SurrendersMischief by Alvania Scarborough Page B

disconnected it and added it to her growing pile of belongings.
Then, her stuff in one arm, and the ancient book tucked securely under the
other, she exited the ship.
    “All right, ladies. Now we see just what secrets the men
have kept from you.” She held up the small computer in a sign of victory then
led the small procession back inside the massive stone structure.
    Less than an eye blink after connecting the computer to the
terminal in the Great Hall, she had full access. Page after page of rules,
punishments and exceptions appeared on her screen. It was amazing the amount of
detail that went into governing the behavior of women. More than went into
governing the entire country-state, that was for certain. One section in
particular caught her eye.
    “Why that sorry bastard,” she muttered, staring in disbelief
at the screen. “He made me believe he was unaffected by the punishment.” She
looked up. “Did any of you realize that the men take a potion before
punishment?”
    All the women looked puzzled.
    “A potion to make them immune to sexual stimulation during
punishment,” she clarified. They shook their heads. “It is the reason they are
able to remain detached.” Riana watched as anger replaced puzzlement in the
women’s eyes. She could almost see the fire shoot from them. “So I guess that
means you didn’t know they coat their hands with a stimulant, either? One that
forces a woman to respond whether she wants to or not?” No wonder she hadn’t
been able to restrain her reactions to Darias’ touch from the first moment
she’d met him. The sorry bastard had left nothing to chance.
    “No. But it explains how I can be so angry and hurt and
still not be able to separate my mind and body from what Jaric is doing to me.”
It was the woman who’d escorted Darias to her, a tall statuesque brunette with
snapping brown eyes.
    Riana ducked her head to hide a grin. She had a feeling she
need not worry any longer about the men walking all over the women. Maybe she
ought to be more concerned about the men. She had a sneaking suspicion they
were in for a pretty rough time. She snorted. Served them right.
    The women looked from one to the other.
    “Where do we get this potion?” Bryta asked the question
Riana could see on all their faces. Her friend, it seemed, had been reluctantly
elected spokeswoman for the group.
    Riana allowed a slow, feral smile to spread across her face.
“We already have it.” She took pity of their confusion. “The badges contain
both the suppressant and the stimulant. No wonder they were so reluctant to
hand them over. Probably scared to death we’d discover their secret.” A chuckle
started down low and worked its way up as the irony of the situation hit Riana.
The symbol of the women’s new power also held their most powerful weapon. “Can
you just imagine the thoughts that must be zipping through their skulls? How
uneasy they must be, knowing we are attempting to break through the computer’s
guards?”
    “I’ll make Timoth more than uneasy,” one woman muttered
before a slow smile of anticipation curved her full lips.
    “I just bet you will.” And she wouldn’t be alone, not if the
expressions on the faces of the other women were any indication.
    * * * * *
    Well into late afternoon, Riana put a hand on her lower back
and stretched. Massaging the sharp pain in her back from sitting too long, she
stared at the computer screen.
    Well, well, well. No wonder Darias had been so adamant about
not approaching the Far Islands. She tapped one finger on the console and
considered the implications of what she’d found. She’d stumbled across a
hidden, triple-protected folder. Intrigued by the care he’d taken to protect
and hide the folder, she’d spent over an hour unlocking his security. And
discovered his very interesting personal journal.
    “Bryta, have you heard of a leader called Saria?” She kept
her voice low, not wanting the other women to know just yet what