And he also thought—
“Ah, Lilliana—there you are. Finally out of bed, I see.” Mistress Mirabella’s sharp, shrewish voice cut through the thoughts in his head as cleanly as a laser cutting through clay.
“Oh, hello Mother.” Lilli looked up quickly and put down the piece of toasted pengu bread she’d been eating. “How are you this morning?”
“This morning?” Lady Mirabella sniffed. “Why it’s nearly afternoon by now. Honestly, Lilli, what were you doing in bed so long today?”
Lilli’s cheeks went red and she started to stutter out a reply. But Mistress Mirabella cut her off with a wave of her hand.
“I understand if you feel the need to self-pleasure. Lady Tempertant did tell me that the quick-grow hormones you were injected with would cause increased libido. Tell me, do you need any toys?”
“T-toys?” Lilli stuttered, her face scarlet.
“Oh, of course you do.” Mistress Mirabella snapped her fingers. “Because those wretched Sisters of Chastity and Humility wouldn’t allow you to have any. Well, I’ll have a selection sent up to your rooms for later, when you have time.”
“Um, thank you, Mother,” Lilli said faintly. She looked mortified, poor thing, Karn thought. Clearly she still wasn’t used to the blatant sexuality of the Yonnite culture. Though she appeared to have no problem opening up to him. He couldn’t help remembering the way she’d spread her legs for him and moaned as he explored her pussy…
“…out all day today.” Lady Mirabella’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts again.
“Where will you go?” Lilli asked, looking up at her mother.
“Out on business. I won’t require you to accompany me today, as I know you’re still breaking in your new bodyslave,” her mother said. She gave Karn a sharp look. “How he working out, by the way?”
“Oh, good!” Lilli said quickly. “Excellent, in fact. You were right, Mother—he was an excellent choice.”
“Well…I am a good judge of bodyslaves, if I do say so myself.” Lady Mirabella preened briefly before getting back to business. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re pleased with him. Why don’t you spend the rest of the day making certain he’s ready to make a good showing at the awards ceremony tonight and I’ll meet you back here by six to pick you up?”
“Where is the ceremony being held?” Lilli asked.
“Oh, the old Zangelo building—but only because it’s been planned for months,” Mistress Mirabella said. “Though after what happened there, I think people would have liked to move it if they could. Still, we’ll be two floors down from the residence where it happened so there’s no need to think about it if you don’t want to.”
“Where what happened?” Lilli asked, looking confused.
“Never mind.” Lady Mirabella looked at the jeweled chronometer strapped to her wrist. “Oh, is that the time? I must run! I’ll see you tonight at six, Lilliana. See that you’re ready to go!” she ordered and strode quickly out of the breakfast nook where Lilli was dining.
“I wonder what that was all about?” Lilli murmured to Karn as her mother swept from the room. “What could have happened at the Zangelo building?”
“Dunno.” Karn shrugged. He was more interested in getting into Mistress Mirabella’s files and sending the list of Kindred bodyslaves straight to Commander Sylvan. It was possible he might even be done with his mission by tonight!
Not that he was ready to leave yet, he thought, looking at Lilli’s lovely face. He ought to at least stay with her until the end of the week when she went to the conception center. His little Mistress needed him for moral support—especially when it came to going against her overbearing mother’s orders.
I’ll see her through this difficult time, he thought to himself. It’s the least I can do for her, after she’s been so kind to me.
He didn’t admit, even to himself, that he was looking for any excuse not to leave her side. His heart, so long completely untouchable, was already beginning to become entangled in the soft, silky web of desire, longing, and love. But Karn refused to examine the feelings growing inside him for his little Mistress.
After all, he had a mission to complete and no time for anything else—or so he told himself.
Twenty-Two
“This is Mother’s secret study,” Lilli explained, pressing in the code exactly as she’d been taught.
“I see.” And he did—Karn kept a watchful eye on the combination, memorizing it as she punched it in. This was almost too easy, he thought. In all his years in the Kindred Elite Espionage Corps, he’d never just been handed the information