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But how?

Ryneth and the others had defended the Ward. They had done everything right.

He tried to kick his feet, but panic made the movements jerky. A canister hissed and something cold flooded the hood, burning his throat as he inhaled.

Ryneth fought, but his body felt strange, as if he was no longer in it but floating above the scene. Back home. The kitchen. Mara and Tavi and the other boys.

“Easy now,” someone muttered, almost soothing.

The pressure shifted. The static twitched and failed. His hands trembled behind his back, and he pressed the chip at his hip, fingers shaking.

If something feels wrong, you get off the ship at the first safe port. There are more places than Helion.

Mara?

But no one answered.

3

RYNETH

Ryneth woke to voices discussing him the way men discussed cargo they intended to keep.

“…told you, look at his hair. You want that out where everyone can see it?”

A gruff laugh. “I want that hair in my fist and those lips on my dick.”

“You put his mouth there, boss will have your dick cut off.”

“Fuck off, dog. As if you’d disagree if we could take turns.”

Ryneth pressed his cheek to the concrete, pain flaring as he fought the nausea. His entire body hurt. They’d bound his wrists so tight his hands tingled.

At least they’d taken the damn hood off him.

When he flexed his hands, static twitched under the skin.

His mind was rattling, but he didn’t move. Didn’t open his eyes.

“Shut up now. The show’s starting.”

A hand brushed through his hair, and Ryneth winced. “Too bad, really. Such a pretty boy.”

Heavy footsteps approached. “Don’t touch the goods,” someone barked.

“Yes, boss.”

Now that the voices were no longer distorted, Ryneth recognized the Düren accent. Good Light, these men really were local.

The hand yanked away.

Ryneth opened his eyes a slit—and immediately wished he hadn’t.

Metal beams crossed the ceiling. Crates stacked along the walls. Light spilled in through a loading door.

The cargo hold was bigger than the passenger cabin had looked from the other side of the shuttle walls.

Three men stood nearby. Two of them wore black armor, and the third looked closer to his age, dressed in black with a half-mask covering his eyes. Blond curls showed above it.