The Breaker's Concubine by Ann Mayburn

Author:Ann Mayburn [Mayburn, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2011-10-03T00:58:01+00:00

72

Ann Mayburn

Melania stared down at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. He tried to find the words to

apologize, but she shook her head and placed her hand over his mouth. “This is my fault. I

pampered you too much and forgot my duty. If you don’t capture the empress’s attention, I know

what Lady Grenba will do to you, and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I will do

anything to keep you from her.” One tear spilled down her cheek, and she gave him a sad smile.

“After the arena, I will ask that you be assigned to another breaker. I’m sorry I failed you, my

prince.”

He tried to grasp her, but she darted away and ran out the door before he could move. She

couldn’t leave him; the very thought drove a wedge of despair into his stomach. He tried to tell

himself he only cared because she was his link to escape, and his stunned mind tried to think of a

way to salvage this situation. The door slid open, and an older woman dressed in a long gray

gown snapped her fingers. He didn’t resist when, with a disapproving frown, she motioned for

him to follow her.

Steam billowed from the open doorway of the groomers, and the woman stopped him from

entering with a finger pointed into his chest. “I don’t know what you did to the Mistress, but she

is sobbing her heart out right now. You should be ashamed.”

Devnar gaped at her and managed to say, “I should be ashamed? She’s the one keeping me

here against my will, forcing me to do”—he hesitated and actually blushed as the old woman

raised her eyebrows—“things that I don’t want to do.”

The maid glanced down the hallway behind her, then lowered her voice, “Do you have any

idea how lucky you are that you got her as a breaker? She is far too kindhearted for an off-world

barbarian like yourself. We’ve heard about you people, raping and pillaging your way through

the galaxy, abducting women, and treating them worse than the lowest whore.” She raised her

hand against his face and shook her finger at him when he tried to interrupt her. “Most breakers

would have tortured you into submission long ago, but the Mistress always tries to use pleasure

instead of pain. Almost every person in this household has been saved from an abusive owner by

the Mistress, and I won’t have a fool you—”

He was getting really tired of women calling him a fool. Crowding into her personal space,

he backed her against the wall and growled down at her. “What business is it of yours what

happens between us, servant?”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.