SurrendersMischief by Alvania Scarborough

prepare to greet your new
mistress in a manner that befits her station. Before you leave, turn over your
Badge of Rank to your wife or mistress. Unclaimed men give your Badge to Bryta,
my first-in-command.” Riana turned toward Darias. “Go wait in my chambers until
I send for you.”
    A muscle jumped in his jaw as he spun about on heel and
stalked with the grace of a hunting panthra to the stairs.
    In a surprisingly short amount of time, the Great Hall was
cleared of men, and Riana sat, ensconced, in Darias’ chair, at the head of the
Council table. She stroked the aged, gleaming wood of the arms. The chair felt
good, almost as good as her chair on the Midnight Mischief .
    She’d done it. She’d really done it. She now ruled Darias
instead of the other way around. She allowed herself a moment to savor that
fact. A babble of feminine voices assaulted her ears as the women in the room
tried to get her attention at same time.
    Unfortunately, that meant she also ruled Nexar.
    A plan. She needed a plan. Biting her lip to keep the
incipient panic from erupting into full-blown, I-want-to-leave-the-planet-now
panic, Riana decided to tackle the situation the same way she would when
planning an extended trade mission.
    One step at a time.
    The first step was to learn as much as possible about the
running of Nexar. She flashed the women a reassuring smile and prayed they
couldn’t see her pulse tripping at light speed. “Now, first and foremost, we
need to familiarize ourselves with the rules governing Nexar.” She tapped at
the keyboard embedded in the table. Large letters flashed across the recessed
screen. ACCESS DENIED. PASSWORD REQUIRED.
    “Does anyone know the access code for the computer?” A frown
tugged at her brow as a kernel of knowledge tried to work its way to the
forefront of her mind. Almost as if she were missing something key. She gave a
mental shrug when it continued to hover just out of reach. Whatever it was
would come to her sooner or later.
    Bryta, on Riana’s right, cleared her throat. “No.” She
glanced at the other women, encouraged by their silent support. “The Supreme
Chief, I mean, Darias, was the only one with full access.”
    Of course he was. The man was a flipping control freak.
Chagrined at having to ask for his help this early in the game, she motioned to
a tall statuesque woman. “You, there, by the door. Escort Darias to me.” Riana
was furious with herself. Where were her brains? She should have realized he
would never leave a system as important as the government’s computer
unprotected. She should have gotten the password before dismissing him. Sharri
would laugh herself silly at her predicament. She’d often chided Riana for
being too detail oriented.
    Boot heels rang out against the stone, loud in a room filled
with slipper-clad women, as Darias strode into the huge room. He bowed his head
as he came to a halt. The gesture stopped just short of insolent.
    “You sent for me, my lady?” Even his question, on the
surface proper, spoke of his controlled rage.
    “What is the access code for Nexar’s main computer?”
    “I am a slave, my lady, and unworthy of such knowledge.”
    “Until an hour ago, you were Supreme Chief and the only one
with the knowledge.” Riana began drumming her fingers on the chair arm.
    His eyes focused on the betraying gesture.
    She stopped immediately.
    “An hour ago I was not a slave.”
    “You gave me your word as Supreme Chief and warrior to
obey.”
    “As slave, I have no knowledge of the information you
request. As warrior, it is my duty to deny you that information.”
    “Was your duty,” she reminded him. “You are no longer a
warrior, but a slave. My slave.”
    Several men drifted in from the hallway, no longer trying to
remain unobtrusive. The anticipation from both the women and men around her
simmered on the air. The women, aware that his actions were a deliberate
affront to her authority, were waiting to see if she had the nerve to