Twenty-Eight - Carine

Don’t go! Carine had thought as Vanadine walked from the chamber without a backwards glance. He can’t be going to do as they said. She thought. He wouldn’t…

Yet Carine knew Vanadine would do anything for her, even if it meant his own life being lost so a few strangers would mean nothing to him.

Never mind that, what about the things he said about other women? Her mind demanded. What is he going to do go back to Earth and shack up with Laura?

Of course not! Carine thought.

Even so a small part of her mind wondered if he had spoken the truth when he said he was just fond of her.

“Take her somewhere pleasant,” Adnanter said. “And dispose of that,” he added, flicking his hand at Horann’s corpse.

Carine was dragged away through a maze of tunnels that all looked the same until she was utterly lost. Eventually the guard dragged her up an almost endless flight of stairs that doubled back and curled around madly. Reaching the top Carine was out of breath and her thighs ached. The guard seemed