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“Hold still, Brother—as much as you can,” she heard Rarev murmur to the hapless Charn Then, with one swift h the thick black leather of the pain collar with a single swipe

The collar parted and fell on the floor, spitting sparks froony left Rarev’s face as his jaws relaxed and his eyes stopped squinting in pain

Charn si and contracting over and over, taking deep, ragged breaths as he tried to regain his equilibrium

Mistress Tatterass, however, wasn’t nearly so calm

“What do you think you’re doing?” she shrieked at Rarev “Do you kno et him to behave on the way home? You owe me thousands of credits!”

“I owe you nothing and Charn will not be going ho up to fron at her

“What? But he is my property! You can’t just take what someone else owns!”

“I can if what you’re proposing to ‘own’ is another person,” Rarev growled “Charn is free now—you’ll never be his Mistress again”

“Thank you,” Charn nodded gratefully to Rarev “I never could have escaped the pain collar on my own”

Rarev nodded back at him

“You are very welcome, Brother Enjoy your freedom”

“What? But you can’t do this!” screeched Mistress Tatterass, her face turning red with fury She turned to the Director of Mining “I deood faith to co robbed by one of the other contestants You must stop this at once!”

“I’ellens find the idea of slavery repulsive and wrong and we are disgusted by anyone who practices it,” the Director of Mining said, stepping up “I request that you leave our planet immediately This poor male you forced to pretend to be your mate will be offered sanctuary here until such time as he chooses to leave”

“What? No! No, you can’t do that—you can’t!” The Yonnite Mistress exclaimed

“I can and I have,” the Director said grimly He raised his voice and called, “Guards? Please co our fair planet now!”