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  Xandra didn’t respond to the mockery. “Rayder should have been back by now.”

  “Exactly. Something might have happened to him. I locked you in the dungeon and left you there to keep you safe.”

  Surprised, Xandra almost didn’t know what to believe or say. “Thank you. I think.”

  Phili’s nose wrinkled. “Do not flatter yourself. I did it because I hate all men like the admiral. I knew when Rayder left the ship the admiral would try to take you. He’s an animal with sexual appetites no woman should have to suffer.”

  Xandra’s confusion deepened. She didn’t want to like this woman. “You suffer them.”

  Phili smiled. “I do. But only to survive. For money. For that security I’ll satisfy any man’s bumbling sexual needs.”

  “Any man’s? Have you…satisfied Rayder’s?”

  Phili’s smile this time held genuine amusement, and she chuckled. “I suppose I should tell you the truth. No. I’ve never slept with Rayder, and he’s never asked for sexual favors. The damn man has been nothing but honorable with all the women on the ship. It’s why they adore him. That’s why you have to be on the lookout for more trouble. Yoanda will try to take him from you. And she will go to any lengths to get him.”

  Xandra’s mouth opened but at first nothing came out. Impossible that Yoanda would try such a thing. “I don’t believe you.”

  “Which part? That Rayder is as honorable as I say, or that Yoanda would try to cause you trouble?”

  “Either one. Rayder is a slave trader. He couldn’t possibly be that honorable and still do what he does. And I’ve seen how sweet Yoanda is. She told me about her daughter and about how she was taken by the admiral.”

  “I didn’t say Rayder is perfect. But Yoanda is an entirely different animal from me. She pretends to be sweetness and light but she’s a two-faced coward.”

  “Perhaps what you think is cowardice is simply fear. Besides, no one is perfect.”

  Phili snorted softly. “Not even you.”

  The assessment stung, even though it shouldn’t have. “I never said I was.” Xandra looked around, afraid one of the men might overhear them. “How can I take your word about Yoanda? What proof do you have?”

  “I have no proof. I’m from Magonia too. Perhaps that will make my word carry more weight.”

  Surprises just kept evolving. “You’re Magonian?”

  Phili nodded. “From far out in the deserts, beyond the mines of Opali.”

  “I thought no one lived out there.”

  The other woman snorted softly. “That’s the idea. My parents didn’t believe all the crap the scribes and Truth and Order Police tell us. They moved as far from civilization as possible and eked out a life where few people dare live.”

  “But those lands are forbidden. They’re almost one hundred and forty-degrees during the day. No one can live out there.”

  “That’s what the Truth and Order Police and the scribes say. True, it’s hotter than the coast and Opali. But it’s not unlivable. People in the Badlands have learned how to adapt, and they showed my parents.”

  Amazed and stunned, Xandra said, “This is fascinating. So how were you kidnapped?”

  “My parents wanted me to see the ocean. They hired a boat to take us offshore for a small cruise. Heavy waves drew us farther out than we should’ve been. Before the boat could turn back to shore, the Beast came alongside.” Phili’s eyes filled with undeniable pain, her already tight lips now a thin slash of bad memories. “Everyone was killed except for me. Sometimes I wish I’d died that day.”

  This certainly put a new spin on Phili’s life and on what Xandra had believed about her. “How long have you been on the Beast?”

  “Six months.”

  Xandra tried to imagine staying on this ship that long and couldn’t. After all, she’d been here such a short time and already wanted so desperately to escape. “I’m sorry about your parents. I understand.”

  “How could you understand?” Phili’s voice rose slightly then she lowered it again. “Have you ever seen your parents murdered in front of you?”

  A deep ache centered in the pit of Xandra’s stomach. “No. But my parents were murdered.”

  It was Phili’s turn to be surprised. She eyeballed Xandra for a long time before she said, “How were they murdered?”

  “I’d rather not say.”

  “Why?”

  “Because as much as I want to trust you, Phili—”

  “You can’t. I know. I wouldn’t trust me either.” Phili pocketed her keys, as if just now remembering that she still held them. “But you’re trustworthy. I can tell. That’s the only reason why I’m telling you as much as I am.”

