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“Tales to frighten children,” she said impatiently. “I’ve heard stories of great explorers who have sailed vast distances and discovered wondrous treasures.”

“Lands overflowing with gold and silver, boundless forests, fierce savages.” He paused. “And dragons.”

“Christopher Columbus found no dragons.” She glanced up at him with a frown. “You surely don’t believe in such monsters?”

“I believe there are dangers for the unwary whenever you travel the unknown and that you must be prepared for them.” He smiled faintly. “And that there are many kinds of dragons.”

“But the possibility of dragons wouldn’t stop you from seeing what is beyond that horizon?”

“No.”

“It wouldn’t stop me either. There is so much out there.

…” The passionate intensity vibrating in Sanchia’s voice was reflected in her luminous expression and eyes glowing with eagerness.

Bemused, Lion gazed at her. She had come alive, as Lorenzo had said.

It was as if she had been asleep before and now had come fully awake.

“Don’t you see? There is so much promise in that horizon.”

A pang of tenderness stirred within him. He had felt that same sense of revelation on a day over two years ago when he had stood on the dock in Venice and realized a lifetime of dissatisfaction had led him there. “Yes, I do see. Endless promise.”

“I want to see all the lands that Columbus saw and more.”

He smiled indulgently. “Perhaps someday I’ll take you on a voyage of discovery and we’ll find—” He stopped as he watched her expression become shuttered.

A poignant sense of loss that withdrawal brought kindled him to sudden anger.

“What am I thinking? Voyages of discovery are not for women.” He paused before adding with deliberate provocation, “but, if you’re very good and obedient, I may bring you back a gift to solace you for what you’ve missed. ”

She didn’t answer. Her gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

“Why do you not speak?” His tone was taunting. “You know I’m right. Women have no place on great journeys. They must stay at home and weave tapestries and—”

“And where do they have a place?” Sanchia whirled to face him. “In a man’s bed, waiting to take his seed? In a dungeon, waiting to take his punishment?”

He felt as if she had struck him and his anger abruptly dissipated. “Sanchia, I would not have left the maze had I known you were in danger. I had no idea Damari was so close.”

“Because I chose not to let you know. Because I was foolish enough to try to lead them away to give us all a chance.”

Lion gazed at her incredulously. “You led him—” He reached out and grasped her shoulders. “Were you mad? Why didn’t you let me know? I could have—”

“You could have done nothing.” Sanchia broke free of him and stepped back. “And I knew there was nothing you could do so I led Damari away. I was going to double back and join you, but Damari caught me.” She stared into his eyes. “And you left me.”

“Sanchia…” Lion didn’t know what to reply. What could he say to defend himself when the charge was true? “At the time I could see no other way. If they had caught the rest of us, we all could have gone to our deaths.”

“Do you think I’m a fool who cannot reason?

For a while I was stupid enough to hold on to the blind belief that you’d be coming for me any moment, simply because you had promised me.

” She drew a deep breath and made an impatient gesture with her bandaged left hand.

“But then I forced myself to weigh what was true and what was not true. I had to do so or I would have been destroyed by anger. At times I thought I’d choke and be consumed by rage. ”

Lion felt a wrenching pity as he looked down at her bandaged hand. “I would have felt the same.”

“Yes, you would have known anger, but you have no true idea how I felt in that dungeon.” She turned away and gazed out to sea, the line of her spine straight and unyielding.

“Because you were never as helpless as I was in that cell, as helpless as I’ve been all my life.

You abandoned me, but I knew it was my fault in part for choosing to lead Damari away without telling you.

You’re not a man to give a promise lightly, and you probably would have tried to keep it.

” Her smile was bittersweet. “Even though your promise was given to a slave.”

“I had every intention of keeping it.”

“So, in a way, it was my choice. It wasn’t the broken promise that made me so angry.”

His gaze was intent on her face. “Then what?”

“That I was in the maze with you at all.”

He stiffened. “You chose to go. I didn’t force you.”

“Do you know the reason I went?” She laughed incredulously.

