Concubinage

Concubinage by L. E. Bryce Phaze www.phaze.com Copyright ©2008 by L.E. Bryce NOTICE: This eBook is licensed to the o...

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Concubinage by L. E. Bryce

Phaze www.phaze.com

Copyright ©2008 by L.E. Bryce

NOTICE: This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution to any person via email, floppy disk, network, print out, or any other means is a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines and/or imprisonment. This notice overrides the Adobe Reader permissions which are erroneous. This eBook cannot be legally lent or given to others. This eBook is displayed using 100% recycled electrons.

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Published by Phaze Books Also by L.E. Bryce Dead to the World My Sun and Stars Ki'iri Becoming The Golden Lotus This is an explicit and erotic novel intended for the enjoyment of adult readers. Please keep out of the hands of children. www.Phaze.com

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Concubinage a novella of homoerotic romance by L.E. BRYCE

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Concubinage copyright 2007, 2008 by L.E. Bryce All rights reserved under the International and PanAmerican Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. 11This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. A Phaze Production Phaze Books 6470A Glenway Avenue, #109 Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222 Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC. To order additional copies of this book, contact: [email protected] www.Phaze.com 5


Cover art © 2007,Debi Lewis Edited by Kathryn Lively eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-59426-798-7 eBook ISBN-10: 1-59426-798-7 First Edition—January, 2008 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

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Chapter One "My dear, you have been out in the sun today, haven't you?" Hanithi evaded the question with a polite smile. His escort, a wine merchant from Akkil, lacked the status to secure a place within the temple of Shalat, forcing Hanithi to watch the High Prince's procession from the plaza among scores of other middle-ranking courtesans. The omission did not smart quite as much as the humiliation of being forced out from underneath the sunshade by Nesper's ample girth. "You must take greater care with your complexion, my dear," said his hostess. Wrinkling a sunburned nose, wincing at the mild discomfort, Hanithi assured her that he would. "Your advice is precious to me, my lady," he said. Tanarharit, her attention already on her next guest, urged him to enjoy the hospitality of her house. While the merchant gravitated toward the servants bearing trays of food and wine, Hanithi sidled past milling nobles, tradesmen, and courtesans, dodging inquiries from attentive slaves as he left the atrium and stepped outside. A secluded garden beckoned just off the inner courtyard, down a shaded walk. In summer, ripe herbs and fruit trees would make this a fragrant oasis, cooled by the fountain at its center. For now, it simply offered a pleasant retreat in which to enjoy the final hours of a warm spring afternoon. 7


"What is such a lovely akharu doing without a companion?" asked a voice. Sitting on the wide edge of the pool, a young man trailed long fingers through the water. Beaded sandals lay discarded on the tiles below him. "You do not seem to have one either," replied Hanithi. The young man, who could not be older than twenty, had the beardless, indolent look of a well-bred courtesan. In short, a potential rival. Laughter greeted his remark. "Rest assured that I did not come alone. Sadly, though, my client prefers to celebrate this holy day with business rather than the pleasure of my company. But come, whoever chose that pink garland for you? It clashes horribly with your robe." Hanithi, ready to turn on his heel and return to the atrium, frowned at him. "Unless you mean to exchange garlands with me, spare me your comments," he said crossly. "It is rude." Still laughing, now slipping his garland of white flowers over his head, the young man tossed it to him. "If you prefer mine, it is yours for the asking," he said. "I am Inandré, by the way, and you still have not answered my question. How does such a lovely courtesan manage to be without a companion on the day of the Great Marriage?" Hanithi could not decide which bothered him more: Inandré's lazy, seductive manner or his ready laughter. "I never said I was alone." "Oh, but you are!" said Inandré, grinning. "How else do I find you here, so forlorn and eager for my conversation?" 8


"Had I known I would be so accosted, I would have stayed inside," replied Hanithi. Inandré chuckled. "Your sweet blush tells me otherwise. Now tell me truly: why are you not with your client?" "Because at this moment he prefers a good meal over good company," said Hanithi. "I am sure he will want me later, but right now I have had too much to do with crowds of people. I desired a few moments of quiet. Sadly—" He glared meaningfully at Inandré. "It seems to have eluded me." Inandré watched him with intent dark eyes. "That pink garland still looks horrid on you," he commented. "Come, take that off and I will give you mine." "It will look no better on you." "When men look at me they are not thinking about the flowers around my neck, except how to get them and everything else off me," laughed Inandré. "As for the women, they are usually eating themselves with envy over my jewelry or wanting to know the name of my designer. At least I will have the pleasure of seeing you wear my flowers." "You are shameless." "A modest courtesan rarely finds success. When I want something, I pursue it—and what I want right now is that horrid garland from around your neck." Hanithi removed the flowers and started to hand them to Inandré, but to his surprise the young man gracefully rose and bowed his head. "I will appreciate it more if you put it on me yourself." "Are you flirting with me?" asked Hanithi. "Yes, and shamelessly." 9


"Should akhari be doing that with their peers?" Inandré purred as the garland slipped over his head and draped over his shoulders. "If you have to ask, then you obviously have not been a courtesan for very long." Hanithi stepped away, taking a seat on the opposite end of the fountain. Inandré laughed at the gesture, the sound alternately arousing and infuriating. "It has been long enough." "Long enough, and still one as lovely as you manages only to attract middle-ranking admirers?" asked Inandré. "Either you are too shy to make good use of your beauty, or you are a complete novice." Rather than answer, Hanithi studied the cobalt tiles that lined the fountain, tinting the water blue. As part of his manumission gift, his master had provided a modest house and pension, enough to enable him to become a courtesan. Many nobles had shown interest in his favors, and his golden beauty should have won him higher-ranking admirers than it had. Nothing was as it should be. Nesper had paid handsomely for his company, which was just as well, because Hanithi needed the money to pay his clothier's bill, but something was lacking. He stared at his reflection, shadowed by the trees above, and wondered what he could have done wrong. Inandré seemed to read his thoughts. "I should not tease you," he said. "You have no more control over what men want than I do. Everyone is pining after that pale creature who is the new royal favorite. Half the akhari I know have tried to 10


bleach their hair. Two have burned theirs past repair, and all of them look ridiculous." "I have no complaints," Hanithi said quietly. Scornful laughter jarred his ears. "Of course you do. You are simply too well-bred to say so." "Are you commiserating with me, or trying to seduce me with compliments?" Inandré resumed his place. Fingertips playfully flicked droplets in Hanithi's direction, scattering his reflection, and irritating him. "Can I not do both?" "If this is your best effort, you will not succeed." "Ah, but if you truly found me annoying, you would have already left," said Inandré. "That you remain tells me I have some small chance." After a moment's thought, Hanithi answered with his own flicker of droplets, dampening the front of Inandré's garment. "Has anyone told you how insolent you are?" "Many times, and that is only within the last hour." Grinning, Inandré shook water off the garland. "Admit it, dear. You are enjoying yourself far more with me than with whatever bore you arrived with." Hanithi suddenly remembered his client. Sooner or later, once the man had finished stuffing himself, Nesper would want his company. "I should not linger too long." "Curse me for having reminded you," said Inandré. "Now you will leave me alone again, and—" An artful hand fluttered over his brow, his throat, warding off an imaginary attack of the vapors. "Whatever shall I do?" 11


"Return to your own client before he curses you for your inattention and passes the word to all his friends." From a pocket deep within his robe, Hanithi withdrew a fired clay wafer and handed it to Inandré. Such tokens he gave to admirers and others whose company he sought. Inandré studied the imprint left by the cylinder seal. "So your name is Hanithi," he said, drawing out the syllables. "A fitting name for such a succulent plum." He smiled and tucked the wafer into his robe. "You will see me again, my dear." Hanithi was abashed and aroused enough that, had circumstances permitted, he would have invited Inandré to his house that very evening. However, a proper akharu never strayed too long from his client's side, no matter how disinterested the man might seem. As expected, Nesper scarcely noticed his absence or his presence when he returned to the crowded atrium, and after a few hours Hanithi went home to a solitary bed. The irony of his situation was not lost upon him, for the Great Marriage was not an occasion to be without a lover. Half the city is making love tonight, he thought, staring at the ceiling above his bed, and yet here I am, a beautiful courtesan, all alone.

