"Hold up the earrings next to it," he said. She did, gasping. He watched her face, but he already knew what she was seeing. The delicate tracery of the wires and beads, held at exactly the right angle, matched his tattoo exactly. There could be no mistaking it.
"Do you believe me now?" he asked.
"You could have had those given to Karya," she said, shaking her head.
"Yes, I could have," he replied. "But how would have I arranged for her to give them to you? You know I’m telling the truth."
She was silent, a single tear welling up.
"I wish you weren't," she said. "How could all those people be dead, and none of us know about it?"
"He's not sane," Drake replied, filled with compassion for her. He remembered when he'd first heard the news, and realized that he no longer had a choice in fighting the Emperor. "Will you help us?"
"Yes," she whispered, reaching one hand up to wipe away the tears. "Yes, I will," she added, her voice stronger. He detected a note of steel in her tone, and he sighed with relief. Karya hadn't underestimated her.
"It's going to be very difficult for you," he said. "You're going to become my mistress. The Guild is going to expel you for turning against them, and you'll be publicly humiliated."
"I understand," she said, nodding her head with quiet dignity.
"When we go to Tyre, you'll be an outcast among the Guild members. And you'll be an outsider among the nobles. They won't look upon you as an equal, you know."
"I can handle that."
"There's one more thing," he said, “and this may be the hardest part of all. Within a day or two I can guarantee that the Emperor's people will contact you, try to recruit you to spy on me. You'll have to agree with them, and you'll have to keep up a convincing front that you're working against me."
"How will you know I'm not working against you?" she asked, looking at him coolly. All traces of tears were gone now.
"Because 25,000 of your Guild sisters will be counting on you to bring some kind of meaning to their deaths," he said. "Even if you betrayed me, I know you wouldn't betray them. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes," she replied. "We have a deal."
"Good," he said. He pressed a small button against the wall, and spoke with a commanding voice,
"Please send us a tray of fruits, cheeses and wines."
"Yes, Your Grace," a disembodied voice replied. Drake turned back to her.
"In order for us to speak privately, I had to arrange for a 'random' power failure that cut off Imperial surveillance of this room. Ordering the food was the signal to restore the power, so they won't get suspicious and realize I know about their bugs. We have about three minutes until the power disruption ends," he added. "I'd like for them to think we've been doing things other than talking this entire time."
He gestured toward the bed, and she nodded, walking toward it quickly while shrugging out of her gown. She jumped up the three steps surrounding the high, canopied platform seemingly without a thought for her nudity, but Drake was struck silent by the sight of her. She was exquisite, perfect. Her soft, round butt swayed as she walked away from him. Her long, blonde hair hung to her waist in perfect ringlets. How did she do that, keep it so perfect even after all they'd done earlier?
"Drake, are you coming?" she asked, looking back to him with concern on her face. "We don't have much time."
He couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. The most beautiful woman he'd ever met was on his bed, demanding that he join her, and there wasn't even a hint of sexuality in her movements. It was just too funny.
She stared at him, confused. "What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he replied, shaking his head. "It's not important."
He walked slowly toward her. She had turned around on the bed, and he could just see her pink ni**les peeking out through the curtain of her hair. He could feel himself hardening as he moved closer, his erect c**k swaying and his balls tightening up in anticipation.
She was smiling now, leaning back on her elbows and her legs spread out wide before her. Her cunt was open and waiting for him.
"Come here," she whispered. "You know, before I never even got the chance to touch you, Drake, but if you're going to be taking me on as your mistress than I think you should probably get a taste of what I bring to the table. I may be retired, but I was very good at my job."
He climbed up onto the bed, looming over her. She reached down with one hand and firmly grabbed his erection, holding it just a little too tightly for comfort.
"I'm in this now," she whispered, her face all innocence. "But don't forget that you're in it with me. Screw me or my Guild over and I'll take you with me." She twisted him ever so lightly, for emphasis.
He froze, startled.
"I won't," he whispered, his mouth coming down over hers in a gentle kiss. She kept her hold on him, but loosened her fingers, sliding them up and down his hard length. He shuddered, sensation running from his center up his spine. She pulled her mouth away from his, and looked up at him.
"We're out of time," he said. "We've got to make this look good."
"That won't be a hardship," she replied softly. "Now, get on your back. I plan to charge you a great deal of money to be your mistress. I'd better start earning it."
He rolled onto his back, watching her as she moved to straddle him. She slowly lowered herself until he could feel her hot, moist cunt brush against him. His hips pushed up against her, trying to get in, but she pulled away.
"Oh, no," she said. "That's far too easy, Drake. Like I said, I want to earn my money."
She leaned over him, rubbing her br**sts against his chest sensuously. Her ni**les were tight, hard pebbles against him, and he groaned in pleasure. Then she kissed him, her lips light and moist against his.
She teased him, nipping and lapping at him, then dropping little kisses along his jaw and neck. Her mouth worked its way lower, trailing fire along his chest. Lower and lower she moved, and then one hand was gripping the length of his cock. Her lips were almost there, and she felt his stomach muscles clench in anticipation.
She looked up at him through her veil of hair, her eyes filled with a look of power that said he might be ruler of the world, but for that moment she was his ruler. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back, content to be under her control for now.
Her tongue slipped out, tracing the little ridge that ringed the head of his cock. He shivered, quivering at her touch. She grasped him firmly in her hand, then pulled down on his skin. He felt sensitive, exposed.