“It was because you smiled at me. Because I was so grateful you were treating me with kindness and a sort of camaraderie that I would have gone anywhere, done anything to have you continue to treat me so.” Her gaze shifted to his face.

“And I think you knew that if you were kind to me, I would go with you and you need not feel accountable.”

His lips tightened. “You believe me to be so ruthless?”

“Yes.” She held his gaze steadily. “I think you would have done anything to get the Wind Dancer back from Damari. In comparison, I had no real value to you. I was only your slave to be used.” She shrugged. “Perhaps you didn’t even know you were doing it.”

Could she be right? He had wanted the Wind Dancer desperately and he had needed her help to retrieve it.

Had he tried to woo her with kindness when his promise had kept him from commanding her to come with him?

If that were true, then his guilt was even greater than he had thought. “You do have value for me.”

“Do I? Now that you have the Wind Dancer back you have no need for a thief. Do you intend to use my body and make me into a whore for your pleasure?”

Her words stung him. “A whore is paid and I have no intention of paying for your services. Both you and Giovanni have already received quite enough from me.” He smiled caustically.

“And why should I not use you? You didn’t seem averse once I showed you the way of it.

I found you extremely eager to please. My pleasure was also your pleasure. ”

The color rose to her cheeks. “You did give me pleasure but…” She stopped, searching for words.

“It was a false pleasure, a forced pleasure, because I did not choose it. You took my body because you thought you owned it.” Her eyes suddenly glittered with cold rage. “You do not own it. You do not own me.”

Shock ran through him, whatever he had expected it wasn’t this complete rejection. “I have a bill of sale that states otherwise.”

“I don’t care what your bill of sale says.

It’s wrong for a person to be able to own another person.

It should not happen. All my life I accepted being a slave because my mother said I must. She told me I would always be a slave.

She said Giovanni had a right to do anything he wanted with us because he had bought us.

Well, she was wrong, Giovanni was wrong, and you’re wrong.

When I was in Damari’s filthy dungeon I realized no one has a right to make me do what I don’t want to do because of a piece of paper.

” She drew a deep breath and went on with a rush, “I’m no longer your slave and I won’t obey you. ”

He went still. “The hell you won’t,” Lion said softly. “You may think of me as the devil himself, but you belong to this particular devil and I’ll tolerate no defiance.”

“I have to defy you.”

“Your memory is short. You gave me your promise of loyalty.”

“Not because you bought me but because you helped Elizabet and the others. I paid that debt in Damari’s dungeon.” She held up her bandaged hand. “You took your Wind Dancer but I was the one who paid its ransom. We’re even now, Lion.”

He glanced away from her hand and out to sea. “Perhaps in your eyes but not the eyes of the law.”

“And in your eyes too,” she said fiercely. “You know my debt is paid to you. Why do you not admit it?”

“I do admit it. Your debt is paid,” he said quietly. “But the bill of sale remains.”

“Then tear it up. Free me.”

He shook his head. “Why should I free you?”

“Because it’s just,” she said. “Dear God, there has to be some justice in the world or nothing makes sense.”

“You believe you want to be free now. But think about it. As my slave you’re under my protection. Life isn’t easy for a woman alone.”

“I know. I used to believe a slave was sometimes luckier than a free woman. But I was wrong.” She took a step closer.

“A free woman has choices. I had none. What I suffered in Damari’s dungeon was only because I was your slave—doing what you willed.

If I ever have to suffer like that again, it will be because I believe what I’m suffering for is worth the price of my pain.

” She shook her head. “You would give me no choices. I don’t want to be under your protection. ”

“How very unfortunate, since you most certainly are under my protection and will remain with me.”

“You will not free me, even though you know it’s right to do so?”

He smiled at her mockingly. “How do I know what is right? What is wrong? Is it right to deprive myself of my own property? Would it not be wrong to take away my protection when Damari would like nothing better than to lay hands on you again?” His mockery faded to be replaced by grimness.

“Don’t seek to tutor me on what is right, Sanchia.

Rightness lies with the holder of power. ”

“Then I must find a way to obtain power, for I will not let you own me.” She gazed at him unflinchingly. “And I will not permit you to use either my body or my mind again. You might as well release me, for I will give you neither pleasure nor service.”

