“Sit.” He pointed to a narrow spot against the wall between the heavy baskets of bread and wares.
I considered running, but he was already determining that he would beat me if I tried. I lowered myself to the ground with as much dignity as I could muster and sat.
Tying the end of my rope to a large basket full of heavy cloth, he didn’t say a word.Try to escape through the market with that. See how far you get.
“Maybe I will,” I muttered.
His eyes narrowed in on my face and his hands stilled on the rope. “Say again?”
My heartbeat roared in my ears and I couldn’t breathe. He couldnotfind out about my Gift. “Maybe I will... sit.”
He shoved the basket back against the wall at my impudence, which dragged me with it, knocking me sideways. By the time I caught myself, he’d already turned back to the front of his booth.
I stared at the knotted rope around my wrists and the dirty carpet underneath me. My empty stomach squeezed even tighter than the rope. When the shopkeeper’s back turned, I immediately set to work on the knot, but I paused and fell back as soft leather shoes stepped onto the carpet in front of me.
“Good morning, Haman,” a smooth male voice said. I lifted my gaze to find the boy with those golden eyes standing in front of us.
He gave my captor a charming smile. “How fortunate. I’m looking for a slave and now I overheard you say she’s going to auction tomorrow. Why don’t I save you time and buy her from you now?”
“I think not,” the shopkeeper huffed. “No doubt she’ll cause a bidding war. I’d be a fool to sell her to you now.”
No. The initial shock was wearing off as the full scope of my situation sank in. “I’mno one’sslave!” I snapped at both of them, standing halfway, before the heavy basket stopped me.
The shopkeeper’s hand swung at my face before I had time to react, cracking across my cheek and knocking me sideways. I fell into the limestone wall behind me. Sharp pain spread across my face and side. Blinking back tears, I stayed standing, glaring at him.
“Ah,” golden eyes said, shaking his head. “I’m not sure I’m interested in damaged merchandise.” The shopkeeper’s hand stopped mid-air, where it was raised to slap me again. I couldn’t tell if he was saving me or the ‘merchandise,’ but I appreciated it.
Don’t stop,golden eyes thought when I stilled, and it sounded like a groan. He wanted me to struggle? I hesitantly tugged at the ropes that held me there. The basket hardly budged an inch, but irritation spread across the shopkeeper’s face. I dragged the basket a bit further, testing its weight.
That’s it,golden eyes thought, even as he raised his hand, thoughtfully stroking the dark stubble along his jaw. “Come to think of it, obedience is key. I’m not sure she’ll be worth buying after all.”
As golden eyes nodded farewell, turning to go, the shopkeeper’s greedy gaze shifted to me.She’s going to cost me more than she’s worth. I should sell her while I can...I risked another tug on the ropes to compound those feelings, even as I wondered why I was trusting golden eyes at all. I couldn’t tell what the shopkeeper thought of him, but his white tunic and overcoat were embroidered with gold thread in delicate ornamental designs, and his pants were dyed a rich, expensive red, which all spoke of wealth.
No doubt the shopkeeper could see a missed opportunity as easily as I could. He hurried to untie me, dragging me to the edge of the carpet. “I suppose I could sell her to you now,” he called after the well-dressed stranger, a desperate tone in his voice.
Even knowing golden eye’s strategy, I couldn’t help but be impressed at his indifference as he paused and turned around. “How much?”
“Four hundred.”
“Tohmans?”
“No, rice kernels. Of course, tohmans!”
Golden eyes whistled. “You’re trying to steal from me, even as you sell me a thief?” He laughed and turned to go once more.
This time the shopkeeper dragged me out into the crowds as he lowered his price even further, and I knew we’d met a master bargainer when golden eyes graciously accepted, paying the man and taking my ropes so smoothly the shopkeeper didn’t have time to wonder if he’d been tricked until we were already walking away.
Glancing over my shoulder, I noted the shopkeeper counting his coin as he returned to his carpet. I felt multiple eyes on me; no doubt the same ones who’d just witnessed against me before. I would wait to struggle until the crowds thinned. I listened intently for golden eye’s plan for me, so I could anticipate if I should run or fight, but he didn’t think about me at all; the hum of his thoughts focused on something else.
He kept the rope loose between us, never pulling me along, slowing his pace to match mine instead.
I picked a place up ahead, at the end of the market where the streets narrowed again—I could use the walls to my advantage, knock him into one, a well-placed kick—but we veered off course unexpectedly.
He stopped beside the stall with the elderly woman from the day before. She greeted him warmly, eyeing me as she accepted the coin he set down in exchange for some fresh fruit. Handing it to me, he only said, “Take it slow.”
Stomach growling, I barely heard him, following mindlessly as I bit into the soft fruit and ate until all that was left was the core. Nibbling at that, my stomach reacted and I understood belatedly why he’d warned me.
I hadn’t even noticed we turned down a new street, so focused had I been on the fruit, until he took my hands in his and gently slipped the rope off, tossing it to the side.
