Captive Prince: Volume One

Keep the slave restrained here in the harem. The Prince’s orders. No one is to come in or out of the room. The Prince’s orders. Two guards at the door at all times. The Prince’s orders. Don’t let him off the chain. The Prince’s orders.

The slaves knelt in demonstration of their willing submissiveness.

‘I would never ask you to do anything you found distasteful,’ said Laurent.

‘Looking at you is distasteful,’ said Nicaise.

Akielos

THEOMEDES, King of Akielos

DAMIANOS (Damen), son and heir to Theomedes

KASTOR, illegitimate son of Theomedes and Damen’s half brother

JOKASTE, a lady of the Akielon court

ADRASTUS, Keeper of the Royal Slaves

LYKAIOS, a female slave in the household of Damianos

ERASMUS, a male slave

Vere

THE REGENT of Vere

LAURENT, the heir to the throne of Vere

RADEL, overseer of the Prince’s household

GUION, a member of the Veretian Council and Ambassador to Akielos

AUDIN, a member of the Veretian Council

HERODE, a member of the Veretian Council

JEURRE, a member of the Veretian Council

CHELAUT, a member of the Veretian Council

NICAISE, a pet

GOVART, a former member of the King’s Guard

JORD, a member of the Prince’s Guard

ORLANT, a member of the Prince’s Guard

VANNIS, a courtier

TALIK, her pet

ESTIENNE, a courtier

BERENGER, a courtier

ANCEL, his pet

Patras

TORGEIR, King of Patras

TORVELD, younger brother of Torgeir and Ambassador to Vere

From the past

ALERON, former King of Vere and Laurent’s father

AUGUSTE, former heir to the throne of Vere and Laurent’s older brother

‘Then I will teach you,’ said Kallias, and kissed him.

And at the centre of it all, Kallias, paint on his face, the gold collar around his neck.

And then Kallias spoke in a raw little voice.

‘I wish you could be my first.’

I’ll come to the palace, and you’ll be a fêted slave, you’ll perform on the kithara at the King’s table every night, and Kastor will never be without you.

He raised his wrists above his head and imagined the ribbon binding them, his body the Prince’s to touch.

he thought, but he will take me like that, and the deep shiver went all the way through his body.