Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
He’d inform Tuk that he wanted to have dinner in his room and for Calliope to join him. What was the point of going through with the nightly ritual when everyone knew he’d end up choosing her anyway?
To get to the harem’s room, he had to pass through the servants’ quarters. As he made his way down the hall, he halted when he spotted a small child standing in the middle of the hall. Where had she come from?
As he drew closer, he took a better look at her. She had the appearance of a human child and, if he wasn’t mistaken, she looked like a miniature version of Calliope. She had the same rich brown skin tone, and big brown eyes. What was the meaning of this? The child eyed him warily.
Kneeling before the pretty little girl, he asked, “Where do you belong, little one?”
The child looked him up and down, then poked her lip out. “I want Mama.”
“Can you tell me your name?” he tried again as patiently as he could. He didn’t have much experience with children and didn’t know if this was normal behavior or not.
“London. I want Mama.”
“London is your name?” It was an odd name to him, but he didn’t presume to know the minds of humans.
She nodded.
“What’s your mama’s name?”
“Mama,” the child answered, as though it were the simplest question in the world.
“Oh, Sire, I’m so sorry. I hope the little one didn’t get in your way.” Nola, one of his servants, ran over to him and grabbed the child by the arm.
“What is this child doing here? And who does she belong to?”
Nola’s mouth gaped open then closed.
Blaze tapped his foot impatiently. “I’m waiting, Nola.”
“Well, Tuk told me to watch her,” the woman stalled.
“That doesn’t answer my question. I would hate to dismiss you over something as simple as this, seeing as you’ve served me well.”
“But you can’t do that!” Nola protested and then, remembering herself, she bowed her head. “Please forgive my rash tongue, Sire, but I was only following Tuk’s orders. The child came with your newest concubine. This is her daughter,” the woman confessed.
His suspicions were confirmed and confusion seeped in. Why would Tuk and Darus bring a child back with them? That certainly wasn’t protocol. But what bothered him the most was that Calliope hadn’t mentioned her daughter.
Hurt rose within his breast. He looked down again at the little girl whose resemblance to her mother was uncanny.
“I want Mama,” she said again.
“Nola, what has the child been doing all this time?”
Not raising her bowed head, the servant woman answered, “Mainly she stays with me while I do my duties. She’s a good girl.”
“Hmm. Take her with you and make sure that some toys are purchased for her at market. I believe little girls like dolls.”
“Yes, Sire. Of course. Come along, London, and I’ll see if cook will fix you a nice treat.” She took the child by the hand and led her off.
He couldn’t get to Calliope or Tuk fast enough for one of them to explain what this was all about. How dare they keep this from him?
When he burst into the harem’s chambers, several of the women who’d been lying around stood up immediately and ran over to him, but he only had eyes for the woman sitting by the window looking out of it so longingly.
“Greetings, Sire. What honor you bestow on us to visit in the middle of the day like this,” Vesta, one of his concubines, cooed.
“Where’s Tuk?” he demanded.
“She’s gone to see to things for tonight’s dinner, but she said she’d return shortly,” another concubine answered.
His eyes never left Calliope who had turned her head to see him. She looked faintly surprised and rose from her spot. Not waiting for her to walk to him, he went to her. “I wish to have a word with you… in private. Come with me. Ladies, you will inform Tuk where Calliope is I’m sure,” he said ignoring the looks of disappointment on his other concubines’ faces.
He grasped Calliope by the elbow and led her out of the room.
“They already hate me. Now they’ll hate me even more,” she said solemnly.
Blaze paused for a moment but continued on. He probably shouldn’t have singled her out in front of the other women like that, but dammit, he’d been so eager to see her, and now he wanted answers. Needed answers.
He led her out to the mechanical garden.
“This is nice. I think it’s the first time I’ve actually been outside since I’ve been here,” she sighed, then took a whiff of air. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen flowers quite like this before.”
Blaze motioned for her to sit on a long stone bench. “During the chemical war, most of the vegetation on this planet was wiped out. Almost everything that grows now is by machine. Some of the crops and flowers are new creations. They’re nice, but I miss the real thing.”