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Chapter Two Inandré regarded Hanithi's surprise with his trademark laughter. "Did you honestly think I would refuse such a promising invitation?" "I did not think it would be so soon." Only two days had passed since their first meeting, and while Hanithi's thoughts occasionally strayed to the stunning akharu he had encountered at Tanarharit's party, he did not expect such an immediate response. For every ten seals an akharu distributed, he might receive one or two inquiries, which might or might not lead to a formal appointment. In the carefully manicured world of the akharu, it did no good to have expectations or unreasonable hopes where the matter rested upon the whims of another. "Visiting you saves me the trouble of waiting upon a truly dreadful admirer," replied Inandré, "and you are far more pleasant to gaze upon." "I will not ask who he is," said Hanithi. Servants laid out refreshments in a bright salon overlooking the garden. The house's open space was small, sufficient for a lemon tree, fish pond, and a few herb beds, but Hanithi cherished it as fiercely as though they were the hanging gardens of a lavish estate, for it was his own. "What do akhari do when they visit, anyway?" Inandré smiled, revealing the charming gap between his front teeth. "Whatever it is that akeshi do when they visit." 13


His suggestive purr and hooded gaze made Hanithi blush. "You are shameless in your suggestions, but you know better than that." Within his former master's household, Hanithi had rarely enjoyed carnal relations with the other akeshi. When he did, it meant nothing more than an hour's friendly lovemaking, an activity with which to pass the time or relieve tension. Slaves did not have the liberty of forming permanent attachments, which might lead to unseemly petty rivalries or worse, wasting the master's money and spoiling his pleasure. Six months had taught Hanithi that even a free courtesan could not always do as he or she wished. While a highranking akesh might remain safely sequestered, his beauty and skill strictly reserved for the master's pleasure, an akharu must endure many admirers, allotting the appropriate time and level of flirtation to each so the fees and gifts would continue to flow. Rivals continually tried his patience, forcing him to solicit to the point of obnoxiousness. A wealthy patron who could alleviate these tensions was the goal of every courtesan. Hanithi, still fumbling through his initial flirtations, seeming to attract no more than middleranking nobles and merchants despite his breeding, could not say whether patronage offered relief or merely another form of bondage. Inandré read his confusion. "I know what you are thinking. Of course akeshi do not always engage in sex," he said, "but it is not unseemly if they do. So it is with akhari. Perhaps you look at me and see a rival, but you should know that sometimes an akharu's best friend is another akharu." 14


"Are you trying to seduce me?" "Would it be so unexpected if I were?" Hanithi, accustomed to initiating seduction rather than being its object, did not know quite how to respond. "You realize you have nothing to gain by getting me into bed," he pointed out. "I have neither prestige nor influence." Though he half-expected the laughter which followed, Hanithi found the sound irritating. "It was a fair observation," he replied sullenly. "Yes," said Inandré, carefully wiping the tears from kohlrimmed eyes, "but obviously it has never occurred to you that this has nothing to do with your being a courtesan. It would be trite of me to tell you that you are beautiful, for you and I both have heard that so many times that it means nothing, and it would be tiresome to tell you that I am mad with passion for you. I can control myself better than that." Hanithi held his breath. "Then what is it?" As he leaned forward, Inandré's customary indolence vanished, revealing an earnestness Hanithi had not known he possessed. "There is no reason why you and I cannot be friends. It is not enough to have a fine house, rich clothes, and wealthy admirers. Slaves are not allowed to feel, and akhari are urged not to, but who can stop human nature?" "We have barely met," said Hanithi, "and already you speak of love." Inandré fixed him with a dark gaze, the blackest eyes Hanithi had ever seen. "Sometimes you lie awake at night wondering why your bed is empty, even though you are so beautiful. It is not about the admirer you did not entertain 15


that night, for you do not give your favors lightly, or any particular need for sex, but something that burns inside you, wanting a name, yet you do not know what it is." His throat suddenly dry, his pulse hammering, Hanithi started to nod, to admit that he had known such restlessness. But he stopped, unwilling to let this seductive stranger see his weakness, or wield that sort of power over him. "Do you speak from experience?" he asked. "Any akharu who is honest knows of what I speak," replied Inandré. "You will not find it with any of your admirers or even a patron, no matter how much he says he loves you." Hanithi thought it prudent to repeat his earlier objection. "We have only just met. And no, do not laugh at me." Inandré did not even smile. "I am done laughing at you," he said. "But if you think me impertinent, I will go." "I never said that." Even as he spoke, it occurred to Hanithi that Inandré, employing a trite courtesan's feint, counted on precisely this reaction. Had his head ruled this encounter, he might even have mentioned it, yet it no longer mattered. "Would you like to see the rest of the house?" he asked huskily. From established courtesans, Hanithi had learned that his house had as significant a role to play in seduction as his raiment or manners. Flirtation occurred downstairs, beginning in the public areas, then proceeding to more intimate settings such as the garden, salon, or dining room. Here, an astute admirer might engage in subtly suggestive conversation, perhaps offering a token or tentative touch. 16


An invitation upstairs encouraged an admirer to venture greater intimacies, a kiss or caress in a private salon. The bedchamber, the innermost domain of the akharu, offered the ultimate prize, and should not be seen by any man with whom the courtesan was not willing to take that final step. Inandré followed with the surety of one who understood this elaborate etiquette. On the landing, Hanithi felt a hand touch his elbow, moving up his arm when he stopped and turned. Not in six months, not since his manumission, had anyone kissed him. Admirers came and went, but none who had earned the privilege of being intimate with him in his private world. Distance had blunted his memories of how much he enjoyed making love, especially when initiated by a masterful hand. And Inandré was forceful, assuming control as though accustomed to it. Soft kisses swiftly became passionate and more urgent, abating only to allow Hanithi to catch his breath and twine eager arms around his lover's back. When Hanithi parted his lips, a practiced tongue sought entrance, driving away all thought save one: amazement that Inandré could elicit such a response from him while they were both still fully clothed. "You want me here, on the stairs?" he gasped. Hot breath teased his ear, followed by nipping teeth that captured his earlobe. "I would prefer you naked on your bed." Inviting a lover into his bedchamber should require more ceremony than simply taking him by the hand and leading, half-pulling him inside. Hanithi wondered if it would be that 17


way with a client, or if he must insist on etiquette. Tanarharit had never told him, and he, accustomed to being summoned to a master's bed rather than assuming control of an encounter, never thought to ask. Inandré, intent on pulling away their clothing, made no comment about the lack of ceremony. Hanithi shrugged out of his linen shift, undid his loincloth, and tumbled with his lover onto the mattress, still kissing, grinding his erection against bare flesh. An akesh could not come until his master gave him permission, but as a free courtesan he could do as he pleased in bed as long as his client was climbing the draperies in ecstasy by the time he finished. "Who gets to be on top?" he asked between kisses. "We can take turns." Hanithi felt eager lips along the curve of his throat, raising red marks on his flesh and frissons of delight. How he wanted that mouth to descend, to tease and suck his nipples, and then—oh gods, what it might do to his cock—but even in this Inandré meant to frustrate him, stopping his kisses to crawl back to Hanithi's ear. "Turn around and show me your pretty ass." The last thing Hanithi expected, or wanted, to hear. "You want to fuck me right now?" Inandré dropped a kiss on the tip of his nose. "Of course, but it is not my cock I am going to give you." "Then what—?" "Trust me, you will like this."

