The Slave (Free Men Book 1)(15)

I had no answer for him, no way to make it all better. Instead, I  squeezed his hand. To my surprise, he held on and squeezed back.

"That's why I envy you. Your job is simple-to make one man happy. That's  a far greater thing than killing ten, or fifty, or a hundred enemy  soldiers."

I gave an embarrassed laugh. "I don't think the Overlord would see it that way. I don't make a difference to our nation."

"Neither did I. You think one man either way matters? That if the men  I'd killed had lived, anything would have changed? What you do for him,  it makes more difference than I ever could."

"You don't know that," I protested.

"Yes, I do. Because making one man happy was all I ever wanted."





CHAPTER TEN





The suns beat down mercilessly on the stone flags of the terrace, the  light blinding as it bounced off the surface of Master's pool. I  squinted as I adjusted to the brilliant light. Beside me, Kai let out a  shout of joy as he spied the water and hurried to dip his toes. I  smiled.

The silence in his bedroom had become oppressive, too weighted with  subtext and meaning. I didn't venture out often, but the garden held an  illusion of space and freedom I thought Kai would appreciate. A curious  guard appeared at the sound of Kai splashing; I nodded to him, and he  retreated into the wider compound behind the plants which bordered the  terrace, creating a private little oasis in the middle of the exposed,  dusty landscape.         

     



 

I settled on the edge of the pool, swishing my legs slowly back and  forth in the water as I watched Kai jump fearlessly into the deepest  part. He emerged in an eruption of spray, laughing, and swam over to me  with strong strokes. The liquid glistened on his skin and in the spikes  of his shorn hair as he treaded water before me.

"Aren't you coming in?"

I shook my head. "I'll watch. You have fun."

He caught my ankle and tugged playfully. "Come on, you must be roasting."

"No, really." I braced my hands against the stone flags in case he decided to pull me in.

"Why not?"

"I'm happy here." I gave him a tight smile. "You have fun."

"It's no fun on my own." He swam to the edge, resting his arms on the  flags and kicking his legs lazily behind him. He had nice legs, delicate  ankles and finely-turned calves stretching upward to slim, toned  thighs, dusted with dark hairs.

"I can't swim." The admission shamed me, confronted as I was by his  fearlessness in the water, his easy grace and fluid movements.

"Really?" He blinked. "Why not?"

"I never learnt, okay?" Growing up in the desert, I'd not exactly had much opportunity.

He looked at me incredulously. "But … . You've got this pool. You've lived  here since you were twelve. How can you not have learnt?"

"I can doggy paddle," I offered weakly.

"You're scared of the water?"

"Not really."

"What does that mean?"

I sighed. "I used to be," I admitted. "When I first came here …  I'd never  seen so much water before. It was like a miracle. Some of the other  slaves tried to teach me to swim, but it terrified me, the thought of  drowning in it." I laughed. "Stupid. Like they'd have let me drown."

"Fear doesn't have to be rational," Kai murmured gently.

I nodded. "I know." I lifted one leg out of the pool, watching the  rivulets run over my skin and drip onto the sparkling surface below.  Kai's legs swayed like ghosts in the depths.

"The truth is, I only felt safe with Master, but he wasn't home enough  to teach me. By the time he got back it was always dark, or nearly dark.  Too late to go swimming."

"So learn now. I can teach you."

I frowned at him.

"I can," he protested. "I was practically born in the water. Believe me,  swimming I know." He tugged my leg again. "Please? Consider it payment  for teaching me Thirskan."

I looked over the edge, judging the depth. "I don't know."

Kai seemed to read my mind. "We'll start in the shallow end, okay? I  promise I won't take you out of your depth until you're comfortable."

We shared a long look. Finally I nodded, rising and rounding the pool to  the sweeping steps leading into the shallow water before I lost my  nerve. Kai swam over, emerging from the depths like some ancient  sea-god, rivulets of water running down his body, sparkling like  diamonds in the light of the double suns. My breath quickened.

