"Mor... He's going to be used in service."Kya broke down. My throat closed up.
"Ezra knows where my savings are, for the both of you. For your freedom." Kya just shook her head, hopelessly crying.
"Madam de Trix already received payment from a duchess who wants to purchase me," Red spoke up, walking around Kya. I bit the inside of my cheek.
"Please, Mor,"Kya begged.
***
"I'm enjoying this, so very much. I don't think I have ever been this happy." I grit my teeth as Red's hands tighten around my waist.
"I will push you off this horse, Red, I swear to Nocturna, I will."
"Okay, okay. Just excited for the adventure." Red's arms loosened. We had made it to a clearing where a flurry of yellow capes and silver armour brushed past us.
"This is not an adventure, Red. This is dangerous and very soon, we will need to plan an escape," I roughly whispered.
"Sounds like an adventure to me; a royal prince, knights in shining armour, one cool warrior and an incredibly handsome sidekick," Red flourished his hands in wonder, as if to show me the vision.
I rolled my eyes, "First things first, the sidekick needs his own horse." I looked around the chaos of yellow cloaks until I spotted a grey mare unmounted and tethered to a tree.
"There." I nodded to Red, jumping off my stallion to untangle the knot.
"What's he doing here?" The tall guardsman looked down at us.Inanov.
"He is my carrier of weapons. I am to be the prince's bodyguard, am I not?"
"You can carry it on your own," he snapped.
"Well, it's too heavy and I need to be quick on my feet to protectHis Majesty,"I pointedly retorted.
"We have men that can hold it for you," he dryly said and grabbed Red by the collar.
"No!" I desperately commanded. "No offence, but I do not trust Apollon brutes to take care of my weaponry, especially the fire blades that are known to kill cliftolights," I explained.Inanov was getting annoyed and when Red pulled out of his hold, the burned mark of his wrist caught Inanov's eyes. The proof that he belonged to a brothel.
"Keep him quiet, well-behaved, and out of trouble," Inanov spat and turned to leave.
"And most importantly, keep that mark covered. There are men here who will have their way with him, even if he is just a boy. He is pretty enough." He warned with finality and I nodded, even though he wouldn't see it. I did not trust the Apollons, yet I appreciated his warning and perseverance of Red. He had no reason to feel sympathy for him and yet he did. I didn't know if I should be feeling relief or worry if this might be a trap.
"Get on the horse and tie this tightly onto your wrist." I ripped the black scarf from my neck into thin pieces for him to tie and cover the mark.
"I will meet you in the clearing in a few moments," I whispered. Red, quiet, white faced and perhaps scared from the whole ordeal did as asked.
I sighed and lifted my arm to the tree above me. Instantly knowing who was here. Rhey slid onto my arm and then coiled around my neck.
"Run away with me."
"You know I can't," I answered, not turning my back to meet his face.
"Run away with me and let's start a life of our own. Now. While we still can." He reached for my hand. I couldn't see it, but I knew he did. I knew him too well.
"So we could be caught in mere minutes and hung? Then what, Ezra?” I scoffed. “I truly considered it, you know? Leaving with you after the last performance was my plan. So please do not think this is easy." I shook my head as Rhey rubbed his head against my cheek.
“You might not be worthy of happily ever after just yet.”The shadows inside me snickered. Some part of me was sickeningly happy that I wouldn’t get my happy ending and that I deserved this.
"You sound as if we couldn't defeat them all. As if we do not have powers. As if our friends, OUR FAMILY, wouldn't help us,as if we do not have a ragnor snake in our aid." He pulled me by the arm gently to turn me around. I closed my eyes, not wanting to meet his.
"He. Is. The. Prince of Apollo. We cannot, Ezra." My voice thickened.