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Uncertain what to think, Hanithi rolled over, displaying well-rounded buttocks. "If you want to finger me," he said, "the oil is on that little table over there." Fingers danced over one buttock before sliding back down. "I will not need it yet. Just close your eyes and relax." No sooner had Hanithi rested his cheek against one of the bed's many pillows, he felt Inandré kiss his back. Lips wandered down to his buttocks, tracing patterns on first one, then the other. Nice, even pleasurable, but Hanithi did not understand what the mystery was until those lips nuzzled the hollow at the base of his spine. Hands parted his firm cheeks, and he felt a warm wetness lapping his entrance; it took him a moment to realize it was a tongue, circling, probing before pushing deep inside. Hanithi started to jerk away, but Inandré's hands kept him in place as that tongue continued to torment him, offering a pleasure he found strange, even repulsive, yet enticing. Before he knew it, he was grinding his hips against the cushions, raising his buttocks higher to give Inandré greater access, even though he knew his lover's tongue could only delve so deeply. A moan escaped his lips. In response, the tongue withdrew, eliciting a second cry, this one of profound frustration. "Why are you stopping?" Inandré, wiping his lips with his fingers, came up beside him. "A good host should give his guest a bit of attention." One hand fisted an erect cock, gently rubbing it and drawing back the foreskin to expose a blushing red tip. "You kiss well, 19


but I have been wondering what other delights your lips offer." "You are shameless," said Hanithi. "So you informed me when we first met, and at least half a dozen times since then." Hanithi shifted position, touching the tip of his tongue to the exposed slit before pulling back. "Tell me where you learned how to pleasure a man like that and I will suck the rest." "I will tell you while you suck me." "I might distract you." The cock brushed against his lips, demanding entrance. Hanithi obliged, but not fully. Slipping the crown into his mouth, he sucked lightly, flicking his tongue around the slit as Inandré placed a hand on the back of his head to urge him on. Hanithi released him with a slurp. "Start talking," he warned, "or I will stop." Groaning, Inandré flopped back onto the cushions. "I saw an image in a pillow book, but I had never tried that position, or known anyone who had. I made discreet inquiries, until I finally found a boy in a disreputable bakti house who knew how to do it." His breath caught as Hanithi slid a hand down his hairless shaft to rub his balls. "Gods, you are good." With his mouth, Hanithi followed the path his hands had taken, swallowing Inandré's cock to the root. He did not perform this trick with every lover, for some men were too thick around to accommodate, or too hairy, but Inandré was appealing enough for him to relax his throat muscles. 20


Right away, his efforts elicited moans. "Ah, perhaps I should not have insisted. You make it so difficult to concentrate." Hanithi drew his cock in and out between suctioning lips, smacking his thighs with an impatient palm when he did not resume his story. "Yes," said Inandré, clearing his throat, "so I brought the boy home and gave him a proper meal and bath—better than anything he probably had in a long time—and had him show me everything he knew. To hear him speak, you would not believe what some of his clients want." "They say such low-class prostitutes are rife with disease," replied Hanithi, drawing back. Reading his apprehension, Inandré nodded. "And remorseless little thieves, if you do not watch them," he added. "I certainly did not let him inside me. Tell me you are not finished tormenting me. I have not yet decided which is more pleasurable: feeling my cock in your mouth, or watching you suck on it." Hanithi needed no bolder hint, yet he was not ready to bring his partner to climax, not when he had so many unanswered questions. "How can you stand to pleasure someone that way? Do you not find it repulsive?" Inandré stroked his arm, while slitting his eyes in open invitation. "Rest assured, I made him wash thrice over before I tried it on him, but with you it is no chore. There is not a well-bred akesh or akharu who does not keep himself fastidiously clean. Everything else is simply practice." 21


His hand moved up Hanithi's shoulder and neck, threading through long, dark hair to cup the back of his head. "I want to come in your mouth," he said. Making that wish a reality took but a short time. Hanithi grasped Inandre's thighs as he pumped and shuddered, then swallowed his partner's seed, save for the remnant he gathered on his tongue, which he passed back to Inandré as they kissed. Smiling, Inandré licked the last salty traces from his lips before dipping down to nuzzle his throat. "I cannot remember the last time a lover did that." Hanithi found his hand and guided it down to his erect cock. "And did you mean all those compliments you heaped on me before?" he asked. "Or was it simply a ploy to get me into bed?" "You should not have to ask." His hips moving, thrusting through their own volition, he arched into Inandré's firm touch. "Ah, but I am asking." Inandré nipped his earlobe. "Would you like me to tell you how utterly irresistible you are?" "Tell me something I do not already know." Soft laughter filled his ears, and a steadying arm encircled him as his climax trembled through him. Just before a hot mouth smothered his cries of passion, he heard Inandré answer, "Then I do not need to tell you anything else."

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Chapter Three Ghazri ked Menash had no interest in either his beauty or conversation, yet Hanithi persisted on account of the man's wealth and connections. At the same time, he searched his mind, trying to recall what he might have done or said to offend Tanarharit that she had arranged this meeting. Ghazri occasionally nodded to show he was listening, but affected a forlorn manner, scarcely looking in Hanithi's direction. Gods, I could drop my robe right here and he would not even notice. Hanithi smiled, enduring the appointment to its very end, when he sought out Tanarharit with his complaint. "The man wants someone else," he hissed. Tanarharit appeared unconcerned. "Of course he does," she replied, "but he has been outbid for the akharu's favors." "And so you send him to me?" Although she was not yet twenty-five, Tanarharit had been owned by a prince and, once given her freedom, had become the mistress of a wealthy merchant. Her legendary beauty and impeccable manners only enhanced her reputation, which attracted the notice of both rivals and novices like Hanithi who had no one else to mentor them. "My dear," she said, "you look nothing like Sharuma, and your graces are too numerous to mention. I can tell you from experience that Ghazri is both courteous and unfailingly generous to those who are good to him, and right now the poor dear needs a charming companion who can distract him 23


from his disappointment. Winning him will be work, but in the end he will be worth it." Hanithi sighed at the prospect of yet another appointment with the grim nobleman, but his need for a wealthy patron outweighing his distaste at serving as a mere surrogate, he resolved to try again. Tanarharit hinted that Ghazri found modesty and intelligence more attractive than the blatant seductiveness many courtesans employed. At that, Hanithi thought of Inandré, who knew nothing about the matter. Akhari did not discuss clients with each other or mention their former masters, as such conduct hinted at indiscretion. Many knew that Hanithi had once belonged to Amasur ked Umurru, an intimate of the High Prince, but that was all. So when Inandré began to describe certain engagements, Hanithi took notice. After their first encounter, they arranged to meet as their schedules permitted, and enjoyed leisurely lovemaking and conversation. "The latest man I am with," said Inandré, "is an utter bore." Sprawled across the bed, now a tangle of twisted sheets and carelessly strewn pillows, he might have presented a delectable, indolent image had his comment not been uttered with such gravity. Hanithi, trained from an early age to recognize subtle shifts in voice and body language, noted the change. Inandré was not merely serious, but apprehensive. Hanithi bent to smooth a wayward strand of hair away from his lover's cheek. "What is wrong?" "The man will not leave me alone." 24


