Jasper grumbled, tugging a second bag of coin from his cloak.
“Ah, very good. On with you, then,” Caleb replied, weighing the new purse in the flat of his hand. “Go get them registered. I’ll keep an eye out while you’re gone.”
What exactly he was watching for, however, would remain a mystery, for as soon as Jasper and the fool disappeared down a narrow set of concrete stairs, Caleb turned his back on us. Dumping his coin on a small table, he began to count, starting over every time a patron shouted or cheered from within the auction house.
“Come,” Alicia whispered. “Let’s get you free o’the Raith, if we can. An’ when you have the strength, you’ll tell me every piece of the story I’m missin’. Canna make a plan if I don’t know the players.” She caught my gaze. “I’ll need t’know who‘he’is, lass. Oh, aye,” she breathed, reaching for the cold thing chewing on my spinal cord, “I’ve put it together. You’ve had a run in with a man—likely a son o’the Empire, if your shifty behavior is any sort of accurate.” With a shrug, she brushed a matted lock of hair off my shoulder. “But I’m not Belle, lass. You canna sayanythingI’ll condemn you for. Us girls’ve got needs too, yeah? We’re the only allies we’ve got. Understand?”
For a moment, I glared. But this clever green-eyed bitch wasn’t wrong. More important, she was an element my Elite parasite couldn’t have predicted. If Alicia could free me of this so-called Raithanddisrupt the captain’s plans?
Perhaps our purpose here wasn’t entirely wasted after all.
Perhaps we could accomplish all we’d set out to do before I’d gone and ruined it. Save the Trila-Glís.
I tipped my head forward, allowing her nimble fingers to work at the poisoned leather collar ringing my throat.
“We havena much time. These things never last long, but when the auction is over, the men’ll likely spend the rest of the night congratulatin’ themselves on money well-spent. It’sourjob t’ensure they’re so bloody drunk they can’t find their own cocks, let alone think o’their new slaves.”
“How—” I shook my head, straining to gather the strength to speak. “How do you know any of this?”
“Helped a few dozen girls and boys escape establishments like this one over the years.” She winked, in spite of the bruising and swelling. “You’re not the only one with a knack for helpin’ refugees. Learned a few things over the last five years. It’s the slavers you’ve got t’keep an eye on. Be meek in front of them. Look broken and terrified. Men like that love to see your fear.Letthem. Play the part, lass.”
Play the terrified slave in front ofJasper?
Alicia cursed, eyes narrowed as she worked at the collar. “Cocksuckers,” she hissed, shaking her head. “It’s got a lock. I’m sorry. I’ve nothing to pick it with.”
My eyes fluttered closed, too drained to feel the disappointment. Too drained to feel anything, in fact, except for a detached sort of appreciation for all the captain’s planning.
It was… impressive, how easily he’d manipulated me. The man hadn’t set foot on the playing field, and had beaten me so thoroughly I didn’t know where to begin planning my revenge.
Or even if Icould.
“Come. Lean forward. Your hands are a bit blue. Probably cut off the circulation, by the look of those knots. Bloody idiots.”
Grunting, I did as she bade, too stiff to do more than fall against her.
“Fuck,” she hissed. “I… they’re too tight. I canna—It’s okay,” she continued, guiding my shoulder to the floor. “You’ll just have to scoot your bum over your hands.”
It wasn’t easy.
Straining the limits of my flexibility, I hunched into a tiny ball of broken skin and bones, trying to follow her instructions, though every corner of my being screamed for rest. To give it up as lost and let the Raith feast until there was nothing left.
“Here—” she gave me leverage, pulling on my knee as I strained.
I gasped, shoulders screaming with the stretch, ribs stiff and aching with the hours of inactivity. Nearly there… just a little more and I could slip my left foot between my wrists.
With a funny littlepopfrom my thumb, I was halfway there. One hand throbbing with new pain, but free.
“Goddess, lass, did that hurt? ‘M sorry.”
I jerked my chin at my right knee, uttering a breathless, “Don’t stop.”
Alicia nodded, cheeks pink with effort as we worked.
Sweat dripped into my eyes—hers or mine, I wasn’t sure—but I persisted until my second foot came free. Twisting my wrists in the too-tight bonds until my hands sat at the most comfortable angle I could manage. I ignored the ache when the leather tore my skin, breathing hard. Eyes squeezed shut. “This is my fault. All of it. I’m sor—”
“None of that, lass,” Alicia said, bumping the back of her head against the bars. “We’re not in the best way, but we’re not quite fucked either.”
With a snort, I cracked a smile, and said, “How so?”
