Aaron stared open-mouthed at Theon. A distant part of his mind noted dryly that this was the third execution he'd been offered to oversee since arriving. The silence stretched. Aaron looked between his two companions. The closest thing to friends I have here—and they just asked if I want to execute them.

  Rhea punched Theon's arm in a sudden blur of motion. He yelped and fell against the rune-carved wall.

  "Mother's Mercy, Theon! This doesn’t call for that. What if he takes your melodrama literally?" stormed Rhea, real anger in her eyes for the first time since they had met.

  Theon sat back up and nursed his shoulder for several deep breaths before he spoke. “That wasn’t melodrama. Without the cabal, you would have been right.” He looked at Aaron with a carefully neutral expression. “But the leaders of the cabal decide our fate now. I wanted his opinion so he may sway them from bringing an Edict down on us.”

  Aaron stared at the floor. I didn’t think of that. His throat tightened. Please, not their deaths. Not because of me.

  Aaron straightened and met both their gazes. “I would never do that. You two have helped me, and I feel we have grown close.” He met Theon’s eyes, speaking each word deliberately. “I will never hurt you two. I promise.”

  The moment stretched out. At a small nod from Aaron, Theon's sigh mixed with Rhea’s nervous giggling. Aaron hesitated before he and Theon joined in. Rhea hugged both of them. The mirth lasted for a good while. All the horrible tension fell slowly away.

  Rhea found a cabinet stocked with more wine. Apparently, they had booked the place for the whole evening, which wasn’t uncommon. As Rhea finished a story about tricking a sergeant in the Argo, Aaron heard a whisper.

  ‘WellDoneThat. GotThroughWithoutIntervention. TalkTonight.’ Quetzy’s staccato voice was unmistakable.

  Sipping from his glass, Aaron thought back at Quetzy. ‘Thanks for letting me do this. I’m looking forward to tonight.’

  No answer came, but a warmth spread in Aaron’s chest.

  “Why are you smiling suddenly?” asked an intoxicated Rhea.

  The runes warped like ink in water, twisting the moment Aaron tried to focus. Always shifting. Always just out of reach.

  Rhea’s fingers flicked against his forehead, snapping him out of his thoughts.

  “Oh, I just talked with Quetzy. I love that cute dragonsquirrel.”

  Theon's attention snapped onto him like a laser. He leaned forward as Rhea laughed loudly.

  “A dragonsquirrel? Never seen them.” He burped. “Excuse me, Champion. Heard there is a community in Syrka, on the Isle of Grain. Did you–”

  Rhea put her hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “I heard they are adorable. So it is true? I wish I could see him.” Her frown was comical.

  Aaron squeezed her hand. “Some day…”

  Rhea opened another bottle with a pop.

  Some time later, they stumbled out of the chamber. Bug and Bark awaited them with a group of presidential guards. Smiles were written on both of their faces. The guards looked professionally bored. Part of Aaron noted that they had been waiting while he had been having fun. He ignored that part and walked unsteadily toward Bug.

  “Aaron, I just realized something about your totally not-real, definitely-imaginary mind mage—” Theon swayed into her, shoulder first, knocking her off balance. It could have been an accident. It wasn’t.

  “Oh, sorry,” Theon muttered, deadpan. Aaron hid a smirk. Thanks, mate. Aaron reached Bug, clasping his hand, and focused on his mind shield.

  ‘I need to talk to the mind mage. Theon figured out your cabal, and I won’t let them be killed. You know that.’

  Bug tensed. Not much, but enough for Aaron to catch it. A flicker of something—irritation? Amusement? Frustration?

  ‘Think–It–Simple?’ Bug’s voice in his mind was sharper than usual. ‘Champion–No–Command.’

  ‘Maybe not,’ Aaron shot back, ‘but I can damn well try.’

  A beat of silence. Then Bug let out a slow, deliberate breath.

  ‘Indeed–Meet–.--In–Sleep.’ His transmission still carried an edge, but at least the tension faded.

