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"Maybe we can help each other, yes?" she purred. She smelled sweet like summer flowers. Fen kept her mouth firmly shut.
"Be the prince's whore, but report back to me. I want to know what he's up to, what he's hiding all the time."
I'm sure you do. Fen thought about Khan scribbling away in his own little world. He didn't strike her as a schemer. He wasn't suspicious or paranoid enough.
Hasina stroked Fen's cheek with her thumb. "You find something interesting about him, and I'll do what I can to ensure your freedom."
Fen knew she was lying. She didn't get a chance to agree or disagree because a deep voice cleared behind her.
"What have I told you about touching my things, little sister?" Khan said deadly soft. Hasina dropped her hand from Fen and laughed sweetly.
"Oh, brother, can you blame me? You are never interested in slaves. I still don't understand what has you so intrigued about this one."
Khan placed a warm hand on Fen's shoulder and moved her gently behind him. He was dressed in his usual black and gold and looked every inch a prince. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were the coldest Fen had ever seen.
"You don't need to understand. I want her, and that's all there is to it," he said and turned his stern gaze onto a sweating Nektos. "You have papers for me to sign?"
Ten
Khan pressed his seal ring into the soft wax on Nektos's contract and prayed to Inanna to forgive him for buying a slave. He had made a solemn vow to never do it, but he hadn't been able to handle the thought of Fenrys stepping into the arena once more. Or her being whored out to another patron for gold.
"Well, this is a momentous day," Hasina said with a snide little chuckle. "I wonder what your grandfather will say when he hears about this."
"It is none of my grandfather's business, just like it's none of yours." Khan made sure the edges of his cartouche were clearly imprinted on both bills of sale before folding his copy and tucking it into his robe.
"Excellent doing business with you, my prince." Nektos bowed deeply. "I will have the girl sent along to you this afternoon."
"No. I will take her now," Khan said firmly. He wasn't going to give Hasina a chance to continue whatever he had walked in on. He'd barely slept, knowing Fen was in a cell under the arena. He couldn't tolerate that awful place of death a second longer.
Nektos hadn't moved like he was trying to think of a way to deny him.
Khan was in no mood to be denied. His voice dropped as he growled, "Get your collar off her."
Nektos started to splutter. Khan raised a brow at him, and the slave monger quickly shut up. He pulled out a chain from the inside of his robe with a small cylinder on it. He pressed it into the Sekmet seal on the collar, and it popped off.
Khan tried not to flinch at seeing the red marks on Fen's pale neck. Gods, he hated slavery. When he was pharaoh, he would abolish the whole terrible trade.
"Thank you, Nektos. Our business is done." Khan held an arm out for Fen. She looked between them, trying to figure out what they were saying. She understood the gesture well enough but hesitated.
She bowed to Nektos and said something in her own language. She kept the tone sweet, but Khan felt the sharp kick of her magic in the air. It was like winter ice and steel in his mouth before it was gone.
"What do you think she said?" Nektos asked.
"I believe she was bidding you farewell. Which I will also do," Khan said with a smile. He nodded to Hasina and Nektos before taking Fen's arm.
He didn't fail to notice the tremor that was running through her. She was utterly fearless, so he knew it was pent-up rage. He squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her.
"How did it go?" Kashmet asked from the carriage he was guarding. Khan preferred to ride but didn't want people gawking at Fen.
"Hasina is here and had her hands on her when I got there," Khan replied, and Kashmet's eyes narrowed. "Get us home before I cause an earthquake to destroy this horrible fucking place."
Kashmet opened the door of the carriage. "Easy,?e?ru. It's done now."
Khan helped Fen inside before sitting down opposite her. She was looking about at the silken insides, her fingers touching the decorative grating and soft curtains that kept it private.
Khan found the polished box he had left behind and opened it. Inside was a feminine, goldenusekhnecklace. It had translation magi-tech like the other slave collar, but it would be lighter and could be taken off whenever Fen wished it. He held it out for her to take, and she touched the ankh stamped into it before sliding it about her neck.
"Can you understand me?" Khan asked softly.