"That is because you are so irresistible." Inandré sat up, seized a cushion, and hugged it to him. "You do not understand," he said thickly. "Yes, he is wealthy and highly placed, but I do not care for him. I have been polite in my refusal, but somehow he takes it as interest. He sends gifts I do not want, and if he cannot contrive to be near me, one of his servants is always on hand, watching me. He sends messages telling me what to wear, or insulting my admirers, as if he owns me." As Hanithi understood custom, akhari had the right to refuse any admirer. Though from what Tanarharit insinuated about Ghazri's situation, Sharuma had returned the man's affections only to be claimed by a nobleman whose higher rank and fat purse won him the right of patronage. Can it be that this is more common than I thought? he wondered. "Perhaps you should tell this man outright that you want nothing to do with him." Inandré squeezed his eyes shut. "I cannot do that," he replied, shaking his head. "He is too high-ranking for such an insult. He would retaliate, I am sure of it." Hanithi did not know what other comfort to offer. With his limited experience, his advice was clearly no good. It might be that Tanarharit would know what to do, but it was not for him to suggest her involvement in someone else's private affair. All he could do was offer solace, pressing against Inandré's back and gently drawing his hair aside to kiss the nape of his neck.

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"Here is a thought," he murmured. "Perhaps if you pretended interest in him, maybe even too much, might he not turn away?" "He is so repulsive I would not even want to try it." Whoever he was, Inandré's unsolicited admirer must truly be horrible then. "What you need, my dear, is a distraction." "I am not in the mood for peji or keidu," grumbled Inandré. "Forgive me for troubling you. It is rude of me to burden you with this sort of talk. I should go." When he tried to pull away, Hanithi held him fast around the middle, this time kissing him more soundly. "No, you should stay," he said. "All you will do is sit alone in your house with that man's servants watching you and brood yourself into sheer terror." Turning, Inandré kissed his cheek. "Eventually I will have to go home." "Summer is coming," said Hanithi. "If this man is as highranking and rich as you say, he will surely go to Akkil where it is cooler. By the time he returns, he may have forgotten about you." For the first time that hour, he saw Inandré smile. "You may be right." "Of course I am," laughed Hanithi. "As for the distraction, this one is different." Inandré shook his head. "I play enough games with my admirers. At least the merchant who insists we play keidu every time I visit is so terrible at it that I never lose any money." 26


Hanithi leaned forward to nip his earlobe. "I never said anything about a board game, dear," he purred. "Did I ever tell you about the wager I once made with a certain nobleman? He took me to bed, and we spent half the night trying to make each other scream the loudest with ecstasy when we came." Mischief danced in Inandré's eyes, telling Hanithi that coaxing him to play would be no effort at all. "Did you win?" "Honestly, you do not expect me to tell tales about this man, do you?" Just as he anticipated, the words had barely left his lips when he found himself lying on his back, Inandré pinning him down with frustrated kisses and an erection that ground into his thigh with renewed vigor. "I hear you have been entertaining that self-pitying bore, Ghazri ked Menash," he growled. "If you are like this with him, you will drive him mad." Hanithi did not bother to point out that Ghazri showed no interest in his sexual favors. Running his hands down Inandré's back, squeezing the other man's buttocks, he pulled his lover to him. "And ruin a perfectly good, fabulously wealthy, potential patron?" Eager lips found the pulse in his throat. "I should like to see the viziers announce that at court." "Hmm, death by fucking a delectable akharu," mused Hanithi. "I would pay just to watch him ride you." Turning his head, Hanithi kissed Inandré's temple, while his fingers explored the cleft between his buttocks. "So you 27


want to watch another man fuck me?" Anything to encourage Inandré's lust, anything to distract his fears, even if the diversion was only temporary, Hanithi did not mind doing it. And when his lover employed such language in bed, conjuring images of ravishment to make his cock throb with desire, he did not mind at all. Inandré moved down his throat to his collarbone, nuzzling the hollow there. "I want to fuck you all over this bed," he growled. "I want to hear you scream so loud you wake the neighbors." His fingers found a nipple, circling and rubbing as Hanithi choked back a groan. The last time Hanithi had played this game, his partner had been reserved, leisurely in his lovemaking. At this rate, Inandré's need would not last the hour, and to be honest, Hanithi did not know that he cared.

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Chapter Four The blistering, white-hot summer gradually gave way to autumn. Beyond the city walls stretched a wasteland traversed only by trade caravans bearing goods from Juva in the south and Thales in the far east, yet the oasis that enabled Marreh to thrive, watering its fields and pleasure gardens, reflecting glazed tiles of jewel-like cobalt, green, and crimson, lent life and color to a place where no courtesan would otherwise dwell. Hanithi missed his house in Tajhaan, which he had been obliged to sell when Ghazri assumed his patronage and moved him to Marreh, whose finest residences could not match the splendor of the capital. Right away, Ghazri bought him a new house suitable for an akharu in a provincial city, and though Hanithi appreciated the gesture and thanked his patron, he wished it might have been larger, with a more abundant garden. What the house lacked in size, it possessed in style. Exquisite furnishings enabled Hanithi to satisfy his patron's preferences when it came to entertainment. A taciturn man approaching middle age, Ghazri preferred intimate gatherings of friends or close acquaintances to large parties, and Hanithi found it simple to arrange these private suppers. On those rare occasions when he desired sex, Ghazri was a considerate lover. Hanithi did not have to work very hard to satisfy his appetites, and during most encounters, enjoyed more liberty in bed than most. His only complaint was that he 29


sometimes missed the variety other partners would have provided, and the hard lovemaking he occasionally craved. When not entertaining his patron, Hanithi found little to do in Marreh. The city lacked the vast social networks of Tajhaan, with its parties, excursions, and gossip with which akhari whiled away their afternoons. In the three months he had spent in Marreh, Hanithi met few other courtesans, and their company lacked the sophistication to which he had grown accustomed. I am going to die of boredom in this backwater, he thought grimly. Ghazri had plenty of business which might have kept him in Tajhaan, but unable to broach the subject outright, Hanithi guessed lingering disappointment over Sharuma prompted the move. When he comes to his senses, if he ever does, it will be better for us all. One face Hanithi never expected to see among his guests was Inandré. Upon leaving Tajhaan, and knowing how apprehensive his friend remained over his persistent suitor, Hanithi tried to persuade him to come to Marreh for a time. Inandré, who did not wish to impose, refused the offer. "Besides," he said, forcing a smile, "I understand the social opportunities are dismal there." This evening, Inandré had no client, but had come with another unattached akharu. Hanithi started to greet him, yet held back when he noticed how unusual the young man's behavior was. Inandré kept his gaze lowered, scarcely speaking at all except to his companion. Hanithi watched the scene in stunned disbelief, for here was not the outgoing 30


