Page 99 of Escape Velocity

“Good. You will show your strength to your husband—and that will spur him on to conquer the evil man. And when he comes back, you will be his reward.”

Pushing herself up, she stared at the group. “Why are you here?”

“To prepare you. Because you are the focus of this war. Your man risks his life for you.”

The words made her throat constrict. She wanted to scream that it was all a mistake. Max should just take her to some corner of the worlds where she could hide out for the rest of her life.

One of the young women reached out a hand and helped her stand. They led her to the side of the room, surrounding her as though they meant to hold her captive. In a way they did, not by physically restraining her, yet she felt as though she couldn’t move beyond their circle.

One by one they gave their names. Paulette, Jacqueline, Maura.

Paulette reached for the buttons at the front of Amber’s dress and slid them open. Jacqueline and Maura pulled the dress over her head, and she stood naked in the center of the group.

She wanted to slide one arm across her breasts and drop the other hand to hide the triangle of hair at the juncture of her legs, but she kept her arms at her sides.

Paulette picked up a jug and began to pour water over her body. It was warm and felt good against her skin. And it had a subtle scent that clung. Maura dipped a cloth in a bowl and gently washed her face.

“Raise your arms,” Camille said.

She did, and Jacqueline used foam and a device with a blade to scrape away the hair in her armpits. Paulette stooped down and did the same for her legs. When they were finished, they used more water to wash off the foam.

Paulette dried her, then Maura brought over a little pot of red coloring.

Amber made a small sound as the woman stroked a bit of it onto her nipples.

“Why are you doing that?” she managed to ask.

“Making them stand out.”

Camille brought over a dress. It was flowing but short, reaching just to her knees. And when she looked down, she saw that the bodice was filmy so that it showed off her breasts and the reddened nipples. They added a short vest, covering her breasts so that only Max would see it later.

Once she was clothed, they sat her down at a dressing table and began to work on her face. Max had done this several times, but his goal had always been to lessen her attractiveness.

When Camille held up a mirror, she saw that her looks had been enhanced. Her eyes were accented by blue coloring below her brows and on her lids. Her skin was smooth and pale. Her lips were redder than her nipples, and her cheeks looked touched with a permanent blush.

She stared at the woman who looked back at her, stunned by the effect.

“Yes,” Camille murmured; you will take all men’s breath away. And your husband will be stronger because he knows what he would lose if he failed.”

“He’s not my husband,” Amber blurted.

“Ah . . . but he wants to be.”

“He said it to protect me from your men.”

“He might think that, but really he imagines himself as your life partner.”

“How do you know?”

“I know men.”

As she spoke, she dressed Amber’s hair again, drawing it up and holding it with the small sheathed knife and a few more pins, then pulled down a few tendrils over her ears.

“Why do I need this?” she asked, touching the blade.

“Because women cannot always depend on men.”

The words made a wave of cold sweep over her. “Do you know something I don’t?”

---