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save them
all.

    “ Do you know
where your sisters are?” Miali said, her voice smooth and
coaxing.

    Kosen looked up at her,
into her eyes, and wondered how she could bring herself to look at
him after what he had done to her. He should have saved her just as
he had wanted to back on her ship.

    The sight of her sleeping,
so unaware of her fate, had made him consider moving her to one of
the escape capsules and setting her free. He wished that he could
set her free now, but he couldn’t think of a way. If she escaped,
Nostra would know that it had been his doing. Nostra would kill
him. His sisters would never be saved.

    “ I know,” he
said, thinking about the last time that he had seen them. “I have
been to their master’s home on Minerva Seven. I have watched them
but couldn’t find the strength to save them.”

    A hint of sympathy touched
her expression, shining in her eyes. “A Minervan bought Minervan
women for slaves?”

    He nodded.

    “ What is the
universe coming to?” she said on a sigh and then tugged at her
wrists. “Will you help me?”

    “ I cannot,” he
said. “And you should not think about trying to break those bonds.
Only Nostra can open them.”

    “ I
see.”

    She had changed. Her fear
was gone. In front of him now was a woman who was in command, one
raised to be strong and get things done. Looking at her now, he
could see why she was an ambassador for Lyra. Few males would stand
in her way.

    “ How long until
we arrive at the markets?”

    “ If they don’t
discover from our contact that you’re royalty, then we will reach
the open auctions in two days.”

    “ And if they
do?”

    “ Tomorrow, and
it will be the black market.”

    Her face paled. “You
mentioned a contact.”

    Kosen stood when the door
behind him opened and Nostra walked in. When their contact stepped
out from behind Nostra, Kosen turned to look at Miali. Her dark
eyes were wide with shock and her skin was the colour of
stars.

    Tears shone in her
eyes.

    Her mouth opened and a
single word left her lips.

    “ No.”

    ****

    Chapter
5

    Miali stared at the man
who was evidently Nostra’s contact. The only other survivor of her
ship.

    “ Eryc?” she
said and shook her head in disbelief. It couldn’t be true. They
were friends. She had known him since they were both children. She
had been falling for him. She had cried when she had thought that
he was dead.

    He couldn’t have sold her
into slavery.

    Anger overcame her initial
disbelief and she lunged forwards, growling with effort as she
tried to get her wrists free so she could attack the man who had
betrayed her. The metal cuffs bit into her wrists but she didn’t
feel any pain. She only felt intense anger. Hatred.

    “ Restrain her,
Kosen, before she damages herself,” Nostra ordered in Minervan and
the younger Minervan moved towards her.

    Miali fought him as his
hands caught her upper arms and then stilled when his chest pressed
against hers.

    “ You’ll only
hurt yourself,” Kosen whispered in Lyran and she looked at him. He
was incredibly close, his mouth barely inches from hers. A smile
touched those lips, sending a flush of heat through her. Her hair
threatened to rise but he smoothed it down, surprising her, and
acted as though he was checking her neck. He gathered her hair and
twirled it into a knot at the back of her head, restraining it.
“Not a word.”

    She dipped her chin and
then looked past him to Nostra and Eryc.

    “ She isn’t
eating,” Nostra said in Minervan as he crossed the room and picked
up the discarded protein pack.

    He threw it at Kosen,
hitting him in the face.

    “ You had one
order. Make her eat. If she doesn’t eat and her price goes down, it
comes out of your share!”

    Miali leaned away when
Nostra approached her. Instinct made her turn towards Kosen and
hide her face. Hope bloomed in her chest. If Nostra tried anything,
would Kosen protect her?

    She had come to realise
something.

    She wasn’t the