course.”
Master Lendrex did something to the side of the vast set of shelves and suddenly the invisible cuff that had been holding Seline in place was gone. She pulled her arm free, rubbing her wrist reflexively, even though there were no marks on it.
