The Clever Fox: Part Two (The Pleasure Hound Series) by Ines Johnson Read Free Book Online

you are no good to me in the Sisterhood chambers, you can be the first to join the trial.”
    Alyss inhaled again, and if possible, appeared even deader from the outside looking in. “But you said if the bill passed I wouldn’t have to-"
    “Now I’m adding an amendment to our agreement.”
    Alyss’ composure broke. Though she stood still, she teetered in her heeled shoes.
    Her Mother’s eyes appeared to light up at seeing the devastation befalling her child. “See what happens when you change the terms on an agreement?”
    Lady Angyla turned and headed down the hall. She glared at Emet and the Male Voice as she passed them. Emet wanted to follow behind her. To bring down the full brunt of the law against her offensive hand. But how could he? They were alone in the hall. No other woman had witnessed the offense, and no Peace Keeper would take a male’s word on such an unimaginable matter.
    When Emet turned back Alyss was gone. Emet took off in the only direction she could’ve gone. He heard the Male Voice call his name, but he didn’t turn back. He made his way down the hall. He found her looking out a window at the cloudy sky. The clump of artwork clenched in her fist. He approached her cautiously as though she were a severely wounded animal. When he was upon her, he reached out his hand, but pulled it back at the last moment.
    “My lady?”
    Alyss turned her head.
    “Are you all right?” It seemed such a stupid question after what he’d witnessed, but he was at a loss for anything else to say.
    Her eyes narrowed as she seemed to think over the question.
    “What she did -your Mother- striking you, that was illegal. If you would make a statement, I could help you press charges.”
    Slowly she shook her head from side to side. Female child abuse was practically unheard of in today’s society. If Lady Alyss wouldn’t stand up for herself, there was nothing Emet could do. His hands clenched at the injustice of it all.
    Emet was about to ask another lame question like ‘Is there anything I can do?’ when she spoke. He had to lean in because her voice was so quiet.
    “Have you ever felt that there was something inside of you that wants to burst free, but it can’t because you are so weighted down by the real world?”
    “Yes, my lady.” Emet felt that way nearly every day since becoming an advocate. There was so much injustice in this world against males. More than he or the advocates in the Male Voice’s office could ever hope to handle.
    “What do you do? How do you break free?”
    Emet leaned his back against the windowsill so he could see her face. “I go to Adom.”
    Her eyes sparked. “Adom?”
    Emet held up his forearm. He slid the cuffs of his shirt back to reveal his wrists. The marks were faint, but close inspection showed that Alyss understood what he was referring to. Whenever the pressures of the world got to be too much, Emet offered his wrists, his legs, his body to Adom to bind. In the pressure of the ropes he found his release, his freedom.
    Alyss looked to her own wrists. With her free hand, the hand that didn’t hold the crumpled drawing, she rubbed the marks there. Emet watched her eyes lose focus as she rubbed at the indentations.
    He kept still, remained silent. Not wanting to break the trance. He ached for her to feel relief. Felt impotent that he had none to offer her himself.
    He watched her thumb rub at her wrist. Watched her eyes flutter closed. Her lips opened on a trembling breath. Her head dipped back slightly.
    Emet gripped the windowsill to keep himself from reaching out to her. He wanted to take her into his arms and make any memory, any fantasy she was having a reality. But he held still. Thankful to be a witness to her temporary relief.
    Her hand opened, and the crumpled paper fell to the floor. Her head jerked up at the sound of the paper crashing to the ground. Her eyes opened. The brown of her eyes eclipsed the gold as they came to rest on the wad of paper on the