courtesan he had left behind, but a timid child who flinched when he approached. "I had no idea you were in Marreh," he said. "I thought you did not want to come." Prodded by his female companion, Inandré mumbled a few words that Hanithi did not catch. At once, Sutyka spoke for him. "I knew you had been his friend in Tajhaan," she explained, her eyes conveying an urgency that did not match her pleasant tone. "He did not wish to impose on your hospitality, but he has hardly gone out since arriving, so you must forgive me for taking the liberty of inviting him." None of this sounded like Inandré. Hanithi wanted nothing more than to take him by the hand, lead him into a private corner, and ask, but his duties as host precluded these things. "I assure you both," he replied, "you are not imposing. In fact, I would be delighted if you would call on me tomorrow afternoon, Inandré." Sutyka accepted the invitation for Inandré, since he seemed unable to answer, and remained at his side all evening. Whatever was wrong, whatever had happened to crush their friend's spirit, Hanithi was grateful to her for her assistance; it allowed him to remain focused on Ghazri and the other guests. Wine flowed with the charming conversation, and hired musicians tucked in discreet corners provided the subtle background accompaniment Ghazri preferred. As Hanithi attended his patron and mingled with the other guests, Inandré kept returning to his thoughts like the shadow he was. Something must have happened in Tajhaan, 31


something serious enough to frighten Inandré and drive him to seek refuge in a city he often called the navel of nowhere. Had etiquette permitted, Hanithi would have invited him to remain after the party, perhaps spend the night, but such an invitation hinged on whether Ghazri intended to stay or leave. The house could not accommodate both an amorous patron and an unannounced guest. By the time Ghazri took his leave, the house was empty, the guests and musicians gone home, and the servants quietly cleaning up. "I noticed an unfamiliar face among the akhari this evening," he said. "Is the young man an acquaintance of yours?" Hanithi knew better than to lie or withhold information from his patron; his earliest training had taught him that a well-bred akesh or akharu had far more to gain by being forthright and discreet than deceptive. "Yes, my dear," he said. "His name is Inandré, but I did not know he was coming tonight. He was here as Sutyka's guest." For some reason, Ghazri did not seem pleased. "I have heard disturbing rumors from the capital," he said. "Of late, there have been certain scandals involving one or more akhari." Wherever Ghazri heard these tales, no hint had ever reached Hanithi's ears. That alone he found unsettling, for it seemed to him that he should hear about such scandals and gossip before his patron. "I am afraid I had not heard anything," he replied. "These days, I do not receive news as quickly as I used to." 32


Ghazri gave him a stern look, one that reminded Hanithi of a father reprimanding a wayward child. "I know you find Marreh small and mean compared with Tajhaan, and that you have been slow to establish ties with the local akhari and merchants. For your sake, I advise you to increase your efforts. It would not do for you to associate with anyone of low character." Such criticism was the last thing Hanithi expected to hear, especially the last. Surely he cannot mean Inandré? What has happened with him since I left? "Forgive me for being so ignorant, dear," he answered softly, "but while I realize I have been slow to adjust to life here, I was not aware that any of my acquaintances were objectionable." "Of these scandals, I can tell you very little," said Ghazri, "only that one of them involves a male akharu, a very highranking nobleman, and from what I am told, a very sordid lawsuit. Of course, it would be premature of me to insinuate that this Inandré of yours has had anything to do with these matters, but you would do well to be cautious." I can tell you very little. Hanithi, fixing a smile upon his lips, kissed his patron on the cheek. I know you are lying to me. You would not waste time or words warning me if you did not know something. Tomorrow, he must have the truth from Inandré. Sutyka might be able to tell him what he wished to know, but Hanithi preferred to hear it from the source. If there has been a scandal, he thought, and I have to end our association, it is only right that he has the chance to explain. The thought offered no comfort. 33


**** Daylight cast deep shadows under Inandré's eyes. Hanithi did not have to study his face long to know he was not eating or sleeping properly, however much Inandré assured him that Sutyka was a caring and gracious hostess. "Thank you, but I have no appetite," he murmured, waving aside the sweetmeats a servant offered. "Have you been ill?" asked Hanithi. "No, though I apologize if I do not look my best." Inandré offered no further explanation. The atmosphere in the salon grew awkward, the silence heavy, and the wine and delicacies untouched. Hanithi, observing his guest for any subtle shift in mood, noticed how Inandré's hand gravitated toward the pearl collar at his throat. He had worn it last night, and fingered it then also. "Is that a new ornament? I do not think I have seen it on you before." At once, as though caught in an inappropriate act, Inandré lowered his hand. "I hope you do not think it forward of me, but might we go upstairs?" he asked. "It seems rather soon, and somewhat awkward considering my favors now belong to my patron," said Hanithi. "Besides, you have hardly said a word since you arrived." Inandré shook his head. "No, you misunderstand." His voice sounded too small, too timid for his vibrant personality. "I want to tell you—I do not want to do it here." Even a self-assured tone could not have erased the apprehension Hanithi felt at the request. What could be so 34


terrible that he cannot speak freely except in my bedchamber? "If you wish," he replied. No words accompanied them on the climb upstairs. For once, Hanithi was grateful they were not in his old house in Tajhaan; the surroundings would have recalled Inandré's amorous nature, his impatient kisses and gropes that could not wait for the bedchamber. Now a stranger followed him, moving past the landing and curious servants, into a room only Ghazri had ever seen. Hanithi closed the door behind them. "Something is troubling you," he said. "We are as alone now as we might ever be. Will you not tell me what is wrong?" Without meeting his eyes, Inandré unfastened the pearl collar. "I do not want anyone else to see this," he whispered. Against his honey-colored skin, Hanithi glimpsed shadows, discolorations he did not recognize as fading bruises until Inandré self-consciously raised a hand to conceal them. "Sutyka says they are hardly noticeable now, but I cannot look into a mirror without seeing them as they were when—In the right light, who would notice? But I cannot help it. It seems to me that everyone will see, and then they will point and whisper." Hanithi grasped at fragments, snatches of his last conversation with Ghazri. Words came to his mind, then phrases: sordid, low character, scandal. "Who did this to you?" Inandré tried to replace the collar, his hands trembling so hard he could not work the clasp. Finally, Hanithi approached, and closing his hand around the intricate mesh of seed pearls, 35


gently took it from him. "Who would do such a thing?" It seemed inconceivable that anyone would strike, much less leave bruises on an akesh or akharu, yet not only had it happened, but Hanithi thought he could discern the marks someone's fingers had left around Inandré's throat. "He tried to strangle me." Covering his face with both hands, swaying back and forth on unsteady legs, Inandré suddenly burst into tears. Still clutching the pearls in one hand, Hanithi gathered him close. "I think you had better tell me about it," he said softly. "Come, lie on the bed beside me, and we can talk as we used to do." He managed to get Inandré to remove his shoes and outer robe, and to lie down on the wide, soft bed. "These tears are not like you at all." "I know it is selfish, but I wish you had not left," replied Inandré. "It was so much worse with you gone." As he listened, Hanithi suspected he knew what the matter was about, and also realized his presence would not have made any difference. He said nothing, not wanting to upset Inandré further, then cautiously ventured a comment. "Ghazri mentioned something about a lawsuit." "So he knows everything, and if he knows, so does everyone else." Squeezing his eyes shut, Inandré bit his lower lip. "I came here to escape all that." "You are exaggerating," said Hanithi. "Ghazri has contacts in Tajhaan, so he would hear any news. I am sure others do not know, whatever it is." He touched Inandré's damp cheek, wishing he had a cloth to wipe away the tears, and added, "I 36


