The heavy iron door to the Commander's quarters hissed open, then clicked shut with a finality that made the air in the room feel thin. Talisa stood in the entryway, her chest heaving slightly, the leather of her gloves still creaked from the force of the blows she had dealt in the hallway.
Sofia was huddled on the edge of the bed, her fingers twisted into the charcoal silk of her tunic. Anna stood by the window, her head bowed, her entire body rigid with the effort of remaining invisible.
"Out, Anna," Talisa commanded, her voice a low, dangerous vibration.
The young maid didn't wait for a second order. She vanished into the servant's passage, the door sealing behind her.
The Question of the SmileTalisa walked toward the bed, her shadow stretching long and jagged across the rugs. She stopped directly in front of Sofia, looming over her.
"Why were you smiling at him?" Talisa asked. It wasn't a question; it was an accusation.
"He... he was just being kind," Sofia whispered, her voice trembling. "He asked if I was alone. I didn't think—"
"You don't think when it comes to other men, Sofia," Talisa snapped. She reached down, her fingers gripping Sofia's chin and forcing her to look up into her dark, jealous eyes. "You are my assistant. My shadow. When you smile at a stray in the hallway, you are giving away something that belongs to me. Do you understand?"
Sofia's eyes filled with tears, her "Influence" flickering like a dying candle. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"You will be reminded of who you belong to," Talisa murmured, her thumb grazing the silver collar. "Go to the bath. Fetch the warming oils. You are going to massage the tension from my shoulders, and then you are going to stay exactly where I put you."
The View from the ShadowsOutside in the cold white hallway, the silence was broken by a ragged cough. Toby was still curled on the floor, a dark smear of blood staining the pristine stone.
Jess rounded the corner, her training sweat cooling on her skin, her mind still reeling from the brutal combat drills with Kai. She stopped dead when she saw the boy. She knelt beside him, her protector instincts flaring.
"Hey, kid," Jess whispered, her voice rough. "What happened? Who did this?"
Toby looked up, his eye already swelling shut. "The... the Commander," he wheezed, clutching his broken ribs. "I only asked the girl in silk if she was single. I didn't know... I didn't know she was the Commander's..."
Jess's blood turned to ice. She looked at the heavy, reinforced door of Talisa's quarters. The jealousy she had felt in the mess hall was nothing compared to the cold, murderous realization that hit her now. Talisa wasn't just using Sofia as a symbol; she was claiming her as a possession, breaking anyone who even looked at her.
"She's not hers," Jess snarled, her voice a low, lethal promise. She helped Toby sit up, her eyes fixed on the door. "She's mine. And I'm going to kill that woman for touching her."
The Velvet ShackleInside the room, the scent of lavender and sandalwood oil filled the air. Talisa lay face down on the massive bed, her tunic removed, her scarred back a map of a thousand battles.
Sofia sat beside her, her small hands slick with the warming oils. She moved her fingers in slow, rhythmic circles over Talisa's powerful muscles, her touch hesitant and submissive. Every time her hands strayed near the Commander's neck, she saw the dark satisfaction in Talisa's expression.
"Better," Talisa sighed, her voice thick with a dark, triumphant happiness.
When the massage was finished, Talisa turned over and reached for Sofia, pulling the girl down into the furs. She wrapped a heavy arm around Sofia's waist, dragging her flush against her side in a tight cuddle.
"No more smiling at boys in hallways, Sofia," Talisa whispered into her hair, her breath warm against the silver collar. "From now on, the only person you see, the only person you please, is me. Do you understand?"
Sofia lay perfectly still, her heart hammering against Talisa's ribs. She looked at the dark ceiling, the weight of the Commander's arm feeling like a mountain. "Yes, Talisa," she whispered.
Talisa closed her eyes, pulling Sofia even closer, finally content now that her treasure was back under lock and key.