“You do not have to give. As your master I’m entitled to take.” He paused. “If I so desire. However, there is no hurry. I’ll give you opportunity to grow accustomed to me again before I summon you to my bed.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “Did you not hear me? I will no longer serve you.”

“I heard you.” He turned away and strode toward the bridge. “But I’ve decided not to let you anger me. You’ve suffered much for my sake and are entitled to a few harsh words.”

“I’m entitled to my freedom.”

“Then you will be disappointed, for you will not receive it. Go to your cabin. I won’t have you catching a chill and falling ill.”

“You won’t have—”

“No, I won’t have it,” he repeated deliberately over his shoulder as he started up the steps of the forecastle. “Though you choose to think me as much a monster as Damari, I suffered because Damari captured and hurt you. And you do have value for me.”

“As property?” she asked scornfully.

“As…Sanchia.”

Her eyes widened. She was startled by his revelation. As he motioned the seaman away and took his place at the tiller, she quickly turned her back and gazed out to sea.

“She doesn’t appear to be pleased with you,” Lorenzo observed as he leaned on the rail to look at Lion. “What did you say to her?”

“She wants her freedom. She says she’s no longer a slave and wants me to tear up her paper.”

“Hmm, I’m not surprised.” Lorenzo frowned.

“Though I must admit I’m disappointed she decided to strike her blow for freedom at this particular time.

It would have suited me better if she had continued to prove herself willing to render whatever you demanded of her.

I take it you didn’t give her what she asked? ”

Lion’s grip tightened on the tiller. “No, I did not.”

“Ah, there’s hope for you yet. You’re not totally lost to the dark joys of corruption.”

“She’s mine,” Lion said harshly. “She has no right to leave me. She—” Sanchia’s words came back to him.

She had said he had no right to hold her, but she was wrong.

Even if the papers didn’t exist, a man had the right to win whatever prizes were within his power and then hold on to them.

So it had always been and so it would continue forever.

Besides, she’d be better off with him than without him.

Too many hazards threatened a woman alone in a world populated by men like Caprino, Damari, and Borgia.

And Lionello Andreas.

No, he was no threat to Sanchia. He quickly rejected the ridiculous thought. He would care for her. He would give her gifts of great beauty and fill her life with pleasure.

And fill her body with himself, sate himself in that tight silken sheath until he was rid of the obsession for only Sanchia.

And what was wrong with that? She had been learning all the ways of pleasure and he could not mistake the response she had given him.

False pleasure she had called it.

“Then do you bed her tonight?” Lorenzo asked. “She’s well enough. Look at her, there’s a bloom about her.”

He didn’t have to look at Sanchia to remember her clear, glowing beauty as defiance reddened her cheeks. His loins ached as he recalled the sight of her standing naked in the barn gazing up at him with frightened, wondering eyes. He could see her that way again, enter her again, hear her cry out…

But she would fight him this time. She would not be too frightened or hesitant to strike out at him, if he tried to force her. No matter what it cost, she would not give him what he wanted from her.

And if he compelled her, he might hurt her.

“Well, she did give you pleasure, didn’t she? You were wild enough for her before this experience with Damari.”

He was still wild for her. He should be feeling remorse and pity, not lust. Somewhere within him he did feel both those emotions, but the lust was greater. He could not let her go, so he had to find a way to convince her that remaining his slave was best for her. “Yes, she gave me pleasure.”

Forced pleasure.

The memory of Sanchia’s words knifed through him.

Force meant pain and he could not inflict more pain when she had already suffered so much for his sake.

“I’ll not bed her tonight. Though I know it will disappoint you, it will do no harm to show a little patience.”

Lorenzo started to say something, but thought better of it, and merely commented, “You’re right, of course.

It will do no harm and it might do a great deal of good.

By all means, take as long as you like. I’m sure the practice of self-restraint will be wonderfully beneficial to the development of your character—and we both know how abstinence affects you, don’t we, Lion? ”

He didn’t wait for an answer but strolled down the steps of the forecastle, a smile of satisfaction returning to his lips.