do not know anything, though I think perhaps you had better tell me." "It was a mistake, all of it." A sobbing, rambling narrative did as much good as none at all. "Inandré, dear, you need to start from the beginning." Sniffling, Inandré nodded and started again. "That nobleman who would not let me alone," he said. "I took your advice and left the city, thinking that would do it. I had enough saved to rent a little place in Akkil, and I had a good time for a few weeks. I went to parties and collected handsome fees for my company; there were several promising men who were unattached." "Then he came. All my engagements were mysteriously canceled; the men gave me strange looks and made lame excuses. I did not know what to make of it, except that it made me uneasy, because I knew he had everything to do with it. The only thing I could do was ignore it. I had money enough, and Akkil was pleasant even without clients. I even started to enjoy myself again. Then the rumors started." "What rumors?" asked Hanithi. "Everywhere I went, I kept hearing that he was my patron. Worse, there were sordid tales of what he supposedly did with me in bed, that I liked orgies and licking honey off his private parts. To think that such a high-ranking nobleman would be so coarse as to say those things in public! It enraged me. I did not know what to do or say, because even if I left and went back home to Tajhaan, the stories would follow me." "What did you do?" 37


"The worst thing I possibly could," replied Inandré, "because it seemed like the only way at the time. I invited him to my house." Of all the answers Hanithi expected, this was one of the last he ever thought to hear. "How could you do such a foolish thing?" He felt Inandré's moist fingers cover his mouth, and heard his anguished cry. "Gods, please, I know! No one judges me as harshly as I judge myself. I did not know what else to do. I thought to confront him in my salon, very formally, and ask him to please stop. I wanted to be civil. It turned out all wrong. I never imagined—Everyone thinks I invited him upstairs, and he swore under oath that I did. I did no such thing." Hanithi recoiled at the idea and its unthinkable ramifications, for only prostitutes and low-ranking akeshi ever entertained brutes, yet the reality lay shuddering a heartbeat away. "Tell me he did not do that. Tell me he did not have you." Sliding closer, he pulled Inandré close, hugging him to his breast. "I want to, so very much, but it would be a lie," said Inandré. "The way he looked at me, it was like a cat watching a mouse. He heard nothing I said—or at least he never understood a word, because when he spoke he twisted everything around to make it sound like I desired him, like I had toyed with him for months and invited him to my house to seduce him."

38


Muffled within layers of fabric and skin, the words lost none of their power. Hanithi felt ill, bile rising to his throat, and it was only the beginning of Inandré's explanation. "No one came. He bribed the servants beforehand so he could do whatever he wanted with me. He did not even bother to drag me upstairs; he did it right there in the salon." Trembling, Hanithi hugged Inandré tight, uselessly trying to soothe him. "You do not have to tell me anymore, dear." "No," sobbed Inandré, "I want someone to hear me. The authorities asked me why I did not fight back, why I did not try harder to resist, as though I wanted him to do it. How could I make them understand what our training is like, that an akharu was once an akesh who is not allowed to say no or hit a man he does not want? "He tore my clothes, he had his hands around my throat. I thought I was going to die, that he meant to kill me for daring to say no to him, but no, I soon learned that that is how he takes his pleasure. He hits his partners and chokes them. He tears them inside, and it makes him come. I have never felt so used, like such refuse. I did not want to believe it was happening. The pain, lying there on the floor with no one to help me, I could not believe anyone could do such a thing to me, or that they would want to. I did nothing to him, nothing to deserve this." "Of course not," Hanithi murmured into his hair. "It was not your fault." For it did not matter that Inandré had invited this man into his home; if the servants could be so easily bribed, they would have admitted him and it might have happened 39


anyway. And worst of all, the fact that made Hanithi truly ill, was that the target could have been any akharu, even him. "Then he told me he should not have bothered," said Inandré, "that my charms were overrated." Hanithi wanted to vomit. Had he not been holding Inandré, comforting him, he would have stumbled to the privy and then curled himself into a little ball on the floor until the horror passed. "I fled the city that very night," continued Inandré. "The guards warned there might be sandstorms, but I did not care. It might even have been better had the desert taken me. Once I was home, I threw out those horrible servants and hid in my house. I wept for days. I did not eat. I should have left it at that, taken Tanarharit's advice and pretended that nothing had happened, but I was so stupid. I wanted him to suffer for what he did. I wanted the pain to stop." "So you tried to sue him." Inandré nodded helplessly. "I did not understand how it would be, how they would look at me and think whore. No one wanted to challenge his rank; they just dismissed the charges. Oh, my former master sent me a letter recommending my good character to anyone still interested in me." Harsh laughter followed this explanation. "What good is a letter when he could not even defend me in public?" "I hope you did not throw it away." "No, I still have it," said Inandré, sniffling. "Then do not lose hope. Ghazri knows people here in Marreh. I can introduce you—" 40


Inandré stopped his words with a horrified cry. "I do not want clients." "My dear, you have to do something. Some akhari go into business or the priesthood or even get married, but for you it is too soon. You are too young, only at the start of your career. So you must continue, and you know you cannot live off your friends or your savings forever. You need a patron." "I know, but how can I bear to do what I did before? How can I even think of smiling at and flirting with men? They will think I mean to seduce them, that I want to lie with them, when all I really—" Now it was Hanithi's turn to interrupt. "You have let that man poison you." "But that is what an akharu does," said Inandré. "He smiles and promises more than what he really means to give." "That is not true." Hanithi laid a gentle finger over Inandré's lips, correcting him. "Do you think I love Ghazri? I have never told him so, nor have I ever behaved as though I do. He knows this. I am fond of him because he is a good man and a generous patron, and he looks after me because I am a pretty ornament whose company he enjoys. I am sure he has friends who would be interested in a charming, handsome young akharu from Tajhaan." Inandré pulled back in horror. "Please, you cannot tell anyone about me!" "My dear, I would never tell anyone what you just told me when I can scarcely believe it myself." Caressing his face, 41


Hanithi tenderly kissed his forehead. "I would not do anything to hurt or humiliate you. You must believe that." "I would not have told anyone else." Inandré grasped his wrists, returning the embrace with more warmth than Hanithi believed was possible from someone as badly wounded as Inandré had been. "Not even Sutyka knows everything." Hanithi reached across him for the edge of the coverlet. "I want you to rest now." "No, I should go. I do not want to impose, and I doubt Ghazri would want to find me here if he should come." When Inandré attempted to rise, Hanithi firmly pushed him back down. "You are in no condition to go home just now. I will send a message to Sutyka that you are all right, and if Ghazri comes, I will explain the matter to him. Inandré, you have to let me do this for you, because I do not know what else there is, and I feel I must do something."

