Chloe nodded.“She does.Margo, may I repair your face?”
Margo shook her head.“No.This keeps me from being a mandatory mistress.”
Delia looked at her.“Would it really be so bad, Mom?”
“He keeps me in a cage, baby.In a cell that is six by ten, with food slid under the door and the potential to be in there for weeks or months at a time.Brought out once a day to bathe.I can’t be caged again.”
Delia’s eyes were wide, and she hugged her mom.
Chloe blinked away tears.The terror in the voice was unmistakable.
The orcs looked unsettled.
Chloe looked at them.“Does that happen a lot?The confinement?”
Baket shook his head.“It is the first I have ever heard of it, but it is the only way she could have carved herself up like that.She had to have been alone and without public view.That should not have happened.Normally, a recent concubine is pampered, oiled, massaged, and made to feel strong again.”
Margo waved her hand.“It doesn’t matter why it did; it did.I am not going back there.He isn’t worth it.”
Delia paused.“Mom, who is he?”
“He’s in charge of the Zowoth.They are fighters for hire, and so am I.I just used all of my available funds to get pilot training.”
Delia nodded.“I hope you can keep free.You don’t have me, so you need it.”
“I know, baby.One hug and you can go.”Margo wrapped her arms around her daughter, and tears flowed freely.
Delia smiled and said, “I love you, Mom.Even when we fought, I loved you, and now, it is so much more than I could ever have imagined.”
Margo nodded.“Since the moment you were in my arms, I never wanted to let go, but now I have to.Be well, and don’t hang around for me.Go where you need to be.I am on a road trip.”
Delia nodded.“And that is where you are going to be in my mind when I think of you, and I will always think of you.”
They separated, and Delia walked back to Skylar.Skylar was crying, Cori was crying, and Chloe felt the tears running down her cheeks.
Chloe looked at the orcs, and all three of them had blue eyes.Margo looked over at them and flipped them off.
One of them smiled and inclined his head.
Chloe asked, “What is that?”
“Being in charge of the Zowoth lets the person in charge occupy the body of one of his warriors in case his strength is required in case of emergency.Currently, he is using it to spy on me to tell me that life with him wouldn’t be so bad.He is absorbing that I was trapped alone in my cell for days.”
Delia was gone.
Margo scrubbed her hands over her face and said, “We are underway.ETA fourteen hours.Gertrude is firmly in charge of the ship, and the food units have a selection of Terran foods as well as compatible options.There is a gym, a rec room with a huge display unit, a food court, two four-man shuttles, some fabricators, and a really nice med centre.Would you care for a tour?”
Chloe nodded.“That would be great.”
“Me or the guys?”
Skylar smiled.“You, please.”
“Baket, you have the com.We are on course and moving through the slip layer easily.Don’t touch anything.Gertrude, if he tries, smack him.”
“Yes, pilot.Chloe, you are bringing me to so many lovely people.”There was a cackle.“Come on, boys, have a seat while the ladies get comfortable.”
Chloe grinned and gestured for Margo to lead the way.
