Whimsy by Thayer King Read Free Book Online

me?”
      “Whimsy?”
he said, obviously in shock himself. His arms closed around her loosely.
      She
sniffed, laughing through her tears. “How long have you been looking for me?”
      “Whimsy…“
      “It
doesn’t matter. We’ve got to leave now! There’s someone––“  
      “Unhand
her, sir,” said a hard male voice.
      Whimsy
turned. It was the guard. An infuriated guard but there was still only the
one.   Whimsy swallowed. “Let me go,” she
whispered. “We can pay you.”
      If
anything, that made him angrier. “You will come with me.” He gripped her upper
arm and pulled her to his side.
      “No!”
Whimsy tried frantically to get free. The guard’s grip tightened. She sensed
that he did not want her to get away again. She’d probably humiliated him
before by escaping. “ Serri , help me!”
      Serri’s handsome brown eyes widened. He was taller than
Whimsy but his height was nothing in comparison with the behemoth men of this
colony. He was clearly alarmed and afraid. “Sir…um, what has…what has she
done?”
      “That is
none of your concern.”
      “I
haven’t done anything! Serri , please!” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she was being
dragged away from her only hope of getting off this planet. She was causing a
scene. Everyone within hearing had stopped to watch the spectacle.  
      Serri took a halting step. “Whimsy, perhaps you should go
with him for now?”
      Her eyes
widened and she dug her heals in to halt the guard’s progress. “No! You don’t
know what they’ll do to me! Serri , please, you have
to help me now!”
      “That is
quite enough,” the guard said. He hefted her onto his shoulder and strode
purposefully toward the palace. Whimsy lifted her head to look back at Serri . She reached out to him, but he just stood there
looking confused and embarrassed. A woman with lush red hair came forward to
stand at his side and stare after her.  
      He wasn’t
going to help her, she realized. She was so angry that she kicked and flailed
at the guard, uncaring that if she did manage to take him down she would most
assuredly land on her head.
      The guard
bounced her on his shoulder, effectively knocking the wind out of her.   When she was able to look up, she could no
longer see Serri through the crowd.
      Inside
the palace, he placed her on her feet. A second and a third guard came to his
aid. Her arms were seized and she was once again ushered through a maze of
hallways.   She wiped her tears on her
shoulders because they wouldn’t allow her to lift her hands.
      She was
taken back to his room. She wasn’t
surprised to find Editha and Chaldor awaiting her before the double doors. Neither looked pleased. “You can’t make
me do this,” she said in defiance, with more bravado than she felt.  
      Editha gestured to one of the guards. “Remove the torque
and bring her forward.”
      Whimsy
didn’t resist as they removed the jewelry from her neck. She hadn’t intended to
keep the heavy silver piece anyway. Each of the women had been given one as a
reward for giving up their bodies to a stranger. It wasn’t a payment she could
accept.
      Editha held the torque in one hand and gave Whimsy a
dismissive glance. “ Chaldor , you will handle this
person as it is through no fault but your own that she is here. When he is done
with her, have her sent to my chambers where I will explain her new duties to
her.” She swept out of the room with all the regality of a queen.
      She
turned to the only person who had shown her any sympathy in this palace.   “ Chaldor , I won’t
do this.”
      He would
not meet her gaze. “You have no choice. You will not be allowed to leave this
room until you have served him.”
      Tears
filled her eyes. “That will never happen.”
      “This is
for your own well being, as well as his.”
                   ****
      Serri watched in confusion as his future bride was hauled
away like a sack of