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Chapter Five Ghazri showed his displeasure in tightened, pursed lips and long silences. That night, he led his akharu up the narrow stairs and opened the bedchamber door, only to find the bed occupied by another, sleeping courtesan. He said nothing at all on the trip downstairs. His eyes, however, demanded an explanation, one that Hanithi was more than prepared to offer. "Inandré is not my lover," said Hanithi. "I invited him here this afternoon to tell me what happened in Tajhaan. He was so distressed that I insisted he stay and rest. I would have been a poor host had I insisted he leave in his condition." "You have certain obligations to me." Despite his best effort to shove those thoughts aside, Hanithi could not help but remember Inandré's horrific account; it colored his perception, whether he would or no. It is not like that. I have a contract with Ghazri. This is a business arrangement. I am not his whore. "Of course I have not forgotten, my dear, and there are other places in the house just as comfortable where the servants will not disturb us." "That is not my point," said Ghazri. "I should not have to settle for alternate arrangements when I visit, as it seems you are asking me to do now." Hanithi assumed his most charming smile, while keeping in mind that he had very little control over the situation. If Ghazri decided he wished to evict Inandré from bed in a 43


house he technically owned, that was his right. A contracted akharu is just another kind of bed-slave, and Ghazri is my master as much as Amasur ever was. "My dear, I rarely ask you for favors, but this is an unusual situation. I remember what you told me last night, which is why I invited Inandré here this afternoon. He is not a person of low character, no matter what certain people may say, and I wished to hear his side of the matter. "I realize it may be an inconvenience for you, dear, and I apologize. I had no idea you meant to visit this evening, or I would have settled Inandré in the guest room. After what he told me, I could not simply dismiss him and brush the matter aside. As I said before, it would not have been becoming a proper host or friend." "I do not begrudge you your friends," said Ghazri. "You should have diversions while I am away. However, I will not tolerate any imposition on my time or money, especially when the matter is as grave as this. I chose you for your affable manner and excellent credentials, and want no scandal attached to this liaison." He still believes Inandré is guilty. "Of course, my dear, and Inandré possesses the same fine breeding. I would not consort with lower-ranking akharu or anyone else with coarse manners. Now I realize what has been said, and that many have been misled into believing it, but Inandré's own former master has written a letter on his behalf." From his robe, Hanithi drew a folded piece of papyrus and offered it to Ghazri. "Perhaps you should read what it says." 44


Taking the letter, Ghazri examined the seals to verify their authenticity, then skimmed the page. "Where did you get this?" "Inandré brought it in case I should judge him too harshly, but I did not read it until after he fell asleep. My dear, you are so good to me, and so patient, and I know you do not like entanglements or scandals, but he has been horribly wronged. He confided his troubles with this man to me several months ago, before I met you. I know that he made every effort to be discreet and polite." Ghazri folded the letter and handed it back. "I do not wish to become involved in this matter, and for your sake and mine you are to curtail your involvement." "My dear, I cannot simply—" "This is not a question of your friend's guilt or innocence," said Ghazri. "This man is very highly placed at court, and I want no trouble with him. As I am sure your friend has told you, he is in a position to make things very difficult for those who antagonize him." Through careful observation, Hanithi saw that Ghazri avoided the capital and members of the court wherever he could; his experience with Sharuma seemed to be the latest in a string of unfortunate dealings with the elite. "My dear, we are far from Tajhaan and its concerns. Surely there is no harm in letting me introduce Inandré to a few local gentlemen who might desire his company? I know you have many such friends." Ghazri remained unreadable; the brass oil lamps cast ominous shadows onto his face, warning Hanithi not to expect 45


too much. "As always," he finally replied, "I expect you to be discreet, and to remember that your first duty is to me." **** "Inandré, love, you do not need the collar." Downstairs, the servants awaited the arrival of their master and his guests. Mingled aromas of cooking meat, spices, and fresh flowers permeated the house, while jugs of wine cooled in a clay-lined water trough just off the kitchen. Satisfied that Ghazri would find everything to his liking, Hanithi could at last retire to bathe and dress. Inandré had been with him since the early afternoon, assisting with preparations while Hanithi demurred that it was not appropriate for him to do so. "I know that Ghazri does not like my presence here." "Nonsense," said Hanithi. "As long as he does not find you sleeping in my bed, and as long as no scandal touches him, he has no objections. And Sutyka and I both feel it is better for you to go out and keep busy. Had we let you stay home this afternoon, you would have spent the day worrying yourself into a conniption over tonight." "I do not want people to stare at me." "If anyone stares at you, it will be because you are so lovely and charming." Seeing where Inandré's gaze lingered, Hanithi took the pearl collar and thrust it into his jewel casket. "You do not need this. The bruises are gone." Inandré parted his lips, no doubt to protest, but said nothing. A glance in the mirror would confirm Hanithi's observation; no wounds remained but for the ones no jewels 46


could conceal. "This man you want me to meet," he said, "perhaps he will not like me." Turning his head, Hanithi watched his reflection as he slid a golden hoop through one ear. "Shapur will adore you. Trust me, love, I would not introduce you to a man unless I thought good things might come of it. He is a widower, and adored his wife so thoroughly that he has no interest in ever marrying again. Sutyka tells me he will not even look at another woman. Still, he is dreadfully lonely. A charming, modest young man would be the perfect companion." "Does he know about me?" Hanithi sighed. "Did I mention that Shapur is fabulously rich?" Once, his comment would have elicited conspiratorial laughter and jests. Inandré's expression did not change, and his hand lingered at his throat. "And if he desires more than just my pretty face and sparkling conversation? What will I do then?" "Why do you think I chose him for you?" replied Hanithi. "After his loss, it will be quite some time before he feels any desire to make love, and you are under no obligation to entertain him in bed. Unless he expresses an interest in becoming your patron, I would not worry. If he does, you can show him your letter and explain the matter to him. He has a right to know then, and he will appreciate your candor in telling him. "Oh, and it might comfort you to know that Shapur owns no property in Tajhaan except for a few warehouses, and Ghazri tells me that he has absolutely no desire to visit." 47


Hanithi moved beside Inandré, who now stood by the window, forlornly gazing down at the torch-lit courtyard, and kissed his cheek. "Smile and enjoy yourself, and if Shapur is not interested, there will be plenty of other wealthy men eager to woo and spoil you." When the guests began to arrive, Hanithi first greeted Ghazri, touching his hand to his lips in ritual welcome, then the others as they trickled in from the cold autumn night. At the appropriate moment, he introduced Inandré to Shapur, urging them to enjoy his hospitality before moving on to a pair of guests who had just arrived. Later, he saw Inandré sitting in a corner with Shapur. Drinking wine, engaged in quiet conversation, wallflowers who cared nothing for mingling, they appeared to be enjoying themselves. Shapur was not smitten, Hanithi could see that, and Inandré was making no attempt to seduce him, instead falling back upon the modesty that had become his armor, but Hanithi observed long enough to note his friend's relaxed posture, and the hands that no longer sought his collar. If anything, it was a good omen. **** The guest bed had not been designed with lovemaking in mind, which had no doubt been Ghazri's intention when providing the furnishings that went with the house. Hanithi rued the discomfort, but dared not risk inviting Inandré into his own bed. Ghazri had a keen nose, and insisted on fresh linens scented with lemon, which he found soothing. This preference meant keeping a large supply of bed linens on 48


hand, as well as a fuller's bill twice what it should have been. Ghazri did not mind the musk or emissions of sex, but each encounter must begin in absolute cleanliness. Any lingering trace of another man's scent would arouse his suspicions, and cause unpleasantness Hanithi wished to avoid. "We should not be doing this," said Inandré. "If I wish to spend time with another courtesan, I have that right." Hanithi ran his hand up Inandré's thigh, over his buttocks, and up his spine. "Ghazri simply does not wish me to flaunt it in front of him. He is not coming tonight, and I want to make love." Inandré shuddered at the hands squeezing his buttocks. He could protest as much as he liked, but the erect cock rubbing against Hanithi's belly told a different tale entirely. Getting him into bed had taken time and much gentle persuasion. "You know I will not hurt you," murmured Hanithi. "Forget about that man and learn to enjoy this again. If you want to be on top, you have only to tell me." "You are not as free as you think. I do not want to cause trouble between you and Ghazri." "I have read my contract very carefully," replied Hanithi. "I am not going to anger him unless I do something foolish, and a bit of friendly lovemaking with you in my spare time is not considered foolish. A year ago you would not have voiced such objections." "Much has happened since then," Inandré said softly. "I know things now I did not know then." Hanithi found his mouth and began to kiss him, slowly at first, then with increasing vigor as Inandré responded. 49


