Sitara paused, hand poised to knock.

There could be no turning back. She had told the keisara that morning that she wouldn’t leave, that she trusted in a positive spin of the Wheel to preserve her grandmother.

She had closed that door.

She needed Remiel's unnamed ally, who she had to believe knew how to thwart Omolara. If they did not, all hope was lost.

So she stood before the door leading to Remiel. At the first opportunity, she had excused herself and made her way here. If he could not help her, Omolara's interview would seal her fate.

Sitara settled her face into a pleasant mask and knocked loudly on the door. It was opened by the same young page who had answered the day before.

"Back already, miss?" he asked with a grin and a wink.

"I beg your pardon." She gave him a hard look.

Mumbling an apology, he backed out of her way, holding the door wide for her.

"Fetch Remiel for me," she commanded.

"Yes, ma'am." He led her to the comfortable waiting room and disappeared from view. Remiel appeared a few minutes later.

"Well hello, Angel," he said warmly. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Will you accompany me, please?" she asked before turning. Without waiting for a reply, she left the room. He quickly followed.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he caught up to her.

"To somewhere a little more private."

"Well lead on, darlin'," he said happily. "I hadn't thought we'd get right down to business so fast."

"I’m not in a patient mood today."

Encouraged by her answer, he stepped closer and slipped an arm around her slender waist. When she did not object, he said, "I have the feeling this is going to be the beginning of a long and profitable relationship."

"You have no idea."

"I like you more and more every minute." He hugged her closer.

She led him down to the sub-levels of the palace, into an empty corridor lined with guest rooms. As they walked, she carefully explored the rooms around them with her mind to ensure all were empty.

She stopped before a plain wooden door. Remiel eagerly opened it for her. She stepped through into a simple room furnished with a bed, a single chair, and a small closet. His excitement was almost palpable as he followed her in and closed the door behind them.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Sitara turned to him and placed a hand on the middle of his chest. He smiled and reached for her.

Her hand began to glow with an angry red light.

Shocked, he met her gaze, and tensed in fear under her cold stare.

Sitara smiled without warmth and reached into his chest with her magic. She wrapped it like cold fingers around his heart. Her smile widened at the feel of its quickening pulse and on seeing the fear he vainly tried to hide behind his eyes.

She squeezed.

He cried out in pain, but she held him immobile in her power. Unlike her experience with the old woman, holding his life in her hand exhilarated her. The dark power racing through her filled her with strength, and the filth that dragged through her soul no longer bothered her.

In this moment, it felt right.

Had she not needed the pig, she would destroy him and take his life force. She maintained the pressure around his heart for several long seconds as she fought the temptation.

After a moment, she reluctantly withdrew her hand. She needed him, for the moment. Still, she knew how she would kill him when his usefulness ended.

She would look him in the eye while squeezing the life out of him, would take his life force and use it to further her own ends. That would be sweet justice for what he forced her to do next.

He breathed rapidly, all traces of the cocky young man gone, replaced by a far more pitiful, more honest person. He was so far beneath Bajaran that he repulsed her.

"My name is Sitara," she said sweetly.

He cringed initially at the sound of her voice, but regained some of his composure once he realized she wasn’t going to kill him immediately.

"You're a sentinel! Why didn't you tell me?"

She raised one eyebrow. "Would you have changed the price for your services?"

"I wouldn't have let you drag me down here to kill me."

"I’m not going to kill you yet," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I need your services, for the time being." As he visibly relaxed, she added, "I have decided to allow you to serve me."

"Wait a minute," he protested.

"Listen to me. I will pay your price, and you will serve me. You will reveal to no one the secret that I am a sentinel, and you will take no other woman to your bed until I’m through with you."

"Hold on, that’s not the deal we agreed to."

"We agreed to nothing. You stated a price for your service. I am accepting that service, and explaining what it will entail.

"And know this," she leaned close and he cringed back against the door. "If you disappoint me, I will kill you."

"I won’t," he promised.

She raised a hand once more glowing with ugly red fire. "Should you share your bed with another woman before I release you from my service, you will be privileged to witness her terrible, agonizing death in your arms."

His face paled, his eyes riveted to her glowing hand.

"I think we understand each other," she added crisply before dropping her hand and stepping away. "You will arrange a meeting between myself and the ally Bajaran spoke of."

"I’ll see what I can do."

"You don't understand," she said in her sweetest tone. "If I don’t meet with that person tomorrow, my secret will become known. Therefore your service to me will be discovered, and your own life will be forfeit."

He exclaimed, "Why would you drag me into this knowing you had so little time?"

"Because I have so little time!" she snarled. "I need that person's help and you’re the only one who can help me reach them. Your life is also on the line."

He glowered at her, but did not dare voice the thoughts so clearly running through his mind.

"Enough," she said. "I’m sure you’re as good as you claim to be. Now, on to better things."

She took another step back and felt the bed behind her. With a touch of her mind, she pulled apart the back of her dress and let it slip off her shoulders and fall to the floor.

Remiel immediately forgot his anger. Resentment drained out of him as his eyes eagerly feasted on the curves of her body, visible through the thin shift.

Typical man.

"Let's discuss your payment," she said and settled onto the bed.

"Yes, ma'am," he said heartily and began pulling at his shirt.

"One last thing."

"What?"

"I had better enjoy myself."

He grinned. "That, Angel, I can guarantee."