Page 25 of Own to Obey

Kardos’ jaw hardened. “How so? It seemed to me that you are only thinking of yourself and your pussy. I thought it was extremely clear to anyone I fuck that I do not want ownership of them.”

“I do not expect you to want ownership of me,” Anata said, unfolding her legs and standing, her hip dropped onto one leg. “I'm talking of your situation back home. When you were taking your pleasures with me and the other women, that was normal behavior for a shinno in your position. What you are doing with this small little thing, is not.”

Kardos growled, his fury spiked at her audacity. “How dare you speak to me as though you are concerned about my leadership,” he bellowed. “It is not your place to interfere with anything like that. You do your job as required for the tribe and that is it.”

“It is my cousin who is in Tribe Obari—”

“Tribe Obari?” Kardos spat with disgust. “Where exactly do your loyalties lie? Because if it is not with Tribe Nyek, you do not belong here.”

Anata's face dropped as she suddenly realized what he was saying. Her concern about anything other than her own tribe was considered treason as far as many tribe members across all tribes were concerned. It would have been better for her to say that she was jealous, rather than bring up an inter-tribe matter that had absolutely nothing to do with her.

When she said nothing more, Kardos stepped forward, his face contorted. “You will not be fucked by anyone for the next season for this interference and if you approach that woman again, you will be expelled from this tribe. Do you understand?”

Anata nodded, all bravado dropped away from her stance, her face and her voice. For someone like Anata, four months of no sex was like torture.

“Get back to your chores,” Kardos ordered. But as he turned to go, she spoke again, this time her voice weary and defeatist.

“Who is she?” Her voice shook, as though she was afraid of asking the question. And although it was reasonable for any tribe member to ask, she should have better judgment than to ask it now. “No one has been told of a new tribe member.”

“That is none of your fucking business,” Kardos said menacingly. “I will announce information to the tribe when I'm ready. It is not for you to seek knowledge and interfere with my affairs and work against my will.”

“Of course,” Anata mumbled. “I apologize, my shinno. Please send her my apologies.”

“You are not important enough for her to hear your apologies,” Kardos snapped. “Do not think of her again.”

Upon leaving her, a thought occurred to Kardos, and he headed to see Zolt, who would be in the meeting room drawing up schedules for each area of the ship.

As he entered, Zolt placed down the schedule he was working on and nodded in greeting. “I was about to come and find you. What are your thoughts on having a celebration during the two-day break? Some of the members have been asking about it. It's been a while since you've had any kind of celebration gathering… Would you approve it?”

Kardos closed the door behind him. “What did you tell Anata?”

Zolt frowned. “Anata? Nothing. Why?”

“She discovered Shaya, and entered her cabin and threatened her.”

Zolt's face smoothed in understanding. “Ah. She came and asked if we picked up any new guests when we left the Western Lands. I told her about the bondmaids, which most of the tribe know about. She then asked if there was anyone else, and I said that you would announce anything further when you are ready.”

Kardos exhaled in annoyance. “That basically tells her that there is someone.”

Zolt blinked. “You wanted me to lie?”

“Yes,” Kardos shot at him, hardly believing he had to fucking spell it out. “I do not want anyone to know of her existence, Zoltan. Even implying that there could be someone else other than the bondmaids on the ship is dangerous for her. What if Anata had attacked?”

Zolt frowned and shook his shaggy head, confused. “But Anata wouldn't have any reason to attack her, unless your behavior changed…” A new understanding jolted into Zolt’s eyes and he slowly rose to his feet. “You stopped fucking her,” he said plainly. “And you have probably stopped fucking all the other women, that is why she became so concerned.”

“Who I fuck isnother burden,” Kardos said, sharply. “It is not cause for her to seek out information that I have not announced, and threaten somebody who is supposed to be special to our Lands.”

“That is true,” Zolt agreed. “But you must know that many tribe members make it their business to know the movements of the shinnos and tribe leaders, and not just tribeswomen. It is important, what you do, because your actions have consequences for us all. What she did was actually not that unusual.”

“If that was the case, they would all be doing it,” Kardos shot back. “And none of them are, only her. Everyone is working triple shifts—who I fuck shouldn’t be a priority for anyone right now.”

Zolt thought for a moment. “True,” he admitted. “Did she explain why?”

“She mentioned Tribe Obari.”

“Hmm.” Zolt's face was grim. “That is not good at all.”

“No. I dealt with it, Zolt,” Kardos said, warning tone embracing his words. “But you must lie next time. Roza told me it is important that the Omega does not have a negative opinion of our culture. And I'm beginning to believe that that is what has already happened.”

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