Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
As the courtroom started clearing, I saw Frux trying to walk swiftly away. But the judge had a sharp eye.
“Bailiff, please detain Grr. Frux to act as a witness in the next trial,” he said, pointing at Frux. “I’ll want to know why he didn’t mention the near-death experience his friend, Grr. Gurflug, put him and the rest of the Crew of the Illyrian through during the incident we watched on the vid projector.” He looked at me. “And Captain Turk, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to stay too. Just to act as a witness, though—you are not charged for anything.”
“I understand, Your Honorableness,” I said. “But can I please talk to my friend first?” I nodded at Slade, who was already making his way out of the courtroom, without even looking back. “I need to ask him where his sister—my Fated Mate—is.”
“We will have a short recess,” the judge said, nodding. “Please be back in no later than ten minutes time.”
“Thank you, Your Honorableness!” I rushed from the courtroom, catching Slade just as he was stepping out the door. “Slade?” I called. When he didn’t turn, I put a hand on his broad shoulder. “Slade, wait. I—”
He whirled around and punched me—hard, in the jaw.
“Fuck!” I groaned putting a hand to my face. “That fucking hurt!”
“That’s for touching my sister!” Slade growled at me. “And I don’t care if she ‘needed’ it. She’s my fucking sister, Turk! You ought to know fucking better!”
“I know.” I looked down at my boots. “Believe me, I know. I’m really fucking sorry, Slade. I tried to resist but she had The Needing so bad—”
“Shut the fuck up—I don’t want fucking details,” he growled irritably.
“So is this it? We’re not friends anymore?” I asked. “Why did you come and testify for me then?”
“I did it for Jessina,” he snapped. “Not for you. But if she really is your Fated Mate, you’d better do something fast.”
My heart lurched into my throat.
“What? Why? Is she getting sick from The Needing?” I demanded.
He shrugged.
“I don’t know about that. What I do know is that her Binding Ceremony is scheduled for eight o’clock tonight at my family’s private Holy House.”
“Her Binding Ceremony? You mean she’s getting Bound to the male your stepmother picked for her?” I felt sick.
Slade nodded—a short jerk of his head.
“Exactly. I don’t know what you can do about it, though. The Binding Contract has been validated and notarized. She’s practically signed, sealed and delivered.”
“She can’t get Bound to him!” I clenched my hands into fists. “She’s mine! My Fated Mate!”
I felt sick—why hadn’t I Bound Jessina to me when I had a chance? In trying to defuse a bad situation I had created an even worse one. What was I going to do?
Slade gave me a look that might have been pity.
“I’m sorry, Turk,” he said gruffly. “Aurora and I both tried talking to my Sire but he’s not going for it. I really don’t know what you can do, but I thought you should know what’s going on.”
“But—” I began again. Just then, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was one of the guards who had been sitting beside me earlier, when I was still a defendant and criminal.
“Captain Turk, it’s time for the trial of Grr. Gurflug,” he told me. “Please come back into the courtroom now. Judge’s orders,” he added when I started to protest.
So I had no choice but to follow him back into the courtroom when all I really wanted to do was go rescue Jessina and run away with her as fast and as far as I could.
60
JESSINA
“Please, Lyrah—I can’t do this! I can’t,” I begged brokenly as she forced me into my Binding gown.
“You can and you will,” she snapped. “Goddess, when did you get so big in the chest? I can barely do up this zip!”
In fact, my breasts were getting swollen with nectar and they really hurt. It had been a day and a half since Turk had last sucked it out for me and my nipples were extremely sensitive.
I had my other symptoms too—my throat was dry and my pussy clenched and ached with emptiness. But of course, there was no one to help me or ease my pain. No one to hold me tenderly and kiss away my tears if I started crying or call me his “little bird” while he stroked my back…
I had to bite back a sob as I tried to push these thoughts out of my mind. All night I’d been desperately trying not to think of what was coming to me. I had managed to get a servant to retrieve the entertainment cube from The Illyrian—she had bribed one of the Crewmembers to give it to her—and I had spent most of my night reading stories to try and take my mind off my sorrow.