Chapter Twenty-Eight

I woke to an empty bed. Sighing, I stretched, then looked around. There was a pile of clothing folded on the foot of the bed. I got up, out of bed, and went to inspect it. I was naked except for my collar. It was how I always slept with Vax. He didn't like anything between us in bed, even if we were only sleeping. And during the day, he dressed me in sheer tunics and wispy loincloths.

These were not that sort of clothing.

Hands trembling with hope, I pulled on the soft undershorts and then the silk pants. An embroidered tunic went over that, then a long vest. On the floor was a pair of leather boots.

"Good, you're dressed," Vax said as he entered the room.

I turned to smile at him, thinking that we were finally leaving the royal apartments. Maybe he'd take me into the city for breakfast or to a park. And that meant that I'd gotten through to him the night before. Our fight had helped. Progress!

But then I saw what he was holding—a length of golden chain. Fear shot through me.

My collar had a loop on it. All slave collars did. That was where the chain would attach, probably locked in place similar to the cock cage. Maybe it even had the same lock, so he wouldn't need another key. It was a luxurious chain, with small golden rings that wouldn't weigh me down. I'd barely feel it. But it was still a chain.

"What's that for?" I asked breathlessly.

"I want to take you out today." Vax stepped up to me.

My stare remained on the chain. "Uh-huh."

"Slaves are chained when they leave the palace."

I swallowed roughly. I started to tremble. In my mind, I heard a Gashi laugh. And with Gashi laughter would inevitably come pain. It became harder to breathe. I wanted to run. Get to the sea. Breathe it in. Freedom wasn't too far away. I just had to make it to the surface. But I wouldn't be going anywhere if I let them chain me again.

"Zixin," Vax said. "Zix, look at me."

I looked up at him. Vax. Not a Gashi. I took a breath.

The King stared back grimly. "I will allow you to say no to this. But I want you to submit. This will prove your loyalty to me more than any amount of sexual deeds. I know what it will cost you, but so does my beast. It will appease him. Seeing you accept a chain for me will break through my anger. I'm sure of it. I'll be able to forgive you. We'll get past this faster. And, Zix, I do want to get past this. I want more than your submission and sex. Do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Make your choice. We can go on as we were or we can try this."

My mouth went dry. The collar had nearly made me scream. What would the chain do? Could I handle this? For him, I would. I had to. "Chain me," I said.

Vaxarion let out an almost rapturous sound and lifted the chain to my neck. I froze. My eyes blinked rapidly, the nictating membranes going crazy. He connected the chain onto the loop with a fastener, then padlocked it closed. Suddenly, it wasn't a game. It was real. I was a slave again.

With the click of the lock, my mind went blank. Just fuzzed out for a second. When it began to work again, I wasn't with Vax anymore. I wasn't in a palace. All that luxury and safety had been replaced by kelp fields and rough stone. I felt the chain pulling down my collar, the heavy baskets of harvested kelp on my back, and the pain of a fresh claw cut on my chest. Laughter came, and I knew I'd be in the cage soon—bait to lure the undersea creatures. The Gashi would wait nearby, and if I was lucky, they'd spear whatever came for me before it got through the bars. Most times, I wasn't that lucky. They liked to watch me squirm. Took delight in my screams. Dinner and entertainment. Only after they had a few laughs, would they kill the creature and have themselves a fine meal.

I saw the monsters again. The things large enough to see a Neraky as a snack. Rows of needle teeth, black eyes without emotion, and massive bodies that could crush metal. I'd rather work in the fields all day than sit in the cage.

First came little sounds, like those of a wounded animal. Then great shudders wracked my body. Screams rose, clawing at my throat. Dark shapes loomed. The Gashi were coming for me. I'd be sliced open and thrown in the cage, my blood the draw for their dinner. I wanted to run, but the chain made that impossible. No running for me, and fighting would only make it worse.

But I could scream.

I shrieked and tore at the collar. Yanked at the chain. "No!" I thrashed, shoving the hands away from me. "No, please! No!" I rolled, the chain pulling me down. "Not the cage. Please, don't put me in there. I'll double my harvest tomorrow. I swear. Just not the cage." I burst into tears as someone strong grabbed me. Restrained me. I was no longer a strong grown man. I was a child again, easily dominated. They'd do what they wanted with me. "Please, no more," I whispered. Then I just screamed.

Someone held me down. They spoke to me. I couldn't hear him. It didn't matter. I cringed and cried in between ragged screams until my throat went raw. My will was breaking. Soon, I'd be no one. I'd lose all that I was under those chains. They would crush me. My spirit ground to sand. I'd be forced to submit to all their demands. Bait to predators of all kinds. My future stretched before me, every day worse than the last.

Suddenly, the collar slipped away along with the chain. Weightless. Free. I gasped in a breath and shuddered. Was I truly free? Or was this a game? Were they going to toy with me for entertainment?

"Zixin!" someone said. "Zix! Oh, Zix, forgive me. My beautiful Zixin. Shh now, sweetheart. It's all right. No one's going to hurt you. It's me. Vax. I've got you. You're with me now. You're safe."

He pulled me into an embrace, and I shuddered, my stare fixated on the wall as I tried to process and put my shattered mind back together.

"Zixin." Warm hands stroked my face. My hair. My chest. "Zix, come back, baby. It's me. It's your Vax. Come back."

"Vax?" I whispered, my voice rough. I blinked and focused on his face. "Vax, are you crying?"

"No, my sea butterfly. I never cry." He kissed me gently. Tenderly. "Are you well now?"

It hit me then. I had failed. A crushing weight returned even though the chain was on the floor, halfway across the room from me. I hadn't proved myself to Vax. Now, he might never forgive me.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," I said. "Can we try again? Please? I can do better. I wasn't prepared. Now, I am. Put the collar back on. I promise not to scream. I'll do whatever you want."

Vax yanked me closer and buried his face in my hair. Strange, wounded sounds came from him before he said, "No, sweetheart. You are never going to be chained again. You will never wear a collar. You are no one's slave. You never were."

"But I can do it. For you. I'll do it."

Vax made a broken cry and clutched me tighter. "Damn you, Zix! Why did you leave me?"

"You know why. I told you. I left because I was scared. I didn't trust your offer. It was too good for someone like me. I left because my loyalty to Teng has always come first. I left because I didn't know that I was in love with you."

Vax went still. He lifted his head and met my stare. "You love me?"

"Do you think I'd go through all of this if I didn't? I mean, you're good in bed, but not that good."

Vaxarion snorted a laugh. But then his expression went soft. "I love you too."

"I know." I smirked. "I figured it out."

"You little shit," he growled.

I yanked Vax into a kiss and that stopped his ire. Transformed it into something wonderful. Loving. Holy shit. I had just told the Sea King I loved him. And he said he loved me in return. He had forgiven me at last. Now, we just had to find a way to make a romance between a king and a pirate work. But I suppose stranger things had happened.