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High screaming voices surprised me. When I heard Fuji and Rose yelling at each other, I felt shocked. The Keeper’s voice told them slaves couldn’t fight and I heard two dividers rise. The door closed and all was silent for a moment.
“Rose? Fuji?” I called hesitantly.
“Shh,” I heard Rose say.
A sharp tip swung around my divider and then flipped back out. It had looked like Fuji’s strange tail, which I’d only seen the once.
“We’re alone, just the three of us,” Fuji said happily a moment later.
Evidently, Fuji’s tail could extend three times the length of her body. Besides being a sharp weapon, it had great sensing abilities and she had used it to check the room.
“I’m screwed,” I said in English.
Rose laughed and translated for Fuji.
We talked casually for the afternoon. I chose not to perseverate on my new duty, so the conversation was varied. When it got late enough we kept the conversation very light, in case the men came in.This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.
“Again,” I heard Basin say, “this doesn’t sound like a slave that wishes to die and two who are fighting.”
The dividers dropped as Fuji’s men agreed. We sounded like three happy friends left to talk without interruption all afternoon.
Basin stopped in front of me and released my bonds. He told me he was my Keeper for the evening. I was also informed that if I hurt myself on his watch, he would heal me well, so I could know true pain.
“Where are my Masters?” I asked hesitantly.
“They made the General angry,” he said as he wrapped my ornamentation around me. “They are being punished.”
We left the Keeper’s compound and I stared into the forest beside it. I knew the thick growth hid my daughter and her Sister. Quickly and discreetly, I blew two kisses in that direction. I hoped my girls saw.
The transport landed in the main compound and I walked off with Rose. The men led us in a direction I didn’t typically go. It wasn’t clear to me where we were going.
I didn’t look up. I watched their heels and followed with Rose. She took my hand in a comforting gesture and squeezed it as we walked.
The men were grumbling and griping. They didn’t want to go, but they had to make an appearance. It was expected of them, even if it was their friends.
“We do not take part, we only observe,” Basin said. “We cannot help, but we will not assist.”
That made no sense to me. The statement in itself was contradictory. All the men agreed with him, though.
We walked through an assembled crowd all facing the same way. Wherever we were everyone was watching the same thing.
I heard it. The sound of a man’s pained grunt in front of me. I’d recognize Christof anywhere. My head jerked up and the sight took my breath away.
My family stood on a low platform with their hands chained over their heads. Their shirts had been stripped. All of them were bleeding and I could see bruises forming on their faces and stomachs. Another Warrior was currently pummeling Christof in the abdomen.
It was a gut reaction, built from memories that weren’t mine. I leapt on the stage to defend my Brother. The man hitting Christof had a short sword on his leg, so I took it.
Positioning myself in front of Christof, I lunged at the man. He side stepped away from me with surprise on his face. I moved toward him again along the length of the platform, my weapon at the ready. Before I’d made contact I was grabbed.
Arms around mine I could have handled. Legs were a different story and I was dragged back scraping my knees on the stage as I fell.
“Stay still!” Evan demanded tightening the strange grip he held me in.
Twisting my head I saw him staring down at me. All his weight was on his battered wrists and the blood was flowing down his arms. He didn’t loosen his grip even after the knife fell from my hand.
“No slave will harm a Warrior!” I heard a man yell.
There was cacophony in the yard as the Warriors called for my head. Terror clenched my gut and I my eyes widened in horror. They were going to kill me for attacking one of them.
The sound of screaming metal broke through the yelling. I heard a crack as wood creaked and gave. The metal was wrenched free from its holding. Twisting my head I saw that somehow, Bane had pulled his arms down from the bar. Manacles hung from his bloody wrists. There was fire in his eyes and his sharp teeth were down.
Evan released me when Bane grabbed my arm and pulled me to stand with him.
“If you wish to touch my slave,” Damien boomed, “you go through my brother. We decide its punishment.”
The yard got quiet and the only sound I heard was Bane’s breathing.
“It attacked Torus,” a man yelled out.
“Ah, yes,” Bane laughed, “and I saw that mighty Warrior run from it!”
The cries for my head still came, but they were less now.
All the sound died suddenly and I knew who was here. Automatically, I moved closer to Bane for protection.
“Your punishment is not done boys. Why did Bane step out from under the bar?” the General asked casually.
“Only proving a point, General,” Damien answered. “Our slave saw our punishment and feared for us. It sought to defend those that protect it. We do not wish to punish it.”
The General stepped onto the platform and closer to me. In reaction, I huddled to Bane’s massive chest. The General took a visual appraisal of me before looking at the structure Bane had pulled down from.
“The slave comes with me,” he said simply. “Damien, you and your Brothers take the rest of your punishment.”
I clung to Bane as he stepped back under the bar.
“Go,” he ordered softly, “follow the General and do what he says.”
My eyes met Bane’s and I saw his assurance. Those eyes promised safety. I moved quickly to catch up to the General. It was what my family wanted me to do.
We passed through the other Warriors and toward the General’s quarters. He moved through his door and held it until I entered. Once we were inside he stood staring at me.
The big man moved until he was in my face. Rage was coming off of him in waves. Gone was the calm, cool man that the compound saw. This was the raw beast that lurked beneath.
“You,” he growled, “are important to the women. Damien’s family is precious to the women. It would not do to have you injured, but I will not stand to have you disrupt my compound!”