The Slave (Free Men, #1) (Completed)

Part 21

I woke the next morning in Master's bed, sandwiched between the men I loved. Master's arm was slung around us both, his front pressed to my back, and Kai was curled in a tight ball facing me. I smiled as I watched him sleep, noting how trustingly he lay beside us. Who would have imagined, three months ago, this would come to pass?

Pins and needles skittered up and down my arm, trapped as it was under Kai's pillow, no doubt the thing that had awoken me in the still hours of pre-dawn, but I couldn't bring myself to move and risk disturbing my companions. For as long as I could remember, I had dreamed of waking in Master's bed, his arms around me, and feeling like he might actually care, that I might mean something to him beyond being a warm and willing body. It had taken Kai's presence to make it happen, but the feeling was no less sweet for being shared.

A dull banging, as of a door bursting open somewhere deep in the bowels of the house, startled Kai into wakefulness. His eyes snapped open, instantly alert.

"What was that?" Master demanded from behind me, and the three of us lifted our heads and strained our ears. A thread of apprehension ran through my veins.

"It must have been the soldiers—" Whatever feeble explanation I would have offered was cut short at the sound of a bloodcurdling scream.

"Up!" Master demanded, flinging the covers aside and jumping out of the bed.

Kai and I scrambled to our feet, casting around wildly for something to cover our nakedness. I found my loincloth and hastily wrapped it around my legs, knotting it tight at my hip. Master rummaged under the bed and rose with a long, curved scimitar in each hand. He threw one to Kai, who caught it deftly by the handle. From somewhere in the house, voices were shouting, and I heard the metallic clash of swords.

"Get Tam out," Master ordered, pausing to cover himself with his thickest robes.

Kai pulled on the loose trousers Master had been wearing the previous day, the brilliant teal silk spotted with dark bloodstains. It seemed a terrible omen.

"Where are you going?" I demanded as Master strode to the door.

"You go with Kai," he said brusquely. "Run to the town—the army set up a camp in the marketplace. Go there, tell them to send help, and wait for me to come to you. Do not come back here under any circumstances. Do you understand?"

"I'm coming with you," Kai said roughly.

"I'm ordering you to go!" Master glared at him.

"Give me a weapon," I said. "I'll fight."

Master's expression softened as he looked at me. "I'm sure you would, but whoever's in the house has got past the guards and half the army to get this far. You wouldn't stand a chance."

"I don't care. I'm not leaving you!"

I thought he was going to shout, or maybe even hit me. Instead, he crossed the room and pulled me roughly into his arms. "Tammy, don't be difficult. This is my house, and whoever's attacking us is looking for me." Something crashed in the corridor, and we all jumped. "I need to get everyone out. Go with Kai, go to the marketplace. Wait for me there."

"No, I—"

"Go!" He pushed me roughly. Kai caught my arm and half-dragged me behind him as Master strode to the door and opened it.

Immediately the sounds of fighting reached us, echoing down the corridor from the entrance hall. Men bellowed and roared, swords clashed, and shadows danced in flickering light, too strong to be from the torches kept in stone sconces along the walls.