As the men lined up, they started exchanging confused glances. One of them yelled, “Where’s my chance to prove myself? I scored in the ninetieth percentile! I’m part of Cascade!” A serpent walked behind him and hit him over the head with the butt of his gun, causing the man to fall.
“High Gravemara, you can now pick eleven from the remaining prisoners.”
High Gravemara stood and thundered quickly, too quickly, for someone her size, over toward the women. Everyone let out a gasp and quickly stepped back. Some women cried loudly, begging for themselves and praying to anything that would hear. High Gravemara eyed pregnant bellies and thin women who had been malnourished for too long.
“What a fun choice! They all look so appetizing,” she licked her lips as she observed them.
Mogthud clapped his hands in excitement.
Fights broke out amongst the men as they rounded into the cells, but the power of the Rozzers and the serpent creatures was no match against their defense.
“You!” She picked a short, stout woman who looked to be in her thirties. The woman turned to run, but a serpent snagged her from behind and dragged her off. Seda listened to her screams as they threw her into the cell.
Seda’s chest vibrated.
“Oh, this is so fun, let me pick always, Captain.” She drooled as she loudly spoke to the Captain. She continued pointing to women, and the Rozzers collected them.
“How many was that?” she asked as she looked at the remaining women.
“Ten, High Gravemara,” the Captain answered.
Her eyes rolled over the crowd and landed on Seda.
“Oh! Look how beautiful this one is. She would make a special dinner, wouldn’t she? I will take her for myself.”
Everything fell silent for Seda, and her vision went blurry.
“You cannot take that one, High Gravemara,” replied the Captain.
“Why not?!” she roared. “You said I could pick! I picked that one! She is pretty, and I bet she tastes divine!” She pounded her foot onto the ground, and the earth shook, causing people to fall to the side, including Seda.
“We have orders, High Gravemara.”
“Ido notcare. I want that one! Load her up right now!” she screeched.
Everyone paused and looked between Seda and High Gravemara. The other prisoners whispered in confusion.
“Why is she so special?”
“Why can she not be taken?”
“If you do not load her up right now, I will take her myself,Captain. This one is for me. The Monster King may come and talk to me after, if he likes. He is not here to tell me no, and I do not trust you in this! I think you want her for yourself, and I refuse! I must have the best! I’m aqueenand I demand the best!”
“She’s not to be touched, High Gravemara. We deeply apologize,” the Captain said calmly.
High Gravemara stomped her foot forcefully, causing the ground to shake. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and tugged at her long, dread-filled orange hair. She looked back at Seda and quickly snagged her from the ground, lifting her high into the air within her palm, and licked her lips excitedly. The sudden adjustment caused Seda to black out briefly.
The Rozzers and the serpents looked at each other, not sure what to do in this situation. The Captain pulled out his gun and fired it at High Gravemara. She shrieked and stomped the ground. The other guards followed and did the same. High Gravemara circled, making Seda dizzy, and tried to smash the people below her. The other two Jotnar yelled and did the same.
The remaining prisoners let out screams and took off, desperate to escape.
High Gravemara was holding her too tightly, and it was making it hard for Seda to breathe. Her mind whirred as she flung around within her palm. She was never going to get out of here. She would never see her family again. She would never get to say goodbye to Cahir.
No. Fuck this spoiled rotten monstrosity.
An inferno built within her chest, and her hands began to glow purple. She slammed them into High Gravemara’s fingers, and purple electricity fired through Seda’s palms. An explosion of purple filled the air.
High Gravemara wailed loudly as she crashed to the ground, convulsing while still holding onto Seda.
