I felt warmth swell in my heart. With the revelation of her name, the chiri before me transformed into a young girl. A young girl with a name. She was no longer a “plague,” she was a person.

Unable to keep from smiling, I let the happiness of her confidence in me show. Maya’s cheeks blushed at this gesture. “It’s beautiful,” I said. Maya’s cheeks reddened even more.

Stepping closer to her, I reached for her hand and said, “Thank you for telling me. I swear, I will never tell another soul.”

“Thank you,” she replied, then, checking over her shoulder, turned to me and said, “I don’t know your name, miss. But I heard Master talking about you. He said you were twenty-one years old. I know that isn’t much information, but it’s something. You have an age. That’s more than most in this place have.”

My pulse sprinted, rushing the blood through my ears. “Twenty-one,” I said quietly. I briefly closed my eyes and repeated with increasing confidence, “Twenty-one. I’m twenty-one.”

“Yes, miss,” Maya said in support. I had to hold back from taking her in my arms. If I were caught embracing a chiri, it would be punishment for us both.

“Thank you,” I hushed out.

Maya bowed her head, then pointed to the door. “We must go, miss. Master will not be happy if we are late.” I glanced down at my sheer dress and felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment. The dress was entirely see-through. You could see every part of my naked body underneath. My breasts, but shockingly, my most private area was clearly visible.

“All monebi here in the pit wear this garment, miss. It is only the High Mona that is covered. To show she is Master’s and Master’s alone.” I nodded in relief, only for fear to spike in its wake.

“Does this mean I am no longer High Mona? Have I been relegated to being a mona once again?” Pure terror then shot to my heart when I confessed, “I don’t want to be drugged again. I don’t want to forget who I am again.”

Sympathy flooded Maya’s gaze. “I do not know, miss. I know nothing more than instructed.”

Before I could respond, there was a loud bang on the door. “Master will be waiting!” We both jumped as a guard shouted. Maya’s eyes grew large and she said, “We must hurry.”

Steeling my nerves, I followed her out the door, ducking my head when the guard by the door stared lustfully at my state of undress. Maya led me swiftly through a maze of hallways, all dark stone lit only by dim lights, until we arrived at a forked section. Three hallways led to different areas of the pit. Maya headed down the hallway farthest to our left and I dutifully followed. We had walked only a few steps when the hallway changed from stone to sterile white walls, with many lights that almost blinded me.

I tried to understand what I was seeing, but I couldn’t. When we arrived at a silver door, Maya opened it and I stepped through. A large room lay before me. Several cages were lined along the walls. Then my heart sank when I saw what was inside. Four young boys, appearing to be between six and eighteen years of age, sat in the cages. Three were rocking back and forth, sweating and restless. One was staring straight forward, like he was alive but no longer aware of the world around him.

I tried to look for Maya for explanation, but she had already crossed the room to another door. I rushed to catch up. As I arrived at the door, Maya had opened it to reveal another room. This one was smaller. A narrow bed lay in the center. Along one of the walls were collars of all shapes and sizes. Thick metal collars. I closed my eyes when an image of the scarred male came to my mind. In my vision, he was wearing a collar. It was wrapped tightly around his neck. Then the vision deepened and in my mind’s eye I heard a hiss spring from the collar, and it tightened around the scarred male’s neck. His muscled neck corded and his blue eyes flared until the blue was eradicated by black.

Then the scarred male was no longer friendly. He was no longer safe. He was dangerous, becoming the most brutal of killers.

“Miss?” Maya’s soft voice brought me from my thoughts, and she pointed to the bed. “You must sit on here and wait for Master.”

I stared at the narrow bed, at its restraints hanging to the sides, and I feared the worst, but I did as instructed. I had just climbed onto the bed when the door opened again and a male in a white coat walked through. He saw me but didn’t even flinch at my state of undress. Instead he walked to the wall housing the collars and took the smallest one from its rack.

I never moved my eyes from him as he silently worked. My hands were linked on my lap so the male couldn’t see me shake.

I was so focused on the mental image of the male with the collar that I neither saw nor heard Master enter the room. I knew he had materialized only when I felt a finger drift over my arm and brush over the rope burn on my wrist. I sucked in a sharp breath at the raw tenderness, then my eyes collided with Master’s.

I quickly bowed my head and saw his feet step as close as they could to the bed. His hand lifted, and I braced for a strike. Unexpectedly, it ran softly down my face. I scrunched up my face in confusion. I had expected the wicked Master from last night. But before me was the gentle and loving male from days ago.

“Such a beautiful petal,” he whispered tenderly and placed his finger under my chin to raise my head. I did as instructed and lifted my face to look at his.

Master’s gaze roved down to study my body, his eyes twitching in annoyance when he took in the bruises on my arm. He shook his head and leaning forward, ran his lips over my forehead. “I had no choice. I had to take you that way.” He reared back and said, “You’re so beautiful, too beautiful. I can hardly bear what I’m about to do, what I have to do to make sure my empire stays strong.”

Pure terror took hold of my senses at his words, and the regretful, sad tone of his voice. Lifting his hand, he cupped my cheeks and stared into my eyes. As always, I could see the crazed possession staring back. He shook his head and licked his lips. “My very own Helen of Troy.” He paused after those words, but I didn’t understand what he meant, or who he was referring to.

“Your beauty is too coveted, but also extremely useful.” I inhaled a ragged breath, and he added, “And now I must whore you out to an animal.”

This time my heart kicked into a heady sprint. Whore me out to an animal? My mind raced, trying to piece together what was to happen. Suddenly, Master pushed me back onto the bed and shackled my wrists and feet. I didn’t fight back.