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  “You mean you’ll do whatever is necessary to secure your gold,” Varin glared at her. “Well, you’re not doing this.”

  “That is enough!” The Queen’s eyes narrowed and she raised her hand, pointing something at him. With a sinking heart, Brynn saw it was the silver remote to his pain collar.

  “No!” she gasped but the Queen was already pressing the button.

  Varin stiffened in front of her but this time he didn’t fall to the floor. Instead, incredibly, he took a step back and threw out his arms, shielding Brynn completely with his big body.

  “You…will not…hurt her,” he gritted out, his deep voice strained with pain.

  Brynn could feel his big body vibrating just in front of her own and she could only imagine the agony he was in. But he refused to let himself fall and stood strong, blocking the way to keep her safe.

  His display seemed to take even the Queen by surprise.

  “Incredible,” she murmured, shaking her head. “I never realized before the lengths to which you would go to serve the Princess, slave …or the amount of trouble you could be.”

  She pressed another button on the remote and the trembling of the big Kindred’s massive body suddenly stopped. For a moment Brynn was afraid her mother had killed him and that he would fall to her feet in a moment, dead. Her heart seemed to stop in her chest. If that happened…if she lost him forever that way…

  “There—I’ve put him in freeze mode,” her mother said to the men at arms. “Now do your duty and chain him to the wall there while I think of what to do with him. Hurry! This function of the collar doesn’t last forever!”

  The men at arms seemed uncertain at first—possibly still frightened that the big Kindred would somehow escape. But after a glare from the Queen, the captain came forward and grabbed one of Varin’s arms. The other men at arms, taking their cues from him, grabbed the other and soon they had him chained in the old, rusty iron manacles against the wall, facing the strange chair. He looked like a statue to Brynn’s horrified eyes—a statue of himself, frozen in place and unable to move.

  “Stop it! Let him go!” Brynn would have run to her Kindred but, at a nod from her mother, Dr. Bri’geth had her by the arm again. But this time his grip was steely. Tug as she might, Brynn couldn’t get free. Instead, she stared desperately at Varin. “He’s so still!” she cried. “What have you done?”

  “I’ve taken care of the problem,” the Queen said crisply. “One problem at least.” She shook her head and looked at Varin warily. “This level of devotion really is unacceptable. It’s a pity we can’t transfer your guard’s affection and protectiveness to the Crown Prince, your brother, but as he is so fixated on you, I’m afraid it would be quite impossible.”

  “Transfer his affection? What are you talking about?” Brynn cried. “Varin is my guard—the only male I want near me!”

  “Which is yet another problem,” the Queen snapped. “We can’t have him going with you to cause trouble for Sovereign X’izith on Zhymur, or whatever the name of his planet is.” She crossed her arms and drummed her fingertips as though thinking hard.

  Brynn felt like her heart was in her throat and a sense of dread so heavy she couldn’t speak had descended on her. Please, she thought. Oh please, Goddess—don’t let her be saying what I think she’s saying! Don’t let her take Varin away from me! It was what she feared the most and it stopped her heart in her chest to think her worst fear was coming true.

  “Can’t…leave…the Princess…with no…protection,” Varin suddenly rasped, clearly forcing the words out. “Bonded…must…protect…”

  “So the collar’s freeze function is wearing off,” the Queen snapped. “Lovely. And the first thing out of your mouth is your wish to protect Brynnalla.”

  “Because it’s his job—it’s what you bought him to do,” Brynn exclaimed.

  “No, it’s gone far past that—far past protection and into obsession.” The Queen shook her head. “To me, it appears that the blood bond we so rashly agreed to is the source of this issue.” She pointed at Varin. “You, slave. You think you have some kind of special tie to the Princess—some right to her just because you’ve been trained to guard her.”

  “I’m…devoted to her.” Varin’s words were coming easier now. “More devoted…than you ever were,” he growled at the Queen.

  She glared at him furiously.

  “Enough! You have embarrassed and insulted me for the last time, slave! I should have you killed!”

  Brynn’s heart skittered in her chest like a wild, frightened thing and her palms were suddenly damp with sweat.

  “Mother, please no! Don’t do that! I…I’ll do anything you say—go anywhere you want, even with Sovereign X’izith—without a word of complaint. Only don’t kill Varin—please.”

  “Brynn, no!” Varin shook his head. “No—don’t do that! You can’t trade yourself for me—I’m supposed to protect you!”

  “We protect each other.” Brynn gave him a small, trembling smile and looked back at her Lady-mother the Queen. “Please, mother…”

  “Well…” The Queen frowned, clearly weighing her options. “Very well,” she said at last. She turned to Lady Tasmina, who was standing just outside the cell door, watching with wide eyes.

  “There’s a slaver ship in the Imperial Docks right now—I know because I bought a few new maids for the East Wing from them. Have a message sent to them at once—tell them I have a slave to sell who’s been trained as an Arena warrior.” She smiled cruelly at Varin. “He ought to fetch a handsome price.”

  “I’ll go at once.” The Lady Tasmina curtsied and fled.

  “Very good. Now…” The Queen made an impatient motion to Dr. Bri’geth, who was still holding Brynn’s arm in an iron grip. “Go on—get on with it!”

  “No!” More of the collar’s effect seemed to have worn off for Varin strained at his chains, dragging on the rusted manacles that held him to the opposite wall. “No, don’t do this!”

  “Be silent, slave, or I’ll freeze you again,” the Queen snapped. “And you— do as you’re told, Brynnalla,” she added, glaring at Brynn. “Do as you promised and behave if you want your slave to live.”

  “Yes, my Lady-mother,” Brynn whispered, feeling cold and alone. “I…I will keep my word.”

  “Good. Now I am going out to be certain the Sovereign isn’t getting too restless.” The Queen pointed at Dr. Bri’geth. “You—hurry up!”

  “Yes, my Queen.” He bowed low, still somehow keeping a grip on Brynn’s arm as the Queen swept from the room. “Now then, my dear—just come with me,” he said to Brynn.

  “Don’t do this, Bri’geth.” Varin’s voice was low and hoarse and Brynn could see he was still straining at his chains. “Don’t, as you value your life! I swear to all the Gods that ever were I’ll kill you if you hurt her!”

  The doctor’s lips thinned. “I am obeying orders from the Queen. I have no choice.”

  Brynn was obeying orders too. She gritted her teeth and went with the Court Physician as he led her to the ominous rusted throne. Before she knew it, he was removing her robe and two of the men at arms were pushing her back against the chair.

  She felt a sudden stab of fear.

  “Wait!” she tried to protest. “Just give me a moment!”

  But it did no good—they were too strong for her. Looking over her shoulder, she caught a quick glimpse into the black hole in the center of the chair. She couldn’t be sure but it looked like there was something down there—something silver that gleamed dully in the dim light. What was it? A metal rod of some kind?

  Brynn wanted to ask but before she knew what was happening, the cold metal was biting into the backs of her knees and she was forced to sit. Her wrists were being strapped to the cold iron arms of the chair and then someone else was positioning her legs and strapping her ankles down as well.

  It all happened so fast that by the time she tried to struggle, it was too late—she was fastened securely to the defloweri