have a story?” Eva asked, relaxing.
“Yes, a very interesting one. But I think it is one our king would prefer to tell you himself.” She turned away and walked toward the door.
Turning to join her, Eva spotted a large tan planet on the other side of the horizon.
“What is that?” she asked.
“That is Drazlan. The home planet,” Mazel said. Her eyes trained on the not-so-distant planet.
Eva looked past Drazlan, seeing millions of twinkling lights that lit up the sky. Constellations that were unfamiliar to her. The realization hit her. No matter how far she looked, she would not see Earth. Her home was in a distant past, millions of light-years away from where she currently stood.
“Come, let me show you to your room.” Mazel’s voice pulled her back to Sonis. Before turning, her eyes caught the sight of greenery at the bottom of the stairs that led to the private royal gardens. Tomorrow, she would venture onto the private grounds to feel dirt and grass underneath her feet once again. Tomorrow, because at the moment, the confidence to venture out into the eerie and unknown dark world eluded her.
Instead, she let Mazel lead her up the stairs where she assumed her room would be. The servant’s quarters crossed her mind. She’d be happy if they were half as impressive as the rooms she passed through. Her stomach lurched. A slave, the idea would never settle with her.
With each step, her lead-filled legs became heavier and heavier. The emotions of the day weighing her down, she hoped for a soft bed. Her bed on the Loconuist spacecraft consisted of nothing more than a meager pallet. The Saia II had offered her a step up, a bed intended for a seven- to eight-foot male, with nothing but a thin mattress between her back and the metal frame.
She followed her guide into a room that was two times bigger than her entire apartment in Ann Arbor. The room held a bed and little else. From what she could make out, the room was occupied. Although the room was immaculate, the various swords on the walls and the heavy scent of musk filling the air were a dead giveaway. She was in a male-occupied room.
Eva froze in place and looked around. “I think there might be a mistake.”
“No, Taio has instructed me to bring you to his private rooms.”
“I don’t think you understand.” Eva’s eyes darted around the room. “Did Taio tell you that I’m his slave?” she whispered, although they were alone in the room. The last thing she wanted was to be humiliated by Taio dragging her out of his bed in the middle of the night.
Mazel scoffed and smiled. “He told me this is where you will sleep.” Mazel walked toward an open door. “Ship has provided me with your size.”
Eva followed her to what appeared to be a closet and peeked inside. There were rows of women’s clothing, not much different than the colorful, long, flowing gown Mazel wore. Mazel selected a bundle of material from a shelf. Walking past Eva, she laid it on the bed.
“Are you sure he wants me to stay in here? Where is he going to sleep?”
Mazel raised one thick, dark eyebrow at her.
“Oh. Well. Okay.”
After wishing her a good night, Mazel left the room.
All alone, Eva sat on the large bed next to the long, transparent gown Mazel had laid across it. Reaching over, she let her hands run over the gown. The material, albeit see-through, was beautiful and soft to the touch. She picked it up, amazed at how light and airy the gown was. It could have been something right out of a Victoria’s Secret catalogue.
What did he want from her? Why would he want her in his private quarters?
Well, she could understand he wanted to continue a physical relationship. She briefly thought back to the afternoon on the bridge. The sex had been more than amazing. But to live in his private quarters? Now that was moving a bit fast.
She had spent her entire life being independent and able to provide for herself. Now she was not only a slave, but would have to share
“Yes, a very interesting one. But I think it is one our king would prefer to tell you himself.” She turned away and walked toward the door.
Turning to join her, Eva spotted a large tan planet on the other side of the horizon.
“What is that?” she asked.
“That is Drazlan. The home planet,” Mazel said. Her eyes trained on the not-so-distant planet.
Eva looked past Drazlan, seeing millions of twinkling lights that lit up the sky. Constellations that were unfamiliar to her. The realization hit her. No matter how far she looked, she would not see Earth. Her home was in a distant past, millions of light-years away from where she currently stood.
“Come, let me show you to your room.” Mazel’s voice pulled her back to Sonis. Before turning, her eyes caught the sight of greenery at the bottom of the stairs that led to the private royal gardens. Tomorrow, she would venture onto the private grounds to feel dirt and grass underneath her feet once again. Tomorrow, because at the moment, the confidence to venture out into the eerie and unknown dark world eluded her.
Instead, she let Mazel lead her up the stairs where she assumed her room would be. The servant’s quarters crossed her mind. She’d be happy if they were half as impressive as the rooms she passed through. Her stomach lurched. A slave, the idea would never settle with her.
With each step, her lead-filled legs became heavier and heavier. The emotions of the day weighing her down, she hoped for a soft bed. Her bed on the Loconuist spacecraft consisted of nothing more than a meager pallet. The Saia II had offered her a step up, a bed intended for a seven- to eight-foot male, with nothing but a thin mattress between her back and the metal frame.
She followed her guide into a room that was two times bigger than her entire apartment in Ann Arbor. The room held a bed and little else. From what she could make out, the room was occupied. Although the room was immaculate, the various swords on the walls and the heavy scent of musk filling the air were a dead giveaway. She was in a male-occupied room.
Eva froze in place and looked around. “I think there might be a mistake.”
“No, Taio has instructed me to bring you to his private rooms.”
“I don’t think you understand.” Eva’s eyes darted around the room. “Did Taio tell you that I’m his slave?” she whispered, although they were alone in the room. The last thing she wanted was to be humiliated by Taio dragging her out of his bed in the middle of the night.
Mazel scoffed and smiled. “He told me this is where you will sleep.” Mazel walked toward an open door. “Ship has provided me with your size.”
Eva followed her to what appeared to be a closet and peeked inside. There were rows of women’s clothing, not much different than the colorful, long, flowing gown Mazel wore. Mazel selected a bundle of material from a shelf. Walking past Eva, she laid it on the bed.
“Are you sure he wants me to stay in here? Where is he going to sleep?”
Mazel raised one thick, dark eyebrow at her.
“Oh. Well. Okay.”
After wishing her a good night, Mazel left the room.
All alone, Eva sat on the large bed next to the long, transparent gown Mazel had laid across it. Reaching over, she let her hands run over the gown. The material, albeit see-through, was beautiful and soft to the touch. She picked it up, amazed at how light and airy the gown was. It could have been something right out of a Victoria’s Secret catalogue.
What did he want from her? Why would he want her in his private quarters?
Well, she could understand he wanted to continue a physical relationship. She briefly thought back to the afternoon on the bridge. The sex had been more than amazing. But to live in his private quarters? Now that was moving a bit fast.
She had spent her entire life being independent and able to provide for herself. Now she was not only a slave, but would have to share