Dynasty: The Glorious Strategist (Dynasty Saga Book 3) Read Free Page A

hand down Kitsune’s neck and back.
    “So your loyalty can be bought,” she wrinkled her nose at the fox. Kitsune let out an unconcerned breath as she closed her eyes enjoying Yoni’s affection. “Still,” Lymee went back to watching the two practice. “I’m glad to see Voss take an interest in someone. I was starting wonder if maybe he played for the other team as well.”
    “Amusing isn’t it?” Yoni said absently stroking Kitsune.
    “No, I could see it. I always thought he was to well-toned to be straight,” Lymee said crossing her arms watching as one of the servants launch two targets into the air, Voss doing his best to hit them both before they hit the ground.
    “No,” Yoni rolled her eyes. “I mean it’s amusing that all those women who practically threw themselves at him while we were wandering and my oblivious older brother never even noticed. And now that there is someone that he is actually taking a liking to, it is she who doesn’t notice his affections.”
    Lymee watched as Shan put a hand on Voss’ back taking the bow from him. Moving him to the side she grabbed four arrows and held them all in her bow hand not notching any of them. Signaling to the servant, two more targets were launched into the air. In a blink of an eye Shan loaded, drew back, aimed and fired all four arrows putting two in each target before they had even started falling back to the ground.     
    “Is it that she hasn’t notice or that she chooses not to?” Lymee asked solemnly as she watched the demonstration.
    “What do you mean?” Yoni frowned glancing over at Lymee.
    “Shan is a slave,” Lymee reminded deciding not to meet her gaze.
    If she looked hard enough at Shan, Lymee could just see the tattoo sticking out from under her shirt on the back of her neck. The multi colored tattoo that marked her as a slave for the rest of her life. Lymee had never seen the full thing but she had seen parts of it that reached down to her elbows and was fairly certain that it went down the rest of her back if not even her legs. Lymee would not have been surprised if it covered her chest and stomach as well.
    “Her family is forever subservient to the Su family as her punishment for trying to kill me,” Lymee said crossing her arms as she watched the woman. “While this was her choice, I know the last thing she wants is to pass that burden on to anyone else. It was hard enough for her to accept the offer knowing that her daughter would be forced into servitude along with her. And if Shan doesn’t want that for her daughter then she will have to disown her at some point. I think the last thing Shan wants is to burden anyone else.”
    “You think she is trying to protect Voss,” Yoni said mulling it over, seeming to agree with Lymee assessment. “If only she knew that our family was bound to yours in a much harsher way than hers ever will be.”
    Lymee nodded. Yoni and Voss were former nobility doomed to the headsman’s block if it had not been for Alia giving them new identities as vessels to the Su family. But as there were no actual records of their new family ever existing and no linage that they could call their own, they served at the good graces of the Su Family. And they would never be able to break away from that fate.
    “You know, I’ll admit,” Lymee sighed staring at Shan as she readied another arrow. “I had figured that when Shan was to be branded as a slave she would actually, you know,” Lymee brought her fist down into her palm, “be branded. Presumably with something hot and metal. Instead she gets a really sick looking tattoo out of the deal.”
    “Some are branded in such a way,” Yoni nodded. “However the more valuable slaves are instead given tattoos. The more valuable a slave is the more intricate their brand is. Shan is considered an extremely high value slave. In all actuality her standing guaranties her more rights and privileges than many of the people in Su Dynasty.”
    Lymee