  ‘Sorry about the forcefulness,’ Aaron sent, more carefully this time. ‘Still getting used to this.’

  Bug forced a smile as he pulled away. “It seems like you had an enjoyable evening, Champion.” His tone was stiff, his grip firm before releasing Aaron’s hand.

  Bark laughed, stepping forward with a twinkle in his eye. “It seems our wine agrees with you, Champion. Tell me, do you have brewing techniques from your world?”

  Aaron, still aware of Bug’s less-than-thrilled expression, grinned. “I might remember a few things.” He glanced at Theon and Rhea. “Say, how does ‘hops’ translate for you?”

  As they walked through the dark tunnel, Bug’s expression soured the more excited Bark became about Aaron’s brewing ideas. Aaron smirked inwardly. I guess I know who gets to try the druid’s brews first.

  The cold night air was refreshing. Under the pale light of the silver moonlight strip, the oasis glimmered with rings of silver. It took Aaron a while to notice that everyone had waited patiently for him to finish gawking at the world in the sky. He moved on through the lantern-illuminated forest sheepishly. Bug seemed relieved that the conversation had died down.

  Soon, Aaron stumbled onto the sleeping mat, pulled the door closed, and struggled out of his robes and loincloth. He cuddled himself into the blankets. Quetzy sent him warmth.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  ‘WillTalkSoon.’

  Smiling, Aaron drifted off to sleep.

  Warmth. A weight pressing against him. Soft hands traced his chest, sliding up to his jaw.

  Then—heat. Wet, warm, invading.

  Aaron’s eyes snapped open.

  Moonlight caught the curve of her bare skin as she moved against him, her breath sweet and slow.

  His mind lagged behind. Sensation before realization. Instinct before reason.

  He was too stunned to do anything and simply reciprocated the kiss for a sleepy moment. The moment she broke the kiss, a hand closed over Aaron’s mouth. He gasped, half in surprise, half in pleasure. What… His thoughts clawed upward through fog, scraping toward reason.

  The woman leaned down, increasing skin contact. She whispered in his ear, “I am Kendia, your personal Bonded. I replaced the last one after his accident.” She was silent for a moment. Wait. The last one… an accident?

  Then, Aaron could make out the bright flash of smiling teeth. “I wanted to introduce myself properly, Champion.” Her hips wiggled suggestively.

  Aaron gulped. Her hand ran over his chest. “Please don’t scream. Let us just have some fun.”

  Slowly, she let go of Aaron’s mouth. Silence. What… Why… How… Aaron stuttered something unintelligible.

  She giggled and stretched herself out in the faint moonlight. “Enjoying the service, Champion? If that’s what fate threads for us, I’ll gladly follow.”

  Aaron’s brain finally caught up. “You… It…” He trailed off. What do you say when a naked girl sits on you?

  Nothing. You obey, a darker part of him whispered. A powerful part. She’s a slave. I can’t—shouldn’t. Aaron’s breath caught.

  “Get off me. Now,” he hissed. Maybe I should already be kicking up a ruckus. But I don’t want to get her into trouble. Yeah, what a gallant knight I am.

  Her body slumped. Then she wiggled again, trying her best to get him more excited. “Do you actually want that?” she rasped.

  He shuddered. I’m burning up—can’t tell what’s real. Her body molded to his, warmth soaking through his hips like wildfire.

  Aaron’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t seduction. This was duty. Her duty. His hands trembled, and he clenched them into fists. No. I will not.

  He forced the breath through his teeth, voice hoarse. “I said get off me.”

  Aaron pushed her off and grabbed the blanket. He threw her another one. He shivered. From the cold night air?

  Kendia hesitated, but Aaron was already sitting up, pulling the blanket over himself like armor. “Get out.” His voice was sharp, colder than he felt. A long pause. She stared at him for a beat too long, expression unreadable.

  “Please, do not reject me. Only your protection can save me from Ceiro. He tried to…” She stopped, swallowed hard, looking up at him through her lashes.

  Aaron felt a pulse of anger. But something in his gut twisted. Something faint pressed against his mind. A warning? He ignored it. That worthless piece of shit. First, he insults Rhea. Now this?

