Chapter Thirty-Six
“Chief Braxis.” Rusalla approached us as we left the dining area.
“Rusalla, good. I want to properly introduce you to my dvarra,” Braxis said.
I gaped at him; it was one thing to call me his dvarra in the privacy of his room when he thought I was asleep, and quite another to introduce me as such to his witch. Rusalla didn't even twitch at the title Braxis gave me. She inclined her head to her chief and waited for him to continue.
“Amara, this is Rusalla, she is like a second mother to me. I trust her more than any man here,” Braxis said to me. To her, he said, “Rusalla, this is Queen Amaranthine.”
“It's... nice to meet you, Rusalla,” I said stiffly.
“And you,” she said in a matching tone. Then she focused back on Braxis. “We should enchant her again. I'm uncertain how long the spell will last.”
I had to stop myself from grimacing. I knew exactly how long the spell lasted; I remembered it wearing off around 24 hours after the first time Braxis had blown that crap into my face. I had hoped that he'd risk waiting a little longer before dosing me again. Instead, he grunted his permission and Rusalla drew a pouch off her belt and emptied some of its contents into her hand. The powder shimmered as she lifted her flat palm to the level of my face. I drew back.
“Amara, this is part of our agreement,” Braxis said firmly. “I can't allow you to have your magic here. Now, breathe it in.”
I clenched my teeth and nodded. Rusalla gave me a smug look before she blew across her palm. The powder covered my face and I breathed it in. I didn't feel anything this time—my magic was still suppressed—so I didn't react beyond wiping the excess away in irritation.
Rusalla narrowed her eyes at me and made a pensive sound. “She was still under its sway. Perhaps we can wait longer for the next application.”
“Good. Thank you, Rusalla,” Braxis said.
I glanced around and saw more smugness on the faces of Braxis' men. Yes, I'm sure it was quite satisfying to see me brought low but I almost wished Braxis had gone the whipping route instead. Then at least it would have been over fairly quickly. As it was, I had to endure the drawn-out persecution of their poisonous looks and—if the other men were as brave as Granelt—their vicious words as well. And, of course, Braxis.
“Did you bring the oil I asked you for?” Braxis asked her next.
“Yes. I left it on a table near the pool.” She bowed and left us.
Braxis drew me down toward the swimming pool as I wondered about the mysterious oil. What did he have planned now? And what would require a witch's oil? Was it another spell? An aphrodisiac maybe? He had promised not to use the Silver Tongue but he'd said nothing about other means to seduce me. I started to prepare an argument as we stepped into the pool area.
Hidden partially by a natural-looking rock wall, the pool's basin was formed out of the same, dark gray stone as the wall and had an undefined shape to go with the natural theme. Loungers and low tables spotted the area around the pool, much as they would at any tropical resort. I averted my gaze from the lounger at the far end, just below the curve of the viewing screen. That was where I had made love to Malik. My throat tightened as the memory sprang to mind anyway. I saw Mal's glorious body spread out before me and his amethyst eyes glittering with love. I had to take a deep breath and let it out slowly to keep from sobbing.
What was I doing playing these games with my captor? They hadn't worked on Everan and they wouldn't work on Braxis either. The bargain I'd made with him had been wise— it had stopped him from raping me and that was a victory—but the idea that I could get him to fall in love with me and let me go was stupid. Instead, I should be spending my time trying to find or form a weapon to use to kill him in his sleep. That's what Malik would want me to do. He'd be damn proud of me if I killed Braxis and escaped on a cruiser.
But would I feel proud of myself for ending Braxis' life? I looked at the Bleiten chief and thought about killing him. A chill ran through my body and I knew that I wouldn't be able to do it. The only way I'd be able to kill Braxis Fengoth is if he were about to kill me. Then it would be a simple matter of self-defense. But murdering him in his sleep? Killing him when he was defenseless, just as I had helped to kill his men? No, I couldn't do that. However, if I got the chance to escape while he was sleeping, I would take it.
Braxis stopped at a lounger. The table beside it held a glass bottle full of golden liquid. I eyed it warily. Braxis removed his belt and tossed it on the ground, then his shirt followed. He laid the lounger flat like a bed, then laid himself upon it.
Braxis looked over his shoulder to grin at me. “I like a strong massage. You may climb onto my back if necessary.”
“You want me tomassageyou?” I asked in horrified amusement.
“Use the oil.” He nodded toward the bottle, then settled onto his crossed forearms.
First, came relief. It wasn't a magical oil at all, just massage oil. But then annoyance flooded me. Did mvarras really do this for their mates? I'd thought that Bleiten women were subservient at first but then I'd gotten to know them better and had learned that they were as strong as their men, just in other ways. Most of what I'd initially thought of as subservient behavior was more about seduction than submission. Although, truth be told, there was some submissive behavior, mainly because Bleiten men were so damn dominant that it was sometimes easier to simply let them have their way. But Braxis had me fetching meals and now, he wanted me to massage him. That didn't seem right to me. From what I remembered about dining in Abaddon, the men had served the women and Malik had never once asked me for a massage. Was Braxis messing with me?
“Unbelievable,” I muttered as I snatched up the bottle and poured some oil into my hand. In Ungaru, I added, “Fucking chauvinistic barbarian.”
“I understand Ungaru, Amara,” Braxis said with a chuckle.
I blinked at his wide back. So far, that made three languages that he knew. That was impressive for someone who, well, someone who wasn't me. I was even more impressed that it was Braxis—a man from one of the more primitive tribes of Bleiten. Perhaps it was close-minded of me to assume that he wouldn't be as intelligent as other men. I'd seen wisdom in his aura, after all, and colors never lie. Plus, he was a leader and leaders have to be cunning.
“Have I shocked you that much?” Braxis pushed up onto an elbow and twisted to look at me. “I can speak five languages and I know a few words from several others.”
“How did you learn them?”
“I can also read,” he said dryly.