  Xandra battled for a moment with telling Phili everything, but she couldn’t. She hadn’t even told Rayder. “I’m sorry you’ve had to live like this for so long.”

  Phili, whatever her faults, seemed affected by Xandra’s sincerity. “I gave up being sorry long ago. Everything I do is to survive this place. But I promise I’ll get revenge on every man who used me on this ship. Especially the admiral.”

  “You wouldn’t harm Rayder?”

  “He’s never done anything to me, short of being dismissive. But one can hardly blame him. He thinks I’m a whore and user.” She laughed. “And I am. His judgment of my worth doesn’t matter to me. What does matter is finding a way off this ship and back to Magonia.”

  Now that interested Xandra. “How do you plan to escape?”

  “I’ve made contact with a man who claims he can help me get away from here. For a price.”

  “What price?”

  “That isn’t for me to say right now. But I will let you know when the time is right if you want to escape.”

  “You could have left the ship while we were berthed overnight. Why didn’t you?”

  Phili grunted, the sound filled with disgust. “Because after the admiral said that you hadn’t come up with him, he decided to have me instead. He kicked Yoanda out of the admiral’s quarters for the night.”

  “By the god.” Xandra winced. “You’re saying he raped you?”

  Phili’s thin shoulders lifted and lowered. “I don’t know the difference anymore. I let him do it. Keep the admiral happy and he doesn’t beat you.”

  Guilt added to Xandra’s other emotions. “Yoanda’s black eye…did you do that or did the admiral?”

  “I did it.” There was no remorse in Phili’s tone. “The she bitch started ranting that I was trying to steal her husband. She threw shoes at me and tried pulling my hair. I fought back.”

  Xandra had always believed she could tell if a person lied, but this conversation had twisted that theory around on itself. She drew in a deep breath of the salty, fresh air. “When are you escaping?”

  “As I said, I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

  “You think the admiral is going to take the ship out with Rayder gone?”

  “Probably.”

  “Then I’ll talk to him.” She didn’t want to, but the idea of being stuck on this ship without Rayder filled Xandra with dread.

  Phili shook her head. “Maybe you shouldn’t. You seem too delicate. I don’t think you could outwit the admiral if he decided to make a meal of you.”

  “No. I don’t want to stay on this ship without Rayder—”

  “Never mind. I’ll talk to the admiral.” Phili gestured with one hand and said, “Back to your quarters. No doubt Rayder will be back soon. If he isn’t, the ship may leave without him.”

  “Wait!” Xandra grabbed Phili’s arm. “I’ll talk to the admiral. We can’t leave Rayder on shore.”

  Xandra waited as Phili’s eyes darkened, as if she might refuse. She stared at Xandra so long, she couldn’t be certain if Phili would agree.

  Finally Phili nodded. “Come on then.”

  Xandra followed the other woman. Apprehension sliced Xandra to ribbons. She wanted to run, but she also needed to make certain the admiral wouldn’t leave without Rayder. She must
be insane. Heading to the admiral’s quarters when he’d lied to her about Rayder being harmed… She didn’t know what would happen. Uncertainty had never been one of her favorite emotions. Yet here she was, stepping into evil’s den.

  Xandra glanced at Phili. “Will you stay in the cabin with me?”

  They arrived at the admiral’s quarters, and Phili shook her head. “Why would I do that?”

  Anger boiled up inside Xandra. “Because you claim to be a better person than you are?”

  Phili stopped and glared while men moved all around them and worked. “I’m no better than I should be.”

  Phili continued and Xandra took the chance of following. She didn’t know where this would lead, but she had to do what she could. When they reached the cabin’s quarters, Xandra took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. She couldn’t do this if the admiral believed he could intimidate her.

  Phili knocked, which surprised Xandra. After all, the woman seemed to move about the ship with great freedom for a slave—correction, a concubine. The door opened swiftly. Yoanda stood there, her eyes watery-looking and her tunic and pants rumpled. Had she just tumbled out of bed?

