I sucked in a breath, hope swelling in my chest. “All of them?”
Haem nodded, confused, but I didn’t stick around to explain. I grabbed my tribute by the arm, hurrying him to where the traders would be handing out their items. Simon was part of that group. He was the only chance I had left to figure out my tribute’s story.
Nine
ZAKAI
Istumbled over my feet in a poor attempt to keep up with the barbarian’s longer strides. I wasn’t sure what the hurry was, but it wasn’t like I could ask anyway. It annoyed me that he was making me carry everything, though. I dug my heels in, stopping his progress, and glared at him. He gave me an impatient look, so I shoved the clothes into his arms and crossed mine defiantly. If he wanted to run around, he could carry the clothing.
With an annoyed growl that put my back up, he tucked the bundle under one arm and grabbed my hand, dragging me toward the village center. I went with him because I had no other choice. I tried not to be annoyed by that fact. I wasn’t that much smaller than him. Kind of. Okay, I was short compared to him, but in my home, I was average. I was even taller than one of my brothers. If I was wearing boots.
No one needed to know that, though.
By the time we arrived where a group had gathered around a carriage, I was out of breath and fuming. I hated this. Hated being dragged around and treated like a nuisance. Hated being cold all the time. And I especially hated it when my barbariandropped my hand and walked away from me. I’d behaved well enough that he’d taken the shackles off that morning, and yet he walked away from me without a backward glance.
To punish him, I spun on my heel, aiming for the field of horses I’d seen a few times. From what I’d been able to tell, it was unguarded. It should be easy to take a horse.
I only got a few feet away before the terrifying barbarian who’d attacked me on the night of my arrival stepped into my path. He wasn’t even looking at me, his focus on the man beside him hugging a book to his chest with a shy smile, but my feet were still frozen where I stood. He’d pinned me in front of his entire clan and only my barbarian stepped in to stop him. I didn’t want to get near him ever again.
A hand on my shoulder spun me around and my barbarian nudged another man forward to speak with me. A very familiar man.
“You,” I breathed, eyes wide.
His mouth fell open. He still had the pretty pink hair, though there was a small section that was shaved on one side. He was still beautiful. And he spoke my language.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded.
I didn’t answer at first. I couldn’t. I was so relieved to hear my language again that I reached for him, yanking him into a tight hug. He squawked in protest, stiff in my embrace, and I heard a growl from somewhere behind him, but I needed a moment.
“I am so glad you are here.”
Awkwardly, the whore from my once favorite brothel patted my back, his voice tinged with confusion as he repeated his question. “What are you doing here?”
I opened my mouth to explain, straightening to look at him, but a cold gust of wind tore through the village center that evenmy new warmer clothing couldn’t combat. I winced and shrank in on myself, whimpering.
Before I could open my eyes, I was lifted off my feet and my stupid barbarian began walking away. My eyes snapped open and I flailed, screeching at him.
“Put me down! I need to speak with him! Put me down, you giant asshole!”
A snort caught my attention, and I peered over my shoulder where the whore was following behind me, another barbarian at his back. I only settled when I realized he would be coming with me, allowing my barbarian to bring us back to his tent where the wind was blocked and my blankets were waiting. I immediately wrapped myself in them, sitting as close to my savior as possible while whispering to him.
“You have to get me out of here. I don’t belong here.”
He seated himself beside me, studying me with a frown. “No, I don’t think you do. But I need to hear the whole story. Did you become a citizen of Yaifem? How did you become a tribute?”
“I was set up,” I hissed. “I returned to your brothel and—” I straightened suddenly, looking him over with wide eyes. He was wearing the same clothing as the barbarians. “Were you taken too? Do you need to escape as well? If we can get word out to my family, I can help. I am a good rider. We can escape together.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “While I appreciate that, I’m happy here. See that big barbarian over there?” He pointed to the one who had been following behind him and now stood in a corner talking to my barbarian in hushed tones. “He’s my bondmate. We’re essentially married—according to the clans anyway.”
That surprised me. I’d thought maybe they’d taken him and were using him as a whore for the clan to pass around. That would have angered me greatly. The time we’d spent together was wonderful, and I would hate to see such a beautiful manused in such a way. But upon closer inspection, he looked unharmed. In fact, he seemed to have a glow to him I hadn’t seen in the brothel. Like he was truly happy, and it exuded from him.
“So, tell me,” he said, returning to the subject at hand. “How were you set up?”
I explained to him the deal my father hoped to make, as well as the advisor who’d met me at the brothel. I was grinding my teeth when I spoke of Hameed’s betrayal and forcing me to become a tribute. Because I couldn’t communicate, I couldn’t tell anyone who I was, and I was dragged out here without even an attempt to contact my family.
“They could have made a lot of money if they offered me for ransom, but instead, they brought me out here! In the cold!”
The pink-haired beauty made a face. “I could’ve told you it was a scam from the start if I’d known. If a town advisor asks to meet you in a brothel, he’s intending to do shady business. I saw it a dozen times. If he actually meant to make a deal with you, he would have taken you to the mayor’s home.”
