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He nodded, afraid to voice his agreement.
"Good." She flopped facedown in the bed and was asleep in moments.
Richard rubbed the hurt in his shoulder. It had been a while since she had used the Agiel on him. At least she hadn't chosen to draw blood. Maybe, he reasoned, she didn't want blood in her quarters. No, De
He was awake before her; the shock of being awakened by the Agiel was something he wanted to avoid. A bell rang with a long peal. De
"Morning devotions," she a
"Yes, Mistress De
She hooked his chain to her belt and led him once more through the halls to a square, open to the, sky, with pillars supporting arches on all four sides. The center of the square, under the open sky, was white sand, raked in concentric lines around a dark, pitted rock. On the top of the rock was a bell-the one he had heard before. On the tile floor among the columns were people on their knees, bent forward, with their foreheads touching the tile.
The people chanted in unison. "Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours."
Over and over they chanted the same thing. De
"That's two hours." She frowned darkly at him. "If I have to remind you again, it's six."
"Yes, Mistress De
He began chanting along. He had to concentrate on a vision of De
The bell rang twice, and the people rose to their feet, going off in different directions. De
A woman's husky voice spoke. "Sister De
D'Hara! Through the fog of his training, the word ignited his thoughts. Instantly, he brought to mind the vision of De
"Sister Constance. It's good to be home, and see your face again."
Richard recognized the ring of sincerity in De
"And what have we here?" Constance asked.
She took the Agiel away. Coughing in pain, Richard gasped for air. He came to his feet when De
De
"Mate." Constance spat the word out as if it tasted bitter. "I swear, De
De
Constance's eyebrows went up. "No!" She peered into Richard's eyes. "Is he broken?"
"Yes," De
A grin spread on Constance's face. "Mind if I come along?"
De
Constance seem pleased, and proud. Richard had to furiously think of De
De
Constance scowled.".`I will have my pleasure from his flesh in other ways. I'll go change into the red, and meet you there."
"No… the brown is fine, for now." Constance studied her face. "That's not like you, De
"I have my reasons. Besides, Master Rahl himself sent me for this one." `
"Master Rahl himself. As you wish, then. After all, he is yours to do with as you will."
The training room was a simple square with walls and floor of gray granite and a beamed ceiling. On the way in, Constance tripped him. He landed on his face. Before he could stop it, the anger gripped him. She stood over him, pleased with herself, watching him struggle to regain control.
De
De
"He can take it well. I haven't had a workout like this in quite a time. All the pets I've gotten lately fold at the first touch."
The chair came down on its front legs with a clunk. "Maybe I can help, Sister Constance. Let me show you where he doesn't like it."
Derma came up behind him and paused, making him flinch in expectation of what didn't come. Just as he breathed out, the Agiel drove into a tender spot on the right side. He cried out as she held the pressure against him. He couldn't hold his weight, and the rope pulled his shoulders so hard he thought his arms would come out of their sockets. With a sneer, De
"Please, Mistress De
She withdrew the Agiel. "See?"
Constance shook her head. "I wish I had your talent, De
"Here is another place." She made him scream. "And here, and here too." She came around and smiled to him. "You don't mind if I show Constance all your special little places, do you?"
"Please, Mistress De
"There, you see? He doesn't mind at all."
She went back to her chair as tears ran down his face. Constance never smiled; she simply went to work, and also had him begging breathlessly. But the way she never varied the pressure, never letting up, was worse than De
"You don't have to stay, De
Fear and panic raced through his mind. He didn't want to be left alone with Constance. He knew that Constance wanted to do things to him that De
"Another time, I will leave you alone with him… to do things your way, but today, I will stay."
Richard made sure he showed no sign that he was relieved. Constance went back to work.
After a while longer, when she was behind him, Constance grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back, hard. Richard knew very well what it meant to have his head pulled back in this ma
De
Constance gritted her teeth as she looked at him, pulling his head back harder. "Why not? Surely you've done it?"
"Yes, I just don't want you to, that's all. Master Rahl hasn't talked to him yet. I don't want to take any chances."
A grin came to Constance's face. "De
"I told you, Master Rahl wants to talk to him."
"After that?" De
Constance nodded and released his hair. "Don't you think you have gotten off easy." She scowled at him. "Sooner or later, you and I will be alone, and then I will take my pleasure from you."