“Drive!” he commanded. I started the car and drove down the ramp and out of the car park. I was directed on a ten minute drive which ended on a qu...et industrial estate on the edge of town. I was told to pull up outside a large lock up garage and made to get out. I asked them to take our money, watches and the car, just don’t hurt us, I was told again to shut up. The two young men, forced us into the large dark lock up garage. I say men because that’s what they were. Their manner of dress made. "Concubines," I announced, "all of you will attend training classes in concubine self-defense. You will learn how to prevent yourself from becoming the next Hillary. There are legitimate reasons for a concubine to use force on a sponsor—you'll learn when and how to apply the right amount of force. You'll learn how to surrender and survive when you're forbidden force. Don't become the next Hillary."The next gruesome duty was supervising the concubines as they filed past the dead Hillary. Several. "You're that brand who dishonoured the Proving! You were supposed to have been executed!"Wordlessly, Alistair and I flanked the dwarf, and I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him before he could respond. "Good sers, you should be thanking this man, not arresting him. He was only in the Proving because the old Carta leader, Beraht, threatened his family. And you have him to thank for the deaths both of Beraht himself, but also Jarvia, his second who's been leading the Carta since Beraht's. I felt better&hellip, Whatever Alec had put in my drink, the effects had worn off. I looked up at Alec and smiled. He smiled back. He knew my answer. Alec pulled off his pants to expose his white boxers with green designs. He then came over to me and pulled my shirt off of my chest and undid the button holding my pants on. I can do it. I said. I slid off my pants and stood up. Alecs hands were going for his boxers but I pushed them away. I got on my knees in front of him and pulled them down.