There was a faint noise from the entrance to Baralt’s sleeping quarters, and he looked up to find Isabel standing there. She had wrapped one of the drying cloths around her body, but it did little to conceal her luscious curves, and the white material only emphasized the warm golden glow of her skin. Her dark curls were tousled, and she looked sleepy and desirable.
Despite his body’s immediate reaction, he was more concerned with Relkhei’s reaction. When he shot a glance at the other male, Relkhei was watching her with undisguised interest. Baralt almost growled but managed to control himself.
“Come here,” he ordered her. For a fraction of a second, Isabel hesitated, but to his relief, she obeyed and came to join him.
“So you are my new acquisition,” Relkhei said. “Your image did not do you justice. I begin to see why Baralt is acting so unusually.”
Isabel started to open her mouth, but he gave her hand a warning squeeze. No matter how much he hated it, she did belong to Relkhei, and if he chose to punish her, Baralt’s options were limited. She looked up at him and kept silent.
Relkhei prowled over to the two of them, still studying Isabel. “Remove the cloth. I wish to see all of my possession.”
Isabel lifted her chin, and Baralt’s heart sank as he recognized the sign of her defiance. While he honored her bravery and determination, this was not the best time. Praying that she would forgive him, he reached over and snatched the cloth away. She gave him one startled, outraged look, then stood proudly, refusing to cower.
Relkhei’s gaze drifted over her, and he smiled, sending a chill down Baralt’s spine. “Delightful. I look forward to our time together. In fact…” Relkhei stroked his chin thoughtfully. “While I did promise you to the winner for a week, I’m sure Baralt wouldn’t hold you to that if you wish to leave.” Again the mocking note. “Would you rather come with me now, my dear? You would be housed in the finest quarters, not these primitive surroundings, and dressed in clothing designed to accentuate your beauty. And, of course, I’m sure you would find me a much more…civilized companion.”
This time, Baralt didn’t manage to keep his growl under control, undoubtedly proving Relkhei’s point. He would never let Isabel go with this bastard. Unless…would Relkhei’s offer appeal to her? He couldn’t even tell her that the other male was lying because he was sure that Relkhei would keep his promise, at least until he was tired of her.
Isabel looked up at him, then looked at Relkhei in his fine robes. She shook her head.
“I’d rather stay with Baralt.”
Relkhei’s eyes darkened, although his voice remained as calm and controlled as always. “Very well. I hope you do not live to regret your decision.”
In a swirl of silk and perfume, he was gone.
Baralt sighed. “He is not going to forgive you for choosing me instead of him.”
“Did you want me to go with him?”
“No,” he said honestly. “Even if you had decided that you wanted to, I’m not sure that I would have been able to let you go.”
“Of course what I want doesn’t make a difference,” she said bitterly and started to turn away from him.
He put a hand on her shoulder to swing her gently back around to face him.
“It matters to me, but it matters more to me that you are not hurt, and Relkhei would hurt you.”
Despair flashed across her face. “Is that all I have to look forward to?”
“I told you that I would never hurt you.”
“But I’m only going to be with you for a week.” Her gaze dropped to her feet, her voice so low he could barely hear. “I can’t live like this. Will you give me a weapon?”
“Relkhei is a skilled fighter. You would not be able to defeat him,” he said gently.
“You don’t understand. It’s not for him. It’s for me. If the only control I have over my life is how to end it, then I want to make that decision.”
Horror swept over him as he realized her intention. “No! It is not going to come to that. I will get you out of here.”
“How?”
He turned away from her, pacing as he considered the options. Unfortunately, there weren’t many. Relkhei had already refused his offer to purchase Isabel. That meant the only alternative would be to steal her away—and not only steal her but take her someplace where she would be safe from anyone else trying to enslave her. The specific location could be decided later. Right now, the main question was how he was going to get her off the planet.
It would have to be through one of the smaller traders who skirted the edge of the law. He needed to talk to Varga. The other male had connections everywhere and surely it wouldn’t be that hard to smuggle one small female slave off the planet. Cautiously optimistic, he returned to where she was standing, her eyes anxious.
“I think there may be a way,” he said slowly.
“Really? How soon could we leave?”
Her assumption that he would accompany her pleased him, but the question made him realize that she was not the only one who was trapped on Tgesh Tai. Giving her her freedom would mean losing her, at least temporarily, although he was already determined to follow her as soon as he could. And who would protect her if he was not there?
“I could not go with you. Yet.”
“Oh.” She looked disappointed. “Why not? You can’t want to stay in this horrible place.”
“I’m a contract fighter. That means I have a legal agreement with Relkhei.” If he left, he would be violating his contract—something no Hothian ever did—yet how could he live with himself if anything happened to her? “I have never broken my word.”
“Your contract says that you have to stay and fight?”
“Yes. There are a designated number of matches