  “What do you want?” Yoanda’s voice was sharp.

  “I need to speak with the admiral,” Xandra said.

  Yoanda hesitated, her mouth twisted with dislike as her gaze bounced from Xandra to Phili. Her gaze softened as she looked at Xandra again. “You can come in. She stays out.”

  Phili shrugged. “Whatever you wish.”

  She turned and walked away before Xandra could object. Yoanda stepped back and allowed Xandra inside. When the door locked behind her, a chill trickled up Xandra’s back. Phili’s warnings about Yoanda intruded, despite Xandra’s skepticism. What if Phili were lying to her about Yoanda? She’d have to remain on guard with both women.

  Yoanda’s smile came late, with a distinct bouquet of dislike. “Why are you here?”

  “As I said, I need to speak with the admiral.” Xandra tried a smile, hoping the woman would return her former attitude of kindness. “It’s about Rayder.”

  Yoanda’s glance darted to the bed. She stepped forward and lowered her voice. “He finally fell asleep.” Sarcasm filled her voice. “What about Rayder?”

  Disconcerted by Yoanda’s almost furious frown, Xandra said, “He’s still not back on board. Is the admiral planning to leave shore without Rayder?”

  Yoanda took a deep breath. “He said he would if Rayder wasn’t here before the sun went down.”

  Worry bit Xandra hard. “That isn’t long from now.”

  Staring at Xandra as if she didn’t believe a word of it, the woman said, “What are your real feelings for Rayder?”

  “I’m not certain.” She wasn’t exactly lying and instinct told her not to tell Yoanda.

  “Very well. The admiral is this way.” Yoanda gestured just as the admiral rose from the bed in the middle of the room.

  Xandra started. She hadn’t seen him lying among the voluminous folds of the bed. Had he been in bed with Yoanda when they knocked? Embarrassment sent heat to Xandra’s face. It couldn’t be helped. She would approach him no matter what he was doing.

  “Admiral, I am sorry to bother you.” Xandra stepped forward, reluctant to come closer.

  The admiral wore trousers but no tunic. His pale chest was heavily muscled despite his paunch. Obviously he couldn’t compare with Rayder’s beautiful physique, but she couldn’t make the mistake of thinking he couldn’t hurt her with his strength.

  Xandra’s throat seized. She hated being here, but for Rayder she’d do this.

  “My dear, what brings you here?” His voice pitched low, as if he tried for a seductive tone.

  “You came into the slave area and told me Rayder had been hurt, and I needed to come with you. Why did you do that?”

  Shock entered his eyes for a few seconds, and his gaze darted to Yoanda. His mouth tightened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Liar. Well, she hadn’t expected for him to say anything differently.

  Yoanda stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. Yoanda couldn’t possibly believe the admiral, could she?

  Surprised by the woman’s coolness, but not that the admiral would lie, Xandra said, “Are you having the ship pulled away from shore without my husband?”

  My husband. The words sounded strange on her lips. Intimate.

  “I have every intention of leaving him if he doesn’t show soon with our supplies. And the men who went out with him haven’t come back either. If they don’t come back soon, we’ll need to put into another area for supplies.”

  “What if something happened to him?”

  He gestured contemptuously with one hand. “He is a slave trader. There’s no need to concern ourselves with his welfare.”

  Her fingers snarled in the hem of her tunic as she gripped the material. “He’s one of your crew and second-in-command. Surely that means something to you. It’s my understanding you cannot run the ship without him.”

  I hope it wasn’t a mistake to say that.

  She held her breath.

  Aramus stared at her as if she’d lost her sense. “I can run the ship without him.”

  “But do you wish to?”

  His eyes flashed with annoyance. “No, I don’t wish to, but if he does not return with supplies and information from Drakus, I have no choice but to head south.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we can trade slaves as well along the coast as we can inland. There are plenty of men in Dragonia looking for fertile wives and concubines to bear their children.”

  She threw a glance at Yoanda and saw curiosity and contempt in those eyes. Perhaps the best way to assure compliance would be in creating jealousy. “Why did you lie about Rayder being injured?”

