Woman Bewitched Read Online Free PDF Page A

orders.
    “What’s the matter, Marti?” Artu asked as he covered his sister’s hand with his.
    Eyes wide, Marti licked her lips as though tasting the food already. “There’s so much food here.”
    Artu grasped the edge of a tray and dragged it close. “Look, it’s your favorite.” He frowned at her wide-eyed stare.
    “I don’t have a favorite food.”
    “What are you talking about? Of course you do.” He pushed the dish closer. “I happen to know that you love steak and roast vegetables.”
    She shook her head. “Not anymore. Any food will do if it rids me of the pain in my stomach.”
    Artu growled. “No, Marteeka, any food will not do. You are the daughter of a defender and sister to one. You will never eat just anything again.” He grabbed a plate, filled it and set it in front of her. “Eat, before I decide to feed you like a babe.”
    Marti reached out with a trembling hand and grasped the fork. “I am hungry.”
    “Anyone with eyes can see that you’re hungry, woman. Now eat.” Kyl practically growled the words.
    Picking up the knife, she tried to cut the steak, but her strength failed her. Quickly, before even her brother could help, Kyl picked up the knife and cut the meat into small, bite-sized bits.
    “There you go.”
    “Thank you,” she said before she forked a bite of the steak into her mouth. Closing her eyes, she sighed. “That is good.” She took a moment to chew and swallow the bite. “I don’t remember anything ever tasting that good before.” A tear fell from the corner of her eye and she cast her gaze into her lap. “I’m sorry,” she said as she set her fork down. “I should have waited until the rest of you ate first.”
    “No, you shouldn’t have.” Kyl picked up her fork, stabbed a small bite and held it to her mouth. “Eat. If we want something, we’ll get it.”
    “But I should—”
    “You should eat. I have no idea what gave you the idea that you need to wait for others to serve themselves first, but we aren’t the backward planet where you’ve been held captive these last five years,” Artu said as he grabbed another dish and set it in front of her. “I’ve had breakfast. Can you say the same?”
    “No.” Marti shook her head. “I cannot.” She fisted her hands on the table and pressed her lips together as Kyl held another bite to her lips. “I can feed myself, sir.”
    “Then see that you do so.” He set the fork down. “You’re too thin. I worry about your health.”
    “Why should you worry?” She gave him a scathing look. “Men don’t worry about women unless they want something from them.”
    “You know that’s not true,” Artu said with a frown. “Perhaps on Katkari the men don’t care, but you know the men on our world care about you. Many have asked about you over the years. All of them expressing concern over you whereabouts.”
    “Yet no one cared enough to go searching for me.” She narrowed her eyes as she stared down at her plate.
    “Of course we did.” Artu grasped her chin and turned her head. “I have left our world on numerous occasions searching for you.”
    “We have searched many systems, though no one suggested that you had gone to Katkari.” Lena glanced at her husband. “From what I understand, you always said that you never wanted to visit a world that specialized in vacations. There was something about it feeling fake.”
    “And I was right. They lure lone women to their world, send handsome males to court them and find out if they will be missed.” She shrugged. “I thought I would be missed. Apparently, they did not and they were right.”
    “Will you stop that!” Artu stood, shoving his chair back so quickly it shot across the room before hitting the wall and falling onto its side. “I left Priska for nearly a year after you disappeared. Bontin looked after it as well as his own world and the responsibility drove him mad. He now resides in an underground prison he cannot escape. His madness is