Star Rider and Bonds of Love: A Sci-Fi Space Opera with a Touch of Fantasy by Heidi Skarie (best love novels of all time .txt) 📗

inner beingand she could hear the melody of the Sound Current. She decided totry to reach Michio. She focused her attention on moving out of herbody, but it was as if the inner door was closed. She tried for overan hour before giving up and conceding that her spiritual strengthwas greatly depleted. She found a position where her ribs didn’thurt and fell asleep.

When she awakened, she feltrefreshed and uplifted. She decided to fast to help keep herattention on Spirit. She chanted her Soul Song whenever she felt herattention wander throughout the day.

In the afternoon her thoughtsturned to Michio and Baymond. She believed they were meant to be afamily and Michio would somehow rescue her. It was up to her torecover so she could contact him inwardly and escape.

Toemeka asked Amaretta for penciland paper. Once she got them, she began drawing a sketch of Michioholding the baby. She became absorbed in her work and found comfortin expressing her love for them in this way. When she was done, shelooked at the picture, pleased that it was a good likeness of both ofthem.

Amaretta watched her draw withfascination. “Your drawing is so lifelike. Who is this man?”

“My husband, Michio. He’sholding our infant son.”

“He’s handsome and the baby’sprecious. You must miss them a lot.”

“I do. Someday I hope toreunite with them. I should hide the drawing so Cadmus doesn’t takeit from me.” She tucked it under the mattress. “I need a newsubject. Would you pose for me?”

“Me? Why would you want to drawme?”

“I like drawing people and youhave an interesting face.” She studied Amaretta for a moment, thenbegan sketching, trying to show the woman’s inner beauty andcharacter. Toemeka composed the picture so Amaretta was portrayed asa small figure in a large distorted room, to show the girl’sloneliness and feeling of being trapped by the circumstances of herlife.

Once it was completed, Amarettastudied it. “The drawing makes me look so forlorn.”

“If I had oil paints, I woulddo a full-size painting of you.”

“You’re an oil painter?”

“I painted when I was young,but these last years left me with little time to do any kind ofartwork. This afternoon passed quickly for once. I feel almost likemyself. Please help me out of bed.”

Amaretta helped Toemeka move overto the lounge with a view of the lush flower garden.

Unused to being confined to bed,Toemeka was grateful to be up. Her gaze swept around the room, reallynoticing it for the first time. The large bedroom was comprised of asleeping area, dressing room, bathroom and sitting area. Thefurnishings were elaborate and everything was finely decorated.

“I’m glad to see you’rebetter and interested in things. Shall I bring you some dinner?”

“No, thank you.”

“But you haven’t eaten allday.”

“I’m fine, better than I’vefelt since coming here.”

“You must see the clothesCadmus had made for you.” Amaretta opened the closet, which wasfilled with exotic dresses. “And there’s jewelry as well.” Sheopened a dresser drawer that sparkled with the glitter of jewelry.

Toemeka’s stomach twisted andshe felt like one of his possessions. “I’m not interested inthem.”

“Why? Don’t the dresses andjewelry please you?” Amaretta asked with a puzzled frown.

“No, it’s creepy to thinkabout him planning my abduction and buying clothes for me.”

“The dresses are amazing. Iwish I had one that was as beautiful as any of them.” Her fingerstouched the colorful fabrics. “Commander Rochambeau’s kind tohave given them to you.”

“He didn’t buy clothing andjewelry to please me, but for his own pleasure. When he tires of me,he’ll give them to the next woman he desires. Just because he putsme in a pretty cage is no reason to think he’s less of a monster.He took me away from my husband, son and everything else I love.”

Amaretta shut the closet door andsat on the chair near the lounge. “He hasn’t made you a slave andhe treats you well. He brings you gifts. I’ve never been given agift or owned anything.”

“Never?”

“My family was poor and wedidn’t have enough to eat. My parents sold me into slavery when Iwas still a child. At least here I get plenty of food and a place tosleep. It’s not so bad.”

“But you’re not free to liveas you choose.”

“I’ve never been free, noteven as a child. Here I’m not even considered a person. I’m aslave and slaves have no soul.”

“You don’t have a soul; youare Soul. As Soul you are immortal and when you die you’ll go to anamazing world beyond this one.”

Amaretta’s eyes widened. “Doyou really believe there’s life after death for a slave?”

“I know there is.”

Amaretta looked nervously aroundthe room with eyes that were suddenly frightened. “Toemeka, neverspeak of such ideas again. It’s heresy. You could be killed forhaving ideas that oppose Samrat Condor’s priests. Even CommanderRochambeau with all his power could not save you from Samrat Condor.He is a god and has great powers.”

“Condor is not a god. He’s anevil sorcerer. Someday his crimes will catch up to him and he’llhave to pay.”

Amaretta began trembling. “SamratCondor can hear and see everything. Do not speak of him so. He willsurely strike you down.”

“How can you believe suchrubbish? I am not afraid of him.”

“Afraid of who?” Cadmusasked.

Startled, Toemeka looked towardthe doorway and saw him standing there. Her mood immediatelydampened.

He came over and sat down on thechair that Amaretta just vacated, like a scared hare, the secondCadmus spoke. She huddled in the corner as if she expected to bebeaten at any moment.

“Of Samrat Condor.” Toemekaturned to look at the slave girl. “Nor should you be. Nothing badis going to happen.”

“Why should anything badhappen?” Cadmus asked.

“She thinks I’ll be struckdown by a bolt of lightning for having ideas that are different fromwhat Samrat Condor’s priests teach.”

Cadmus’s mouth quirked up onone side, as if suppressing a smile. “You must be feeling better tospeak such blasphemy. You’re really not much fun, lying in bedsniveling and feeling sorry for yourself. How about me? Are you stillafraid of me?”

“No, I’m not afraid of you,nor was I ever.”

“You should see the light andchallenge in your eyes when you say that. You are indeed feelingbetter. I’m pleased to see it. I don’t wish to extinguish yourspark, so I