The Bloody Quarrel (The Complete Edition) by Duncan Lay Read Free Book Online Page A

children.”
    Gokmen looked over at Ely and Bridgit reached out without looking and dragged her translator closer. “Tell him that he will punish nobody, or punish us all,” she hissed.
    Ely looked as though those words might choke her but managed to say something.
    Gokmen spoke swiftly to his guards and there was a cheer of laughter afterwards. Then he turned back to Bridgit, ignoring Ely, an unpleasant smile on his face. “You have been too long without a man if you want to share this punishment! So be it, you will join them!”
    “Then Prince Kemal will have your heart torn out when he returns,” Bridgit said loudly, anger roaring through her.
    Gokmen shook his head. “Why would he do that?”
    “Because I am pregnant,” Bridgit announced, pinching Ely to make her shout the words in Kottermani. “And Prince Kemal is the father!”
    Everything went very silent at that and the guards looked closely at her and then at Gokmen.
    “That is not possible,” the slave master said, but his voice was uncertain.
    “Why else did he make me leader of my people? Why else has he shown me favor?” Bridgit snapped.
    Gokmen looked over to his guards, at the women and then back to Bridgit, plainly unsure of what to do. “I cannot believe it,” he said. “Prince Kemal has a young and beautiful wife.”
    “Do you want to bet your balls on it? Get it wrong and your last days will be spent screaming,” Bridgit told him. Inside her mind she was yelling at herself, saying how crazy this was but on the surface she gave him nothing.
    “I shall summon a doctor,” Gokmen announced.
    “Doctor?” Bridgit asked Ely.
    “They can heal your hurts. But they don’t usually deal with slaves,” Ely whispered.
    Bridgit felt her heart jump a little. Maybe the doctor could help the baby! “We shall wait for him in the cool. All of us. And bring water,” she ordered.
    Gokmen glowered at her then snapped out orders in Kottermani.
    “If you are not pregnant then we are as good as dead,” Ely muttered, her teeth almost chattering in fear.
    Bridgit merely gave her a wink.
    It was obviously a nervous wait for Ely but Bridgit was curious to see what this doctor was and if he was anything like a priest or priestess. He turned out to be an elderly man with kind eyes and soft hands, who handed her a clean jug to fill with urine. That was strange enough but then he sniffed it carefully and took a mouthful, rolling it around his mouth with a thoughtful expression before spitting it out and washing out his mouth. Bridgit did not know whether to be fascinated or revolted.
    She watched as the doctor and Gokmen spoke quickly.
    “He says he has more tests to do that will take two days to be sure but he believes you are pregnant,” Ely said softly, relief in her voice.
    “Can he tell if it will be a healthy babe?” Bridgit asked urgently.
    “I don’t know. I don’t think so,” the girl admitted.
    Bridgit felt her heart slump a little at that but rallied as Gokmen approached.
    “It seems you are telling the truth,” he said roughly. “For now anyway. But I shall speak to Prince Kemal on his return.”
    “Ask him carefully, if you value your life,” Bridgit advised. “For he listens to me.”
    “So what do I do with them?” Gokmen gestured towards the two frightened women.
    “Let them go. They have been punished enough by a morning in the sun. And everyone knows what will happen if they do anything else. But you should tell your guards to let my people have a break for a piss now and again, with all the water they are drinking. And you can send that doctor down to come and see the children, as well.”
    Gokmen hesitated for a long moment and she had to quell a sudden shudder of fear that he would order her punished anyway. But then he began shouting at his men and she did not need Ely to translate to know the slave master had buckled to her bluff. The two women were freed, pausing just long enough to kiss her hand.
    “Thank you! Bless