There was no give, no yielding to pity.
Shayla was too stunned to move. The guards came forward and picked up the frozen bundle she resembled and removed her from the chamber. She gave Jago and Kriss one last pitiful glance over her shoulder.
“I’m sorry!” she shouted. “I didn’t mean to get you in trouble.”
The judge adjourned the court with one last hammer of his staff.
Kriss caught up with Jago just before they reached the door. “What can we do? We have to punish her. She knows this.”
Jago’s eyes sparkled. “We shall need to apply ull to her skin to keep it supple.”
“I suppose.” What was Jago plotting?
“As long as it looks like ull, of course.” Jago grinned.
Chapter Twelve
The arena was a stone amphitheater, just as the Romans and Greeks had constructed on ancient Earth. But, to her surprise, it wasn’t a grand stadium; quite the contrary, it was a tight circle of tiered rows for seating with a flagstone center. The ominous dais with the pedestal stood erect in the middle, the chains hanging ready to bind her. Stumbling into the arena, escorted by droids, she gasped at the crowd of Hezara men. Giants circled her, blocking out the low evening sunlight. They stood shoulder to shoulder, a hundred or so in number, and eagerly awaiting her arrival with slow claps of their hands.
Her knees nearly buckled beneath her. Perhaps a larger arena would have been beneficial. Their faces would have been distant, shapeless portraits and ill-defined. Instead, she saw their dark eyes bearing down on her. The proximity was more terrifying than she anticipated. A droid caught her elbow and held her steady.
Where were her nestors? The last few hours had been a nightmare. Flung in a prison cell, nobody to talk to or advise her, she had no clue what to expect. It wasn’t until she stood before the judge, that the enormity of her offense hit her. The presence of Jago and Kriss helped, as had their attempt at seeking mercy on her behalf. But, it seemed to have failed. This grotesque ridiculing was not mercy.
She needed Jago and Kriss, more now than ever. And even though they were to punish her, she was sure of one thing—she trusted them, and that silver lining was what held her together. Over the last few days, those little moments of amorous affection had grown stronger. They were changing, becoming more protective of her and not because she was a precious thing that slaked their thirst for sex, but because they were beginning to treat her as something more important—a lover.
What she regretted was not being able to tell them why she had sought out the oracle. If they understood her predicament—the demands of those who used her for their darker plans—then maybe she could make them allies, too. The trust she felt toward them was gro
wing alongside the yearning for their affections, their love. What had they done to her?
She reached the pedestal, knowing in a moment that the droids would whip away her meager gown and leave her to face her fate naked. A steel arm reached out and she shriveled.
“Wait,” Kriss shouted. “You shall not touch her.”
The droids took a few steps back.
Jago joined his nestor, the pair of them emerged from out of the shadows. They carried nothing in their hands, no weapons or implements. Their faces were granite.
Shayla swallowed hard, but the lump refused to budge from her throat. They’d already forgotten what she meant to them, or so it seemed.
Jago halted right in front of her, and bent, so that his nose was level with her forehead. He glanced over his shoulder at the crowd, and there it was, what she needed from him—a look of disdain, almost resentment.
“Ignore them,” he whispered. “They’ll shout and jeer. It is the way. The humiliation is key. Focus on us.”
She nodded, too stunned to speak. She was more worried about pain.
Kriss handed Jago something small. Jago opened his hand. There was a small bottle in the palm of his hand. “Ull.”
She grimaced. “What good is that?”
“It is tainted with something. Something that will reduce both the pain and the impact of the spanking. However, it isn’t perfect. You’ll feel something like pain, and the heat, too. But not for too long.”
There would be a risk in using the ointment; the judge was present somewhere in the crowd, watching the proceedings. The extent of Jago’s concern for her well-being went beyond simply using his hand to spank her. He meant to protect her.
She leaned toward his ear. “Why are you doing this? Are you not angry with me? Don’t you want me properly punished?”
“You are being punished. Don’t doubt it. Kriss and I are very cross with you, because of the trouble you’ve caused.”
She blushed and lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I have to explain—”