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I cross my legs tightly as heat flushes between them. I’m nude and collared. I could have wrapped myself up in towels…

But then Orr would discipline me when he saw I disobeyed.

I can feel the pinpoint of his aura growing in my mind. He’s getting closer, maybe. Or maybe he’s thinking of me. I still don’t know how the Bond works, exactly.

I start as a rumble fills the room. The wall moves, opening up, the slabs of protective metal and stone moving aside. I throw the piece of useless wood back to the floor, biting my lip in nervous anticipation.

My heart starts to beat faster.

I promised Orr I would stay put…

And he demands obedience.

17

Rachel

The tunnel opens. At the far end, Orr towers over Nash and Raneeda.

“Rachel!” Raneeda yells in excitement and runs through the tunnel. Despite my nudity, she gives me a huge hug. “I’m so glad you’re alive. Sorry, I mean, my lady,” she says, stepping back. She’s covered in dust, just like I was, leaving smears on my formerly clean body. Nash follows, more stately, and gives me a warm smile.

“My lady. Glad to see you again. I’ll work to prepare these quarters to your liking,” she says, the perfect servant in front of Orr as his booted feet echo in the tunnel. He stops at the threshold and looks me up and down. I get an edge of suspicion in his aura.

He glances over at the tunnel. I realize he’s looking for footprints, and I’m glad I jumped over the puddles of wine.

“I cannot stay. Do not go down the left and right tunnels. The middle one is safe.”

“Thanks for making sure they were safe, Orr. I’m in your debt.”

He nods and turns quickly, his ripped black robe swirling as he takes off in a run. His feet sound like an elephant stomping as he disappears up the stairs.

I breathe out a sigh of relief. In his rush, he didn’t notice. I’m glad Raneeda hugged me at that moment, smearing dirt and grime on my body. I never thought I’d be grateful to get dirt on me, but these are strange times.

Thank goodness—because I’ve already seen what he does to rectify bad behavior.

I remember being over his lap, completely powerless, and I have to force the thought out of my mind with difficulty as a tingle runs up and down my spine.

Nash is holding a stack of servant’s robes. “Here. This is all I could get on such short notice, my lady.”

“Please, no more of that ‘my lady’ bullshit. He’s out of sight, anyways.” She hands me a robe and helps me put it back on. It feels a lot more natural than wearing that pleasure dress the brutes ripped apart like tissue while they took me.

I look the two of them up and down, looking for any signs of injuries. They’re a little dusty, and Nash has a small cut on her face that makes her look determined, but other than that, they’re unscathed. “You two didn’t get hurt?”

Raneeda shakes her head. “No, it was like an earthquake of something. The walls were shaking like crazy but it held strong. What happened? I heard the artillery. Were there more Scorp coming? Did the guns malfunction?”

I briefly consider sending a telepathic message to the triad to ask for information, but the cold determination in their beings stops me. I don’t want to distract them. Not when seconds could mean saving lives in the aftermath of the…attack? The accident? It seems like too much of a coincidence to be anything but an attack, but who would dare fire at the palace now that it’s controlled by Aurelians? And who would want to kill them, when they’re the only reason we aren’t all being devoured by Scorp right now?

“I don’t know. They didn’t have time to tell me. I was outside when it happened, at the front of the castle.” I swallow, embarrassed, and don’t mention what was happening. Nash and Raneeda exchange a look. They heard the triad say what they were going to do to me. I hold back a groan—please, please tell me they didn’t have a video feed.

They wouldn’t have watched, would they?

“So… what is this place?” asks Raneeda, while Nash looks around.

“Aurelians used to have a palace here, long before Independence. Most of the pictures are scrubbed, but you can still find them, if you know where to look,” says Nash. “They wouldn’t keep their most precious possessions anywhere unsafe,” she muses, glancing over at me.

I shake my head, sitting back down. “No, it’s not some place for a harem. This is a bunker.”

Raneeda looks down at the broken barrel. “What a waste. The royal cellar must have some of the oldest, rarest vintages.” She shudders. “Glad I wasn’t down here when that thing came crashing down.”