Page 70 of Caged By Dance and Desire

Mathen inhaled sharply. “He’s not going towhipyou.” He sounded scandalized. “We are not barbarians.”

Well, excuse me.

Andrei dropped the whip. “I won’t whip you this time. It’s a first offense. Leniency is called for.”

Theland placed an armless wood chair behind Andrei, who beckoned to me. “Come, Hasannah.”

I rose, staring at him as he sat straight backed on the stool.

“Mathen failed his duty,” Andrei said, “but you placed yourself in danger, and therefore all of us and the House as well.”

I wet my bottom lip, moving to stand in front of him.

“What are you going to do?” I had a decent idea. My imagination wasn’t as poor as Constin thought.

“Do you agree to the punishment, Hasannah?” he asked, gaze inscrutable. The High Lord, not my bonded.

How could I say no after tonight? After listening to the negotiations, after knowing how many people could have died? After watching Mathen be punished for the crime of being manipulated by me?

“I agree.”

He slid hands around my hips and drew me down, draping me on my front over his lap.

“Twenty strikes,” he said. “By my hand.”

Andrei pulled my gown up, exposing my thighs and buttocks as I tensed, bracing myself. My hair fell to cover my face, and my humiliation.

Well-deserved humiliation. I derived certainty from the image of Mathen, kneeling and silent and proud, accepting the consequences of his perceived error.

It wasn’t fair.

“It’s not fair,” I said.

Andrei’s palm settled on my bare buttock. “You agreed.” His voice, now, was even chillier.

I struggled to push up. “I do agree. It’s not fair Mathen took the whip and I—” I faltered, glancing at the hand that had fallen to his side. “That I take a hand. Like a child.”

He studied me. “You are a child. It’s an appropriate punishment.”

“I’m not a child. Or I wouldn’t be here. Unless you take children as consorts.”

Not even that filthy, pointed insult moved him. His eyes, the alien expression behind them, didn’t alter. “You want me to whip you?”

“I want equity.”

“This is equity, Lady.” Mathen stood, the warning in his voice directed at Andrei. “A whip is not for you. You are new to our customs and young and. . .more easily harmed. A hand is appropriate. Trust me, it won’t be without pain.”

Andrei waited.

I twisted to glare at Constin. “Don’t lie to me.”

He lifted a brow, then nodded.

“Is it fair?”

“It’s fair.” Constin paused. “Let’s learn to toddle, Anah. There will be plenty of future opportunities for correction.” Dark amusement flitted across his face. He’d loosed his hair, and the silvery strands framed his cheekbones and streamed over hisshoulders. “Especially if you turn out like Theland, and enjoy getting in trouble on purpose.”

I wasn’t going to think about that. “All right.” I settled back down.

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