assembly?”
“Calder has taken my appointment. Which he’s due for shortly, I might add,” Taryen reminded his lifemate with a warning glare before he squeezed Sari’s arm lightly. “We’ll dress, and then I’ll arrange to have apartments prepared for you. They’ll be able to find you more appropriate clothing. They’ll also assign you a set of attendants who’ll be your full-time servants.”
Sari took a deep breath against her revulsion at having people serve her. If they must serve a Rayian, it was better to be her than someone cruel. “Can we arrange for little Aria to be one of the attendants?”
“She can be an aid to them,” Calder went on. “We don’t personally have young attendants because of the nature of our duties, but many sisters like to train their servants from a young age. They have younger ones who aid in some duties, but you’ll need fully grown attendants. You don’t want to bring your little friend to the assembly tomorrow.”
“Why not?” Sari asked in trepidation. “What happens at the assembly?”
Calder stared at her, his gaze haunted. “It’s not for young ones.”
“Do they hurt you publicly at these assemblies?” Sari asked, knowing she needed to be prepared. She felt extremely connected and attached to these two beautiful males. “Am I going to have to witness your pain?”
“Not this week.” Calder gave her a forced smile. “I’ve been on good behavior. We’re simply performers for your after-dinner entertainment.”
“Performers,” Sari whispered, hating that word and the wealth of bitter memories it brought up as she turned to look at Taryen, finding comfort in reaching out to him. She smiled in spite of everything. “Now I’ll get to see if you’re really as good as you say you are.”
“Oh, I am,” Taryen promised, his voice teasing as he grinned. “I look forward to performing for you, Lady Sari.”
“Cocky.” Calder poked Taryen in the ribs. He gave his lifemate a bright smile, studying him with eyes that glowed with adoration. “Why am I always the one being punished for lack of humility?”
“Calder’s good as well,” Taryen offered, laughing at him. “And though he won’t admit it, he’s looking forward to performing for you too.”
“Oh, I’ll admit it.” Calder’s voice was suddenly heavy with longing as he turned back to Sari. He let his gaze run over her while she sat naked in front of him. “Touching you may be dangerous, but there’s nothing to stop me from enjoying your arousal. I’ll be looking for it.”
“I’m more than a little immune to those sorts of performances,” Sari warned him. “You could be disappointed.”
“I don’t think so.” Calder smirked, meeting Taryen’s eyes as if they shared a private joke. He turned back to her, looking as cocky as his lifemate. “We’re meant for a queen, remember? We’re amazing performers.”
Chapter Seven
“You look beautiful, Lady Sari.”
Sari turned away from the mirror to give Aria a dubious look. “Not too much?”
“Oh no.” Aria shook her head, blonde pigtails flying as she looked up at Sari with wide blue eyes. Very different from the dirty street urchin she had met in the market. This little girl was radiant and happy sitting on the floor, watching two attendants braid flowers in a variety of vibrant colors into Sari’s long hair. “You look like a queen.”
“Blasphemy, young one,” an attendant name Madrid scolded gently. “Find another means of beauty measurement. Lady Sari, your beauty is like that of an exotic flower; you glow with the radiance of the youth.”
“That’s really not necessary,” Sari said with a laugh. “But thank you.”
“The compliment was genuine,” Madrid offered, giving Sari a bright smile. “You truly are breathtaking.”
“You’ll be the talk of the assembly,” added Gefin, the other attendant working on Sari’s hair. “We’re blessed to have been assigned to you, my lady.”
Sari shifted
“Calder has taken my appointment. Which he’s due for shortly, I might add,” Taryen reminded his lifemate with a warning glare before he squeezed Sari’s arm lightly. “We’ll dress, and then I’ll arrange to have apartments prepared for you. They’ll be able to find you more appropriate clothing. They’ll also assign you a set of attendants who’ll be your full-time servants.”
Sari took a deep breath against her revulsion at having people serve her. If they must serve a Rayian, it was better to be her than someone cruel. “Can we arrange for little Aria to be one of the attendants?”
“She can be an aid to them,” Calder went on. “We don’t personally have young attendants because of the nature of our duties, but many sisters like to train their servants from a young age. They have younger ones who aid in some duties, but you’ll need fully grown attendants. You don’t want to bring your little friend to the assembly tomorrow.”
“Why not?” Sari asked in trepidation. “What happens at the assembly?”
Calder stared at her, his gaze haunted. “It’s not for young ones.”
“Do they hurt you publicly at these assemblies?” Sari asked, knowing she needed to be prepared. She felt extremely connected and attached to these two beautiful males. “Am I going to have to witness your pain?”
“Not this week.” Calder gave her a forced smile. “I’ve been on good behavior. We’re simply performers for your after-dinner entertainment.”
“Performers,” Sari whispered, hating that word and the wealth of bitter memories it brought up as she turned to look at Taryen, finding comfort in reaching out to him. She smiled in spite of everything. “Now I’ll get to see if you’re really as good as you say you are.”
“Oh, I am,” Taryen promised, his voice teasing as he grinned. “I look forward to performing for you, Lady Sari.”
“Cocky.” Calder poked Taryen in the ribs. He gave his lifemate a bright smile, studying him with eyes that glowed with adoration. “Why am I always the one being punished for lack of humility?”
“Calder’s good as well,” Taryen offered, laughing at him. “And though he won’t admit it, he’s looking forward to performing for you too.”
“Oh, I’ll admit it.” Calder’s voice was suddenly heavy with longing as he turned back to Sari. He let his gaze run over her while she sat naked in front of him. “Touching you may be dangerous, but there’s nothing to stop me from enjoying your arousal. I’ll be looking for it.”
“I’m more than a little immune to those sorts of performances,” Sari warned him. “You could be disappointed.”
“I don’t think so.” Calder smirked, meeting Taryen’s eyes as if they shared a private joke. He turned back to her, looking as cocky as his lifemate. “We’re meant for a queen, remember? We’re amazing performers.”
Chapter Seven
“You look beautiful, Lady Sari.”
Sari turned away from the mirror to give Aria a dubious look. “Not too much?”
“Oh no.” Aria shook her head, blonde pigtails flying as she looked up at Sari with wide blue eyes. Very different from the dirty street urchin she had met in the market. This little girl was radiant and happy sitting on the floor, watching two attendants braid flowers in a variety of vibrant colors into Sari’s long hair. “You look like a queen.”
“Blasphemy, young one,” an attendant name Madrid scolded gently. “Find another means of beauty measurement. Lady Sari, your beauty is like that of an exotic flower; you glow with the radiance of the youth.”
“That’s really not necessary,” Sari said with a laugh. “But thank you.”
“The compliment was genuine,” Madrid offered, giving Sari a bright smile. “You truly are breathtaking.”
“You’ll be the talk of the assembly,” added Gefin, the other attendant working on Sari’s hair. “We’re blessed to have been assigned to you, my lady.”
Sari shifted
Similar Books
