The Captain’s Prize

Chapter 1

The walk along the north corridor felt painfully long that morning. Astra glanced at the colourful windows as she passed, trying to gauge the time. Soon, the sun would rise, splashing colour across the floor. But for now, she walked in shadows, her head high despite the paint smudged beneath her eyes and bare lips. She had spent so much time perfecting that lip line the night prior.

A maid came towards her, nodding a greeting as she passed. There was no judgement, no pity, just a brief acknowledgement of her existence. More footsteps approached, and Astra held her breath. A servant walked by, frowning in her direction. Definitely some judgement this time. She set her cold eyes on him, and he looked away. Her inner critic was loud enough without the disapproval of those who cleaned the mud off her boots.

For the first time since arriving at Archdale, Astra was not returning from King Pandarus’s chambers. The evening had not gone to plan—not her plan, anyway. She was supposed to be the star attraction, admired at a distance as she had always been. Sure, Pandarus barely looked in her direction nowadays, but plenty of others did. Her role was to ensure the guests were at ease, fill their cups, speak to them in their language, pay attention to every word that passed their lips. Smile, laugh in that way that made men feel good about themselves, and play the harp like no one else could. That was her talent, after all, the thing that separated her from the others. No other Companion came close.

It was the first time King Tuyon of Asigow had visited Syrasan, and King Pandarus was eager to make a good impression. The women had joked that he might offer his firstborn son as a welcoming gift. But he had not done that—he had offered Astra instead. What bigger gesture was there than to offer one’s prize Companion.

Astra forced her hands open as every muscle in her body grew rigid with the memories. Despite his rather dominating tendencies in bed, she had performed her role perfectly. He had been completely unaware of the repulsion, the disconnect.

She reminded herself to breathe.

‘Good girl,’ her mentor would say. ‘Now go wash off the stench of your vile act.’

Maybe not those exact words.

Now Astra had to face the other Companions, who would be so pleased to witness her fall. She could hardly blame them. Ten years was a lifetime for a Companion.

As she neared their quarters, she could feel a headache starting behind her eyes. They were becoming a regular occurrence.

‘That is part of ageing,’ Panthea had said with a smirk.

‘Likely stress,’ the physician had said when Fedora had insisted she be examined.

Astra paused outside the main room, eyes sinking shut for a moment. She could hear Mira, Pandarus’s latest purchase, humming inside. God, she was the last person Astra wanted to see. Taking a few deep breaths, she walked into the room, where she was met with the warmth of the fire and the smell of hot soup.

‘Morning’ came Mira’s sweet voice.

Astra could tell by her smug expression that she knew. ‘Good morning.’ She made her way over to the fire, rubbing her hands together in front of the flames. The heat made little difference to her icy hands.

Mira resumed humming. It was the song she had sung at the feast the evening prior, the one that had brought kings to their feet. The applause had gone on and on, Astra forced to clap along with them until they finally sank down into their seats. The new Companion was only seventeen, her entire future ahead of her.

‘Are the others here?’ Astra asked, not looking away from the fire. She might be spared some embarrassment if they were not.

Mira flitted around the large table straightening the cutlery, all fresh-faced and energetic. ‘Only Violeta. She is taking a bath.’

Astra tried to remember if she had been the same at that age. Her chest tightened when she realised how many years ago that was.

Fedora entered the room and stopped when she spotted Astra. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘I did not know you were back.’ She looked Astra over before asking, ‘How did it go with King Tuyon?’

Did she really expect an honest answer in front of Mira? ‘Very well.’

Fedora’s gaze flicked to the new Companion, who had stilled to listen. ‘As you were.’ Once Mira resumed fiddling with the items on the table, the mentor returned her attention to Astra. ‘You go and take a bath. We can speak later.’

Astra blinked, eyes heavy. King Tuyon had fallen asleep before dismissing her. Trapped beneath one heavily muscled leg, she had been forced to stare at the roof of his bedchamber until he woke. ‘Yes, my lady.’

Fedora cleared her throat. ‘And do not forget your herbs.’

Astra never forgot her herbs.

‘I can assist you if you would like,’ Mira offered.

Astra regarded the girl for a moment. Always so helpful. On top of that, she could sing, dance, play the flute, already spoke two languages before coming to Archdale, and seemed to pick up everything else at twice the speed of the average Companion. Fedora had always said that some women were born for the role. Mira was one of them.

‘That will not be necessary.’ Turning, she stepped past Fedora and exited through the door on the other side. She walked down the passageway to the bathing room, relieved to find it empty. Violeta must have gone to dress.

Leaning against the wall, Astra took a moment. That was all she would give herself, one moment. Then no tears, overthinking, self-pity, or replaying the events of the night in her mind. It was done. It was over. And it was just one evening. It was not as though she had been handed over to some random guest. King Tuyon ruled the Asigow empire. In many ways, it was an honour.

Pushing off the wall, Astra walked over to the steaming tub and tugged down her dress. She let it fall to the wet floor, standing on it as she pulled off her undergarments, dumping those also. The maids could burn them for all she cared. She would never wear them again.

Astra climbed into the tub and lowered herself into the water. Her gaze fell to the purple mark on her left breast, and a spark of anger coursed through her. It was bad enough that she had to endure Tuyon’s company for an entire evening, but now she would be reminded of it every time she was naked.

Her fingernails turned white as she held the edge of the bath. Not too much longer, she told herself. She had performed her role without fault for a decade. She was the longest-serving royal Companion and the obvious next choice for mentor. While Fedora was still beautiful in her forties and able to perform the role, every mentor had an expiration date—as did every Companion. At twenty-six, Astra had all the experience one needed for the role, while encompassing everything it represented. Pandarus owed her that much.

Letting go of the tub, Astra sank beneath the water’s surface, washing away her sins. She watched bubbles rise from her mouth.

Just a little longer.