Master of Desire by Lacey Alexander (read out loud books .TXT) 📕

we are all pleased that he’s taking a bride, so you shall be very welcomed.”

Teesia tried for a smile in the jagged viewing glass as Shaena’s sponge circled one round breast, sending a slight shiver through her. “Yes, I already feel welcome,” she said, knowing that, despite her words, she still sounded distressed. Her new maid would probably think her quite odd.

“Then why so sad?” Shaena’s expression spilled true concern. She tilted her head behind Teesia, and added in a softened tone, “Is it because you have heard rumors about Ralen? About his…well, I shouldn’t say this, but about his tastes in  fucking? Don’t fear them, Teesia, for he will be gentle with you.”

Teesia blinked and drew in her breath  sharply. “How can you say that? I mean,

how can you know what he plans?”

Shaena abandoned the sponge and drew up a nearby stool to sit next to her.  Reaching out, she took  Teesia’s hands. “Ralen and I are the same age—twenty-nine. I  grew up on his estate —my parents served his parents,  and now  I  serve  him. We played together as  children and I know him well,  better than  most mere servants. He has spoken to me about your impending marriage  and I know he wishes to please you, in  bed and out. He can be very fierce, yes—but  there are other sides to him, as well.”

“You don’t understand,” Teesia said, shaking her head. “Any wish Ralen had to  please me died this morning.”

Shaena’s back straightened. “Oh?”

Embarrassed, but seeing no reason not to  tell Shaena the tale, she relayed the story of her first meeting with her  bridegroom, getting so caught up in  the pleasant memory that she  spared no details about how wild  Ralen’s touch had  made her feel, how shehad come for him in front of the enormous viewing glass in her brother-in-law’s fortress to the north. “Now he says he intends to  punish me,” she concluded, “to make sure  I know I belong to him. He wishes to make me his sexual slave.”

Shaena’s brows knitted with concern, and even as she used her thumbs to caress the sensitive skin atop Teesia’s hands, she seemed unable to find words of comfort.

“Then it’s as bad as I suspect,” Teesia concluded.

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Shaena sighed. “As I said, Ralen can be very  ferocious, and I fear you’ve roused that part of him. You have to understand, he’s not had an easy life.”

Ralen? She hardly believed  that. “But he’s rich. As rich  as my father, from what I can tell. I would suppose his life has been much like mine, but better—since he is a man, with all the advantages that entails.” Although her mother had taught Teesia and her sisters to respect themselves, and though her  father treated Jalal as his peer, women in  Caralon were often considered possessions  to their husbands—which was, perhaps, why many simply chose not to marry. Although  seen as equals in sexual play, women were not always shown the same respect in other aspects of life.

“Sometimes money does not mean happiness, Teesia.”

“What was so horrible for Ralen?” The question came out sounding like an accusation, but she didn’t care—what could have  been  so  awful  to  make  him  treat  herso terribly?

“He once loved a girl. Another maid, a friend of mine named Banya. But when heannounced his intent to marry her, his father, Granick, paid her a great sum not to, thinking  her far below his son.  She left Charelton without even saying goodbye. Ralen had expected as much from his father—it was  Banya’s betrayal that wounded him sodeeply. Since then…well, I’m afraid it doesn’t take much to destroy his faith in someone, especially a woman.”

Teesia supposed that explained his overreaction to their previous encounter, but it hardly helped her situation. “I understand  his hurt, but I still don’t understand hisability to be  so cruel to  me.”

Again, Shaena sighed. “You have  to understand, Granick was cruel to  him. Ralen was taught that any sort of misbehavior must  be dealt with harshly, that the offender must be punished in such a way that they  will never commit the offense again. His father once beat him nearly to  death for telling a  silly lie when we were children, forsaying he had done a chore he  had not. And indeed, after Granick’s beating, Ralen never lied again. His father dealt with misbehaving servants with  the same severity.”

Charelton was beginning to sound like a terrible place, and Teesia suspected her eyes shone wide with the horror of it. “Why did you stay, Shaena? Why did you continue to work for Granick when you reached adulthood?”

The maid shrugged. “Where else would I go? I know no other place. And I wished to stay with my parents, as I am their only child. They are retired now, living in acottage in the village near the fort, and  they enjoy having me near. And besides,  Granick was growing sickly years ago. No  one outside the fortress realized it, even some  inside  probably did not know—it was kept a secret. But I knew he would die soonenough and then Ralen would be in power.”

“And Ralen is so much better to serve?”

“He is more civil to all. You have seen already how happy his people are. And  frankly, Granick rained so much wrath on his staff that, since his death over two years ago, no one has gotten out of line.” Now even  Shaena looked doubtful, though. “I had

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thought—hoped—that Ralen would not rule  with such severity, and maybe he won’t,  but if his reaction to your indiscretion is  any indication—well, I might be wrong about  that.”

“You know  him well. Do you have any advice for me?” It seemed smart  to learn

anything she could from her new maid—she  was thankful Shaena was so forthcoming

and seemed to wish her well.

“From this point forward,” the maid said, “I would strive to be as obedient as you can. Even if that obedience is not in your  heart, act as though it is. Try to please him  until he softens to