"Whatever happened to the luscious young akharu who once told me that whenever he sees something he wants, he pursues it?" Inandré turned his head, returning the kisses Hanithi dropped along his cheek. "I do not know what I want," he confessed. "I am not a woman, and my charms will only last a few more years. By the time I am twenty-five, Shapur will have started to look elsewhere." "And by the time you are twenty-five, you will probably be weary of being a rich merchant's companion." With his friend's fortunes on the mend, Hanithi took care not to mention his own misgivings, moments when he regretted the path he had taken. Ghazri was generous, but reserved, and in everything he did Hanithi felt Sharuma's shadow. This time, however, belonged to Inandré, not his own small problems. "Give it a few years, and if you are calculating enough you might be as wealthy as Shapur himself, and able to do as you please." Inandré lightly kissed him on the lips. "He is not such a bad fellow, though I wished I cared more for him." Another, longer kiss, then, "I never asked why you go to such lengths for me." "Love has nothing to do with patronage," said Hanithi. "It was you who once told me that sometimes an akharu's best friend is another akharu." Drawing back, Inandré hung his head. "I was trying to seduce you at the time." "Of course you were," said Hanithi, laughing. "But that does not mean it is not true." 50


**** "I hear you are with Ghazri now," said Tanarharit. "I must congratulate you on your success." Hanithi smiled, delivering the compliments she expected. Tanarharit was more than willing to assist her favorites, provided her generosity reaped benefits. Never so crass as to demand money or other material assets, she took payment in prestige, or favors reserved for a future time. As the rains ended, Ghazri had come on business, bringing Hanithi with him for companionship during the festivities. Much to Hanithi's disappointment, he eschewed the temple of Shalat, though he had connections enough to secure a place there for the Great Marriage. Inandré preferred to remain in Marreh with Shapur, in whose company he was often seen. "I also know that Inandré is with you, and that he is about to acquire a patron," she continued. "Shapur ked Khaturin is quite a catch, if a bit staid and provincial for my tastes." At his indrawn breath, she laughed. "Oh, do not look so horrified, Hanithi. Inandré went to Sutyka at my suggestion, and I knew at some point that he would encounter you in Marreh. Otherwise he would still be wasting away from shame and worry, when, indeed, he has nothing at all to fear." Hanithi was reluctant to pursue this conversation, yet lacked sufficient tact to change the subject. "He does not wish to return here." "One day soon he may change his mind," replied Tanarharit. "It is a pity Marreh is so far from the capital. 51


When one is away too long, he misses news he ought to hear." "You mean gossip?" "If you wish to call it that, yes," she said, smiling. "During the rains, it came to my attention that a certain high-ranking nobleman can no longer find an akharu who will entertain him." Off to the left splashed the fountain where, a year earlier, Hanithi had encountered a seductive young man who exchanged garlands with him. Time and Shapur's solicitous attention had begun to restore Inandré's spirits, yet Hanithi sensed a permanent change in him that even his best efforts could not undo. "Inandré would not entertain him either, no matter what the rumormongers might say." Tanarharit nodded. "Of course, dear," she replied. "Try the almonds. They were delivered fresh from Akkil this morning. This is somewhat different, for what this man might do to one akharu, he cannot do to five, ten, or fifty akhari who shun him." Hanithi took an almond from the proffered tray, but in his amazement he forgot to place it in his mouth. "Did someone tell them to do this?" His question elicited soft laughter from his hostess. "My dear, you should not read conspiracies into things. Akhari are quite capable of independent judgment, and when a man is a bad prospect, word spreads very quickly. It is not as though this man needs an akharu now, anyway. Things have not gone well for him lately, I hear." Tanarharit shook her head, 52


the jewels in her ears sparkling like beetle wings. "Truly, it is very sad." "Is he dead?" asked Hanithi. "Not long ago, a dear friend came to me. She has since sold her house and given up her admirers to retire, and I will not tell you where she has gone. Suffice it to say that the poor thing was not well when I saw her. For some time, she managed to hide her illness from her clients, but she could no longer continue." Hanithi nodded politely, sampling one of the ginger-glazed almonds and wondering what an ill courtesan had to do with anything. Tanarharit seemed to read his thoughts, or else his consternation showed more clearly than he intended, for she explained, "She was the one akharu who would entertain this man. I suppose she took pity on him, but the gods did not love him the night he took her to bed. She insisted on darkness. To protect her modesty, she said. Had he lit a lamp, he would have seen she had other reasons to want concealment. "I will not tell you my sources, dear, so do not ask, but lately I have heard that he is plagued by fire in his water." Hanithi nearly choked on the apple wine his hostess also insisted he try. "Do you mean to say—?" Tanarharit made a graceful gesture. "Let us not be crass by saying such things aloud. Sadly, my dear friend once dallied with a handsome young man who was not so prudent in his choice of partners. He gave her a disease, to her great shame, but since she was so modest when entertaining her 53


admirers, they never knew. I am sure this nobleman has absolutely no idea from whence his horrible blisters came." For several long moments, Hanithi could not speak or meet her gaze, for he was certain he knew what he would discover there. Nothing. And yet, within the depths of those liquid, kohl-rimmed eyes lurked a shrewd intelligence and ruthless nature. Tanarharit had many friends in Tajhaan, but also rivals, and Hanithi was grateful that he was not one of them. "It was an accident," he murmured, without conviction. "Of the very worst kind, my dear," she replied. Did he detect a knife-edge between the velvet layers of her voice? When he chanced a look, he saw the faintest hint of a smile crinkle the corners of her mouth. "I should tell Inandré," he said. "I am sure the news would comfort him." Hanithi took another sip of wine to still his nerves. "There was no justice for him," he commented. "The law says an akharu can press charges against any man who injures him. He discovered too late that it is not true." "Did he? Do not assume that the only justice is to be found in the law courts." "The gods do not always listen." Tanarharit arched an elegant eyebrow. "It is not only the gods who are listening, my dear."

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About the Author L.E. Bryce was born in Los Angeles, California and has never lived anywhere else. She has a Masters in English Literature from California State University, Northridge, and currently works as an English teacher. Her Jewish mother, dog, and a passel of cats help her keep her sanity. She is a regular contributor to Forbidden Fruit Magazine, and is the author of Dead to the World, My Sun and Stars, Ki'iri, Becoming, The Golden Lotus, Snake Bite and Other Dark Homoerotic Fantasies and Those Pearls That Were His Eyes. She maintains a blog at granamyr.livejournal.com.

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Concubinage

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