The Harem Master Read Free

Tavamara is not other nations; we should not have to be like them to be accepted. We should stand proud of what we are, what we believe, and fix what has gone wrong—not sweep it out the door to be quickly forgotten."
    Bulut's fingers climbed higher, thick and heavy, too warm as they brushed Demir's shoulder, his throat, up to his cheek. Demir held carefully still, focused on his breathing, thinking of the hot bath he would have later to scrub away the residue of Bulut's touch. "The council will do what is best for Tavamara. Sometimes a tradition becomes outdated. It is sad, but the way of things. Only the Merciful Divine are eternal. But I knew you would be concerned and that is why I came to speak to you now."
    "That's very considerate of you," Demir murmured. Bulut had never been considerate a day in his life. What was his true motive?
    Curling his fingers under Demir's chin, Bulut turned his face, tilted it up. "If the harem goes, there will be no use for a Harem Master. I would hate to see you cast out with nowhere to go. You belong here in the palace."
    Nowhere to go? His parents lived a week away in a beautiful house along the coast. Demir had friends in the city who would take him in until he made more permanent arrangements. No longer being Harem Master would leave him devastated and without a job, but not homeless. Had Bulut completely lost his mind? "I belong in the Jeweled Garden," Demir replied. "If there is no harem, there is no Harem Master. I will go wherever the fates bid me."
    "You should remain here. I could see to it you do. The king has granted me the right of concubine."
    Demir would rather slit his own throat. "You are gracious, Steward, but I could not fail in my duties and then turn and seek safety in the role I failed to uphold for others. I would not dishonor my king, my family, and my charges so."
    Bulut's fingers tightened painfully. "I strongly suggest you give the matter further consideration. There is no rush to reply. The meeting will not take place for nearly two weeks."
    "Yes, Steward," Demir replied and grunted softly when Bulut roughly released him.
    He barely held back a shudder when Bulut's hand dropped to run down his chest, fingers flicking the jeweled gold hoops on each of his nipples, tugging at the slightly larger one in his belly. Thankfully, he withdrew without touching further and stood up in a rush of gaudy silk and sticky, opulent perfume. "We'll speak again before the meeting."
    Demir swallowed the bile in his throat and dipped into a low bow. "Yes, Steward. Good day to you."
    Bulut smiled at him, then turned and strode off. Demir pressed the back of his hand to his mouth until the desire to scream or throw up had passed. Abandoning the bench, he went and knelt by the fish pond, dipping his fingers in the water, smiling faintly when the fish immediately rushed over to investigate. They slowly drifted away again when they realized he was not food. Demir left his hand in the cool water and looked up at the bright, clear, afternoon sky.
    As though he did not have enough problems, now he needed to find a way to convince the council not to do away with the harems. Not that the king would agree, but the council had ways around that. He only wished they could depose the king. If only there was a suitable heir.
    But there wasn't, and there never would be. It was only a matter of time before tensions exploded into civil war and the first and only royal bloodline of Tavamara was removed from the throne and a new line instated. Even then, the new rulers would throw out or kill anyone who had served the old rulers. It was going to be the Years of Blood all over again.
    All he'd ever wanted… Well, all he'd ever wanted that he could have, was to be a good Harem Master. It was one of the few roles passed through the bloodline. Even the Stewards were handpicked by the kings and could come from anywhere. But Demir's family had always been Harem Masters, from the very first man chosen for the