  His fists clenched. Two days in this place, and already I am seeing how deep the rot runs.

  His bonded servant sat opposite him, huddling, sniffling under her blanket.

  Aaron wanted to reach out to her, but froze his hand halfway there. Is it acceptable to touch— Her hands shot out and grabbed his. She clasped them like a lifeline. He could feel her shivering. Slowly, she calmed down. Kendia hesitated, watching his reaction. A careful pause, as if weighing him.

  “You… You are not like the others.” Her voice wavered, but her fingers tightened around his hands, as if testing his resolve.

  “Is that why you picked the old man over me? You don’t want to use slaves.” Her voice sped up, urgency creeping in. “Do you want to protect me?”

  Aaron let out a breath and nodded. “I’m so sorry for what happened to you. That you are… this… here…” He looked her in the eyes, and his hand received a gentle squeeze.

  “Why are you here if you are an abolitionist?” She looked down. “If it pleases you to answer, Anax.”

  Aaron shuddered at the submission before him. It felt horrible to see her like this. “I simply arrived here. I don’t know why the Watcher sent me here,” Aaron shrugged helplessly. What can I tell her? That I will fix everything in fifty years?

  She nodded. “I can’t imagine how bad it must have been to be thrown into a Pellarian trial of warriors. And now you have to live in a place you hate,” she whispered to him, squeezing his hand again.

  Aaron gulped. His stomach knotted. This shit again. No. Aaron straightened his back. I will not fall into that hole again. I should be comforting her, not the other way around.

  “I could make you a favored, if that would help you.”

  She smiled broadly and moved in to hug Aaron. He didn’t reciprocate for a moment. Is this right? She wants it. And it’s just a hug. He tentatively hugged her back.

  Aaron slightly pulled back as her mouth approached his ear. “We can help each other. If you need to see how things really are here, I can tell you. You live in a lie.”

  She paused, then swallowed hard. Her breath grew quicker, and she tensed.

  Aaron froze. What comes now?

  “If you want to leave and go elsewhere, we slaves have our ways to move people and make them disappear,” she whispered, sting sharp in his ear. Despite that, her voice was barely audible.

  Aaron’s breath hitched. Seeing the real Pella. Leaving. For where? The whisper at the edge of his thoughts sharpened to a spike of ice—but he shoved it aside. Some risks couldn’t be ignored.

  Then a shiver went down his spine. What if… Aaron pushed her back and looked her straight in the eyes. “Where would I go?” he whispered, his heart pounding.

  Her lips touched his ear again. Aaron involuntarily shuddered. There is just a blanket… No, I won’t, and this is final. Let’s see if she is an agent for someone.

  She whispered, again barely audible. “Wherever you want. I would not recommend another Polis. The desert. The Pact Federation. The Islands. Best if you run far and hide.”

  Is she real? Or did she skip allegiance knowing I’d suspect it? Mask behind a mask. Fuck. Aaron nodded and yawned. I’ll figure that out tomorrow. I need to catch my rest.

  He looked at her. “Do you want to sleep here? There are other mats.” He pointed into a corner.

  Her eyes widened, and she jumped up, dropping the blanket. “Yes, please. The Champion is so kind.”

  Her smile was met by Aaron’s grimace at seeing her lithe body. “As long as I don’t wake up with you on top of me, you can sleep here. I don’t want anything wrong happening between us.”

  She began making her bed in a far corner as Aaron went back to his mat. The chill air on his skin let goosebumps grow. Both of them tucked in for the rest of the night.

  Kendia smiled—a strange, eerie smile that made something crawl down Aaron’s spine.

  “We are chosen young, bred for our character. My position is envied.” Her fingers traced the blanket. “It is easy to become a favored, if you ever desire me.”

  Her eyes flickered, searching him. As if waiting. Watching.

  Aaron shuddered.

  He said nothing. Silence was the only answer that didn’t cost him his morals—or his control.

  +++ Shout-Out Time +++

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