Oblivious to my rapt attention, Kai ran his hands across his face and  over his shorn hair, brushing away the excess liquid. My throat went  dry, and I wetted my lips as I watched the muscles in his abdomen ripple  with movement. Part of me felt guilty for even noticing, like I was  being disloyal to Master, even though it was he pushing me towards Kai  in the first place. The compound was filled with men-other slaves,  guards-none of whom had ever caught more than my most cursory interest.

It wasn't only loyalty that kept my eyes from straying-Master was a  handsome man, and I couldn't remember a time when I hadn't been  conscious of that fact. As a child, small even for my race, his big,  strong body had represented safety, security, a man capable of  protecting me from the monsters I knew existed in the world. I struggled  to sleep unless he was nearby; I sought comfort in his broad chest and  strong arms. Even now I was a grown man myself, I still turned  instinctively to him when I was in need of comfort or reassurance and,  looking back, despite knowing he was younger when he purchased me than I  was now, he still seemed to have been infinitely older and wiser at  twenty-two than I would ever be.

Had I been even slightly younger when I was sold to him, perhaps things  would have been different between us. Perhaps I would have seen him as a  father-figure, a sexless protector. Instead, I was old enough to  remember my real father and elder brothers clearly, and I felt no need  to replace them. Instead, Master became something else to me, something I  barely understood until I reached my adolescence. All I knew was I was  insanely jealous of my mistress, that she got to sleep in his bed and  demand his attention whereas I could not. Wherever I eventually fell  asleep, I always awoke in my own room, alone.         

     



 

He had been shocked when I first tried to kiss him. He'd put me from him  with something like distaste, told me my desires were wrong, punished  me when, like a spoilt brat, I cried and pouted and disobeyed his  commands. I wasn't young enough to be his son-not that any master,  however fond, would think of a slave in such terms-but perhaps to him  I'd been a pet, an eternal child long after my body proved him false.

Yet I could not help but look at Kai and wonder what it would be like to  be with a man so different to Master.... They were both strong, fit  men, but Kai was lean where Master was broad, his body supple, compact,  and there was something about him, some inner vulnerability which made  me want to hold him, offer comfort, and keep him safe. Plus, with Kai,  there were other things, possibilities I had never allowed myself to  entertain with Master. Wicked thoughts seduced me as I watched him wade  through the waist-high water.

I let him take my hand and lead me down the steps, the water  surprisingly cool against my overheated skin. My balls retracted as they  broke the surface and I jumped, shocked by the unexpected sensation.  Kai did his best to stifle a laugh, and I couldn't help notice how  attractive he was when he smiled, bright-eyed like he hadn't a care in  the world.

"You'll get used to it," he promised as I dropped his hand to rearrange my genitals.

I grumbled a sour response, but knew he could tell I wasn't really annoyed.

"Can you swim at all?" he asked as I swished the water, chasing small bubbles of air which broke across the surface.

"I told you, I can doggy paddle." It had taken me months to get that  far, most of the other slaves losing patience when I didn't simply dive  in and start swimming.

"Show me," he said, releasing my hand and sinking back under the water until only his head showed above the surface.

I lowered myself hesitantly, reassured by the feel of the rough bottom  beneath my feet, but still not entirely confident. The flesh of my chest  tightened, my nipples peaked, and my skin broke out in goose bumps as  the cold water lapped over me. I stopped with my shoulders submerged,  careful to keep my chin well clear of the surface.

"Go on, then." Kai laughed. "You'll have to lift your feet up."

I really, really didn't want to. He'd looked so graceful, swimming under  the water after he dived in. The best I could do was splash and thrash  wildly, more panic than finesse in my technique. Kai waited, a lazy  smirk on his face as he treaded water and, galled by his expression, I  flung myself forward.

I kicked my legs out behind me, the water rose in a terrifying wall  towards my face, and I pushed at it wildly with my hands, trying to keep  my mouth and nose from going under. I scraped the top of my foot  against the rough stone side, my skin dragging sickeningly as it tore.  Pain shot through me and I panicked, convinced I was going to drown. My  head went under and terror took over. I twisted and turned, trying to  find the surface, but I no longer knew which way was up and which, down.  My legs caught in some unseen snare, and bubbles burst in my face as I  released a silent scream.