Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

“Oh, my!” Pashmeena put a hand to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. “That is something, Master Valen.”

“It’s justice,” Valen said grimly. “Something I fear we don’t see enough of at the High Court. Before I played that clip your cousin recorded, Magistrate Harsher was set to convict Selena, despite the evidence that I’d showed proving she hadn’t done anything wrong.”

“Oh, my! I’m just so glad my cousin had her little insurance policy for you to use, Master! It pays to be prepared, so it does.” Pashmeena tapped her cheekbone, just below her left eye in that knowing gesture of hers.

As they talked, a warm, spicy, delicious scent had been drifting from the back of the large house to Selena’s nose. At that moment, her stomach growled fiercely.

“Oh, my! Excuse me!” She put a hand to her midsection, feeling embarrassed.

Pashmeena shook her head.

“Look at us, talking when I ought to be feeding you! Come with me and let’s get you some soup, my lady. I’m sure whatever they served you in that dreadful place was no good at all.”

“It was pretty awful,” Selena admitted. She looked up at Valen. “Um…are you going to eat, too?”

He shook his head.

“I have some preparations to make. You go ahead and eat—meet me in your room when you’re finished.”

“All right—thank you, um…” Selena wasn’t sure what to call him now.

Valen seemed to sense her hesitation, because he raised an eyebrow at her.

“You may still call me ‘Master’ if it pleases you, Selena.”

Selena felt her cheeks getting hot.

“All right…Master,” she whispered. “I’ll, um, see you in a minute.”

He nodded and went upstairs, leaving her standing in the hallway with Pashmeena.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” the housemaid asked. “Come on—let’s get you some of that soup.”

Selena followed her to the back of the house where the kitchen was, but her eyes were on Valen’s retreating figure as long as she could see him. What did he mean when he said he had “things to prepare”? And when he’d told her she could still call him “Master” did it mean he wanted to “play”? Or did he have something more permanent in mind?

Her head was spinning with so many questions, it was hard to concentrate on Pashmeena’s excellent vegetable soup. It was nothing like the soup Selena was used to, but it was delicious and filling without being too heavy for her stomach.

When she had finished the bowl of soup (which was bright purple with pink and green chunks of Ma’shorkan vegetables in it) Pashmeena asked if she wanted seconds.

“I wish I could, but I’m really full,” Selena said apologetically. “I, uh, think my stomach shrank while I was in the holding cell.”

“Well, you just go on up and see what Master Valen wants, why don’t you then?”

“If you don’t mind—” Selena began. “It’s wonderful soup—I loved every bite, but—”

“But I think there’s something you need more than soup right now, little Mistress. Go on—go on.”

There was a twinkle in Pashmeena’s faded purple eyes as she shooed Selena out of the kitchen. It made her wonder if the housemaid knew something she didn’t. Had Valen said something to her before leaving for Court that morning?

Well, whatever happened, she just hoped that she could get a long, hot shower first. She still felt grimy from her time in the awful holding cell!

She climbed the broad staircase and went along the corridor until she found the room which had been designated as hers from the start. Slipping her shoes off carefully, she stepped inside and looked around, but Valen was nowhere to be seen.

“Um…hello?” she called, stepping further into the room.

“In here.” Valen’s deep voice was coming from the bathroom.

Selena came in and saw him standing there, with his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The huge marble garden tub was filled with steaming water and the cleansing blossoms were nodding their heads in a breeze only they could feel.

“Oh…am I going to take a bath before we, uh, talk?” Selena asked, stepping into the bathroom.

“No. I am going to give you a bath,” Valen corrected her. He raised an eyebrow at her. “That is, if you don’t mind letting me take care of you.”

“Oh, um…” Selena could feel her cheeks getting warm with a blush. “I…I guess that would be okay.”

“Good. Then come here, little one.” Valen motioned for her and Selena went to him.

“Yes, Master?” she said, looking up at him, her heart pounding.

“Let’s get you undressed, first of all.” Valen pulled the ragged, ripped t-shirt off her and shook his head. “You’ve had quite a number of blouses ruined since you came to Ma’shorka Centra, haven’t you?”

“A few,” Selena admitted, her breath catching in her throat.

“Well, never mind. We’ll find you something comfortable to wear later on,” he murmured. “Now for the rest.”

Gently, he unfastened her jeans and slid them down, leaving only her panties. Resting his big hands on Selena’s hips, he looked down into her eyes.