  Aramus scoffed. “I didn’t. She lies, Yoanda.”

  Yoanda looked disgusted. “Does she now. We’ll see about that. Take me now, Aramus. I will sate your potent needs. Not this woman.”

  Wondering if Yoanda acted this way to protect her, Xandra pushed the issue. “Perhaps we both can help you, Admiral.” The words had almost stuck in her throat. She didn’t want to say this. “Let both of us see to your needs.”

  A broad smile touched his mouth, and he licked his lips. Her stomach curled at the sight of his tongue and everything else about him. She took a deep breath and realized what she hadn’t noticed before. The man stank to high heaven. She wrinkled her nose.

  “I thought you would never see the wisdom.” His smile became even wider, if that were possible. “Rayder may believe you are mated with him, but I know the truth. There isn’t a Magonian woman alive who is worth the trouble. “

  “Not even to keep Dragonians from extinction?” Xandra asked.

  He huffed, his meaty hands at his waist. “Drakus believes it. I don’t give a shite about anyone’s survival but mine.”

  His statement shouldn’t have surprised her. How would she extract herself from this mess? As he walked toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders, she gulped. Revulsion filled her stomach. By the god, what sort of mess had she gotten herself into?

  Yoanda stepped close. “Husband, I want you to myself. Don’t touch her.” She placed her hand on his shoulder.

  He threw a cold glance at Yoanda. “Get your hand off me.”

  Yoanda kept her hand right where it was.

  Aramus moved so quickly, Xandra took a step back and stumbled. Yoanda went flying as he used his broad forearm to thrust her away. Yoanda cried out at the same time Xandra did. Xandra searched for a weapon and found a sizable statue on a table near the door. She snatched it up and held it aloft. Admiral or no admiral, she’d crack him over the head if he came one step closer.

  Yoanda pushed up from a prone position, her breath coming in gasps and hate pure in her eyes. She didn’t speak. Aramus advanced on Xandra, his eyes filled with anticipation and sick desire.

  A heavy hammering on the cabin door made them all pause
.

  Chapter Twelve

  Aramus stopped his forward progress. “What the shite—”

  “Admiral, open this door!” Rayder’s voice sounded harsh and strong.

  Relief sent strength through Xandra. She shook from the inside out as she unlocked the door and yanked it open. Rayder stepped inside, hale and hearty. Tears popped into her eyes. He was alive, and from the look of him, unharmed. His gaze swept over her, eyes red and taking in the statue she held. Yoanda came to her feet, but Rayder had taken in the scene. Anger tightened his jaw into a strong line.

  Rayder’s hands stayed on his belt, close to sword and dagger. “What is going on here?”

  Aramus stepped closer to Yoanda, but Yoanda moved away, her eyes wide with fright. “So you finally managed to put in an appearance, Tyrus? What took you so long?”

  “Drakus took exception to a few of the things I said. I’m here now and that’s all that matters.”

  Aramus stepped toward Rayder, but Rayder kept his stance. Xandra couldn’t stop shaking, and she refused to put down the statue even though her arm protested the weight.

  “Did you fight with Drakus?” Aramus asked.

  “He wanted me to fuck his concubine right in front of him. I refused and he didn’t like it. I almost didn’t make it back in one piece.”

  Xandra’s heart jolted. Rayder had the opportunity on this ship to take other women, and he’d been offered another one by Drakus. She found it amazing he hadn’t taken the chance when asked. After all, her mother had told her men had congress with other women when they thought no one knew. When Xandra had asked if her father had done so, her mother admitted that he had. Xandra remembered how she’d felt at hearing that news. Betrayed. He shouldn’t have sought another woman other than her mother. The Chronicles of Magon forbad it.

  “And where are the other men?” Aramus’ tone was sarcastic.

  “Your guess is as good as mine.” Rayder shook his head. “Maybe Drakus’ men did away with them, or maybe they were smart enough to not to come back to the ship.”

  “This is their livelihood! Why the hells wouldn’t they come back?”