EscapingLightning Read Free

flared and she blushed furiously as she backed away without being dismissed.
    The moment she was in the outer room, she ran for it.
    Down in the servants quarters, she breathed heavily, a hand over her pounding heart. With trembling limbs, she sought out Mistress Welks.
    “Last one, Onari. You will be on your own after this.”
    Onari quickly took the pill and closed her eyes. She wished that she had been able to get more of the drug, but on short notice, Lira had only been able to lay hands on two weeks’ worth.
    “You are no longer serving in the dining hall this evening. A dignitary from Lanar is here and we don’t need to push our luck.” Mistress Welks patted her cheek and gave her a thorough look. “We also need to touch up your roots. Your hair grows very quickly.”
    Onari nodded. “Will tomorrow be fine?”
    “Yes. I have an hour near lunchtime.”
    “Good, I will see you then. I believe I am on butcher shop duty in the morning.”
    “You are.”
    Onari nodded and went to engage in the remainder of kitchen duties for the evening. She scrubbed, peeled, mashed and washed until her mind was numb and her body was tired.
    Returning to the palace the next morning, she was shocked to be hauled aside by Mistress Welks. “What did you say to him?”
    Confused, she babbled. “Me? Say? Nothing. Who is him?”
    “King Iro. He has asked for you to attend him at lunch. He never has an attendant.”
    Her body ran hot and then cold. “I ran into him with my skimmer, and yesterday in his chambers. He was coming out of the shower.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    Onari hissed, “He was running through the woods and I hit him with the skimmer. He was fine and returned to the palace. I arrived with the bruised vegetables. Then in the afternoon, I was preparing the fires and he emerged from his bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. I apologized I think, and ran for it.”
    Mistress Welk chuckled. “Then he simply is curious. There will be no harm in you attending for a meal.”
    Onari nodded and went about her preparations for lunch. When it was time, she checked her hair and the uniform of the palace in the mirror. She was exposing about half of the flesh of her body, yet all salient parts were covered.
    She picked up the first dish and led the pack into the dining hall. She almost came to a complete halt, but kept going through sheer force of will. Her cousin was sitting next to King Iro and his offensive face and smug attitude was enough to set her teeth on edge.
    As she approached, she heard Iro mention, “I find your obsession with inbreeding to be fascinating. It weakens the lines.”
    Mekar sniffed, “Of course, you would think that. Your folk are well known for mating with any passing shifter.”
    Onari could not believe the disrespect that Mekar was showing to the larger tiger shifter. He was not even speaking to him as an equal, but as a subservient.
    “And your folk are known for locking your women behind walls and smothering them in public with mobile tents.”
    “Our women have more potent pheromones than yours do, it is necessary for our peace of mind to keep them contained.”
    Onari withdrew after serving the first course and waited for the king to signal the end of his meal.
    She listened to their discussion of tradition and physiologies of their races, only moving forward to clear Iro’s plate and give him the next course. A runner was supplying her with the necessary platters and more than one noble gave her a long and assessing look.
    Though Mekar looked directly at her four times, he never looked at her face, the little pervert.
    Iro’s behaviour was more disturbing to her. He inhaled deeply each time she leaned forward and after a while, the very act of removing his plate started a thrum of arousal through her. By the time the dessert course arrived, she was almost quivering in place. The proximity to Iro’s scent was wreaking havoc on her ability to concentrate.
    He seemed content to draw the