Conquering Lazar Read Online Free PDF Page A

a moment she considered her body, covering her breasts with her arms and pulling her long blonde hair to fall on her chest instead of her shoulders.
    "Ladies, forgive me for barging in. But there is no time to waste. Can you all get ready and meet me in the courtyard?" the man said, as he surveyed the waking harem.
    The lanterns and candles had blown out while she had slept on the floor and the room was still mostly dark, which she was grateful for. It didn't bother her that the man, who she assumed was Nico from last night, had come in unannounced, but she did want to retain some modesty.
    "There is no time to waste, ladies. Let's get moving," he said, as he approached Elbi and the women who slept near her.
    His eyes were almond shaped, his lashes quite long. His hair was thick, though in the gloom she could not tell the color of it. By his bone structure she thought he resembled the old families of Vostok. His face reminded her of her childhood commune. It was jarring. She hadn't been there long, and her memory of it was fuzzy, but the resemblance was enough to make her stop in her place, paralyzed if only for a moment.
    "My name is Nico. I have been asked to help train you. I have a few others helping me and they are waiting in the courtyard for us." He reached for Elbi's silks and handed it to her, seemingly impatient at her immobility.
    "Thank you," she mumbled quietly, staring into his face like she had seen a ghost. His clothing was well worn, with holes and rips in the light brown fabric.
    She wrapped her silk around her and slipped into a pair of cloth shoes. Wishing for an ivory comb, she had no choice but to use her fingers. Quickly working them through her hair, she untangled the knots that lingered at the tips. It moved around her shoulders and as the first ray of sunlight burst over the horizon, the orange aura snuck into the room now. Its exposure cast light on his face, and Elbi found herself staring at him.
    He glanced at her and all the other women primping. "Your appearance is not of importance now, ladies. Time is wasting." He walked to the doorway and stopped under the archway while he waited for all the women to stand ready. "Follow me."
    He walked with purpose down the long halls, with the harem following in tow. As they passed other chambers, she peeked inside each one to see if she could get a glimpse of Malachi. She saw no one, and felt her anxiety grow because of it.
    "Will be we waking this early every day for our… lessons?" one of the women whined.
    "Yes. There is no time to spare," he answered curtly.
    "So you continue to say," she replied, as they walked the remainder of their short trip through the housing unit and to the courtyard in silence.
    Coming into the courtyard, Elbi saw some other women of the harem who'd been staying in another room. There were looks of fear and curiosity on their faces, and she made a direct line toward Briar.
    Briar was sitting on the edge of a small wooden bench, smoking from a rolled paper, the tobacco stuck to her lower lip.
    "Such little shame you have. What would Donte say if he caught you?" Elbi teased her. "Or should I say, what would he do to you?"
    Briar's friendship was by far the most meaningful one that Elbi had. Briar, despite all her rigorous training and leveled expectation that she adapt to the submissive role of the harem, still had a wild streak in her. The wildness in her was a trait Elbi envied. She had become more of a leader than anything else. Elbi had once happened upon Briar and Donte as he was disciplining her. They didn't spot her as she hid behind a wall. Briar was a ravenous tigress, yet soft and yielding. Elbi may have at one point felt a twinge of jealousy at such a thing, but deep inside, even at that moment, she felt a stir of longing. Not for Donte. But to be more like Briar—strong. Never too fearful, never afraid. The complete opposite of Elbi.
    Briar looked miserable this day, more so than the other women. She looked up at