Dark Dominion

61. Not Alone

Juniper woke up with his sight returned. He'd rather be blind. He lay there a moment, the drug's haze still lingering. At least the memories weren't so vivid.

He sat up, and clinking metal brushed over his naked back. Juniper touched the chain with shaky hands. One end was bolted to the bedpost, and the other was attached to his new collar. Juniper's fingers traced the collar. It was tight around his neck, almost too tight, and he felt what were probably jewels studded all around – a gaudy thing to show off King Luther's "prize."

Jun took stock of himself. He was naked and felt utterly dirty – inside and out. Dried sweat and cum covered his body. He suspected Luther had left him like that intentionally. To wake up feeling defiled. If the memories remained fuzzy, his sullied body would remind him.

He pushed the thoughts away – dwelling on them wouldn't help him survive – and he looked around the room. It was small but sufficiently furnished, if sparse and cold. The bed was big, taking up most of the space. A side table was next to the bed, and Jun didn't care to open the drawer to reveal its contents. Windows lined one entire wall, and a little dining table and chairs were set up in front of them.

Juniper got up, the chain rattling with his movements, and walked over to the windows. He pressed his hands to the glass. The city stretched out beneath, as Sky Castle was indeed the tallest building around. But unlike his room in Palace Black, these windows didn't open. Juniper could only look at the outside world.

He thudded his forehead against the thick glass and sighed. Then he noticed how parched his throat was. A pitcher of water and some glasses sat on the little table. But Juniper shivered. Did Luther intend for him to stay drugged perpetually? He looked around the room and hoped one of the two doors led to a bathroom.

The chain followed Juniper. One of the doors was beyond the chain's allowance, but the other was fully accessible. And to his relief, it was a bathroom. He drank from the sink faucet until the scratchiness in his throat abated. Then he showered, doing his best to work around the chain and scrub his skin. And though the filth ran far deeper – and couldn't be so simply washed away – Juniper did feel better.

When he finished, he found a little closet attached to the bathroom. None of the clothes were as beautiful as his collection back at Palace Black, but anything was better than waiting around naked. He helped himself to a simple shirt that opened and tied down his side and drawstring pants. The clothes were a touch too big and not as warm as he would have wished, but the material was soft and comfortable.

Juniper drank some more faucet water and wondered if someone would bring him food. Jun never quite got used to all the pampering, but Palace Black certainly took care of their thralls. He didn't want a slave to have to come and serve him, but he was lonely. He had been good for Luther, not that the aphrodisiac offered a choice, but how soon would he be able to see Echo?

He stepped back into the room and avoided sitting on the disheveled bed. He'd change the sheets himself if he knew where they were kept. Instead, Jun plopped down in one of the chairs by the windows. There were no books to read, no papers to write on, nor a balcony to enjoy, so he gazed out the window. The sun seemed directly above, so he couldn't yet tell which direction he faced. Not that he could see much beyond the sprawling city; the buildings just disappeared in a haze.

Juniper didn't know how long he sat there, but the day wore on, the sun coming into view as it lowered in the western sky. His stomach gnawed at him. He was hungry, bored, and lonely—but he'd take that over King Luther returning.

Then someone knocked on the out-of-reach door. Jun flew up from his seat, his chain jangling.

"Jun, it's Echo. And Ollie's here too. Can we come in?" Echo called through the door.