The Prince's Pet Read Online Free PDF Page A

as he
stormed through the halls, leading me behind him. His stride was long and I
struggled to keep up. I was weak and unsteady, and now my stomach was aching.
It had been a long time since I'd eaten. I stumbled twice while we climbed the
long spiral staircase, bracing myself against the steps with my hand and
hurriedly rising to catch up.
    He didn't seem to notice, paying
no attention to me. He was in his own world, fuming over the conversation with
the queen. As we reached the top, my legs gave out and I sank to my knees on a
thick red rug. "Please, my Lord!" I gasped as the leash went taut and
tugged at my collar, pulling me off-balance.
    I let my indignation get the
better of me and took hold of the chain, yanking it sharply back. The Prince
stopped, noticing the pull.
    He turned, looming over me, and
looked down at me as though just remembering I existed. My irritation quickly
faded and I wanted to cry all over again as I identified the expression on his
face: distaste.
    I wasn't sure I could face his
anger. So I braced my hands on my knees and struggled to my feet, bowing my
head. "This worthless girl is sorry. She is weak and undisciplined."
I said quietly, using the manner of speech the raiders had made us adopt on our
brief trip. I didn't know if he could understand me, but hoped my intent would
come through.
    He grunted softly, and when he
started walking again it was a little slower. I followed quietly a couple of
steps behind him. The floor was carpeted here, the walls lined with oil
lanterns casting a soft glow through the hallways. Finally we came to a door
and he stopped, and turned to look at me as though wondering what to do next.
    He seemed to come to a decision,
and he let go of my leash, letting it fall to the floor. "Go." He
said, with a jerk of his head.
    I stopped in stunned silence. I
didn't know my way around the massive palace. Where did he expect me to go? I
remembered what Atshye had said: if he didn't accept me I would go back to
auction - probably fated to end up in a pleasure-house somewhere. I couldn't
just sneak out. I had a collar locked around my neck. The guards would instantly
know what I was.
    "I don't need you." He
said, seeing my uncertainty.
    In sudden panic, I dropped to
kneel at his feet. I closed the short distance between us, crawling on my hands
and knees, and grabbed his arm. "My Prince," I said, tears already
spilling from my eyes. I was ashamed of myself even as it happened, but I felt
my tenuous control slip through my grasp at that moment. "Please!" I
pleaded. "They'll send me away. I... this girl has traveled so far
already. She is lost and alone. If you cast her out she will be sold
again." My breath hitched in a sob. "And I don't think I can take
it."
    He cursed in Cimbrai - a
particularly vulgar expression I'd heard from sailors on my journey over the
sea. He pulled his arm out of my grip, holding it away as though I were
diseased. So I grasped the hem of his shirt, pressing my face against it and
letting the tears soak into the cloth. I was being far too bold, and was
ashamed of myself for breaking down within minutes of meeting my new master. I
would surely be beaten or otherwise cruelly punished. But in the moment, I was
beyond caring.
    The Prince stepped backwards and
I fell to my hands and knees on the floor. My hair fell forward and curtained
my face, and tears fell, blooming into dark red spots on the carpet.
    "Stop!" He growled
suddenly in Thessian. I jumped in fright and cringed, but it was enough to pull
me together, and I wiped the back of a hand across my eyes and sat back on my
haunches, keeping my head bowed.
    He bent slowly, and picked up my
chain. I watched as he gathered the leash's length in his hands, and yanked
roughly on my collar. "Come." He commanded, with a stern look. It
seemed he could speak at least a little of my language. Perhaps he had
understood my pleas. A tiny glimmer of hope sparked in my breast, but I made an
effort to mentally push it