Page 39 of Golden Darkness
“Well, I feel fucking fancy.”
The stylist smiled. “You look beautiful, my lady. Overlord Kethen will be proud to have you at his side.”
“I already am. Pet, you are stunning. I don’t want to head down to see Mrkana.”
The stylist smiled. “If you undo my work before you show it off, I will be unhappy, Overlord.”
Kethen chuckled and walked around Janessa. He handed Janessa a tablet, and she started to read on automatic. It was the bond contract.
She read it and blinked at the contract value. “Uh, Kethen, this doesn’t look right?”
“Aren’t your manicures accounted for?” He smiled.
“I am pretty sure they are. Why are you giving me an entire moon filled with minerals?”
“Because that is your value. I would do more, but I don’t have a current assessment, so I will offer you more at the next renewal.” He smiled. “In the meantime, your allowance should cover it.”
She kept reading and swayed. He caught her by the arm. “Easy, Pet.”
“That’s too much. I don’t need that much.”
He caressed her bare back. “It is needed for appearances. These bond contracts are public knowledge. It needs to be impressive and shocking for folks to want to return you to me or tremble in fear of my coming to them. The financial aspect is proof that you have value to me.”
“Uh-huh. I am not comfortable with this.”
He laughed and leaned down to kiss her neck. “Sign it. I want you as safe as can be now that we are leaving the ship.”
She scowled at him. “Stop doing that.”
He continued to mouth her neck. “You are going to do what I ask, or I am never going to let you out of my bed.”
She snorted. “Extortion. Nice.”
She signed the document, let the tablet scan her eyes, and a tiny needle popped out for genetic confirmation. In the universe outside of Earth, she now had social standing. It was bizarre.
Janessa handed the tablet back to Kethen, and his eyes glowed gold. She flicked her gaze away, and she blushed. “Um, don’t we have to go?”
He chuckled and kissed her just above the golden mark that had been drawn on her forehead. “We do, but you look lovely, and I will express that later. At length.”
Janessa blushed, and he took her hand. “Time to go, Pet.”
She nodded and walked with him through the ship to startled and respectful looks. They entered one of the upper decks, and armed crew were with them.
She was walked through the shuttle and settled in an extremely comfortable seat next to the narrow-backed seat that Kethen would use.
Kethen returned and sat next to her and held her hand.
“So, what is your sister like?”
He chuckled. “She is enjoying her first child with her consort. She has been trying for over a century. So, I will bring her diadem to her, and she will meet you.”
“Someone stole her headpiece?”
“No. One of my worlds specializes in communication crystals like the one the archive has been copied to. She wished for one to record events as her child grew.”
“Oh, geez, is she pissed that it’s late?”
He chuckled. “Only four months late. She will understand.”