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  “What did he see?” Varin dreaded the answer but he had to know. “Please, my Mistress was taken there—I have to know!”

  “Your Mistress—was she young or old?” Jorath asked.

  “Young.” Varin’s throat nearly locked up. “Young and so…so innocent.” Though not as much as she had been—Goddess curse the Queen and her insistence on having her own daughter hurt and deflowered!

  “She’ll be taken as a Breeding Queen then,” Jorath said. “Gods, Kindred—I’m sorry. That’s no fit fate for any female, even one that kept you in bondage.”

  “She didn’t keep me in bondage. I love her,” Varin growled. “I’m devoted to her until my last breath—I have to get back to her and save her.”

  “Impossible,” the old Tempath said. “My master tried with a force of thousands and all they got was chopped up and thrown in the Hive’s Flesh Pits for their troubles.”

  “I don’t have an army of thousands—I just have one—me,” Varin said. “And I’m going back no matter what I have to do to get there.”

  “Provided you have the time,” Jorath remarked. “I saw the access port on the small of your back when they dragged you in here, Kindred. How long until you need a new slave chip?”

  “Not long,” Varin admitted. “Which is why I have to get back to Brynn and save her before it’s too late.”

  Jorath shook his balding head.

  “That’s a Kindred, for you. Once you’re bonded to a female you’ll do anything for her—even die.”

  Varin was intrigued. “Are you saying devotion to a chosen female is a trait of my people?”

  “I’d say it’s the defining characteristic.” The Tempath shook his head again. “You’re all damn fools when it comes to women.”

  “I love her,” Varin said again. “And I’m sworn to protect her. I’m going to get out of here and go back to her no matter what I fucking have to do to get there.”

  “Ah, well—the Goddess favors fools. You’re damn lucky we happen to be chained side by side, Kindred…” The Tempath tapped his temple again. “I carry the star charts of four systems up here. I can tell you how to get back to your lady-love Mistress and everything I know about the Hive too. How the hell you get yourself out of here and go seeking after her is your look-out, though.”

  “Thank you,” Varin said roughly. “I am in your debt.”

  “No debt.” Jorath gave him a crooked smile. “I may think you’re a damn fool but that doesn’t mean I’m not a hopeless romantic at heart. With all my knowledge, it’s love I understand the least…and wish to know the most.” He sighed. “Well, then—let me see what I can tell you.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment and Varin saw the strange blue patterns on the old male’s cheeks and temples begin to light up and blink in a complicated pattern. It reminded Varin of a computer accessing information.

  At last Jorath’s faded eyes popped open and he smiled.

  “All right, listen up…”

  * * * * *

  “Will we be there soon?” Brynn asked the strangely silent pilot who was flying her new husband’s ship.

  It felt horrible and wrong to think of Sovereign X'izith that way but there was no way around it—her parents had sold her to him and that was that. She was his wife—or as good as his wife. She assumed there would be some kind of ceremony once they got to his planet—wherever it was.

  Somewhere in another sector, she thought dully. She didn’t even remember the name of the world that would be her new home—nor did she particularly care. She was going there alone, without Varin. And it wasn’t like she could imagine him somewhere else safe without her. He was…was…

  She couldn’t make her mind think the word and she certainly couldn’t say it out loud. She kept hearing her mother’s voice in her ear saying, “You signed his death warrant yourself.”

  I shouldn’t have kissed him—shouldn’t have touched him at all. But she’d just been through a horrible, traumatic experience—she was in pain, wounded inside and out. And it was the last time she would see him. She hadn’t been able to help herself—she’d had to hug him, to tell him how she felt. That she loved him…

  My love got him killed, she thought, at last admitting what was in the back of her brain. I killed him by loving him. It’s my fault he’s gone. My fault he’s dead…

  Because he certainly was at this point. She had been traveling for over a solar week now, give or take. The ship had a hyperdrive—that much she had ascertained by asking over and over until one of the crew finally answered her. But apparently not a very fast one. And even with faster-than-light technology, the vast distances of space took time to cross.

  Oh Varin…my Kindred…it’s my fault, what happened to you! All my fault! They never should have bonded you to me and branded you with my name. Your destiny was death and all because of me.

  The thought made her want to weep—to wail and cry and sit in a corner and give up. But that was pretty much all she’d been doing for the two whole weeks they had been traveling. Brynn just felt heavy now—all cried out and weary past the point of despair. She had only come wandering up to the cockpit because she didn’t know what else to do with herself.

  With a sigh, she decided to ask her question one more time. If the captain didn’t answer, she would go back to her cold metal corner and try to let sleep take her. It was the only relief she had although even in her sleep she dreamed of Varin—dreams which could not be true, she was certain, since in them she saw him still alive and well.

  “Are we almost there?” she asked again, looking at the silent captain who was working the controls. “Can you answer me? Please?”

  At last her question seemed to penetrate. “Our destination…is very near. Just through…the Nebulon worm hole. Please…strap down…for interstellar travel.”

  He spoke in a halting monotone, as did all the crew, never looking at her and never changing his tone. Brynn wondered for the thousandth time what was wrong with him and how Sovereign X'izith had managed to find a whole crew of such zombies to run his ship.

  At least he’s not on the ship with me, she thought and shivered. She was more than glad that she’d taken this journey alone instead of with her husband-to-be. She couldn’t bear the thought of those hot, filthy hands on her skin again. Just the idea of what she might have to endure once she was reunited with her new spouse made her wonder why she cared about reaching her ultimate destination at all.

  I wish I was back on Galen with Varin, having one of our long talks, she thought miserably. But that part of her life was over—it was never coming back. Varin was gone and the past was the past.

  Sighing heavily, she went to strap herself down to one of the blast couches. The thought occurred to her that she shouldn’t strap down—that she should let the intense g-forces and turbulence of the worm-hole travel batter her against the metal sides of the ship. Maybe it would even kill her.

  For a moment, her hands hesitated on the buckles. Would it be so bad? Maybe she could be with Varin if she died…

  But then something made her fasten herself to the couch anyway. I guess I must want to live, she thought with dull surprise. Why is that? What is there left to live for?

  Brynn didn’t know. She closed her eyes as the ship entered the worm hole and let the g-forces press her down like a giant, invisible heavy hand. What was the point of anything anymore?

  Chapter Twenty

  “Now’s your chance,” Jorath hissed. “We’re docked on Helion Gamma. In the next few minutes the slavers will decide which of us to sell. Except for me, of course. I’m bound for Remax Six so my new master can make use of the maps I carry.”

  There was pride in the Tempath’s voice, Varin thought. Pride he had felt himself—the pride of a useful slave—one his master or mistress cannot do without.

  The Princess can’t do without me, he thought grimly. Not if she’s going to survive. He just hoped he wasn’t too late—he’d already been traveling in the wrong direction for a