Chapter 3
Elpis
When I left the knight’s chamber, Tofa gripped my arm and yanked me back down to the underground floors. When we got back to the room my cage was in, Tofa fisted my hair and pulled my head back to look into my mouth. I held back a whimper and allowed her to check, knowing what she was about to say. She sniffed slightly and growled, then pushed me hard, making me trip over a small cage and fall to the ground. I cried out in pain, grabbed my leg, and saw that it was skinned and bleeding.
“Oh, shut up, shiftless,” the female spat. She walked toward the small cage, opened the top, and gave me a hard stare. My eyes widened, and I shook my head, backing away from her.
“Nay, please! Please! I did what he asked! You heard! You heard us!” I cried. “Please don’t punish me! I did what he asked, I swear!”
Tofa looked down at me and shrugged. “Then I guess I’ll go back and get the right story. Get in the cage.” She glowered at me .
“He’ll say I did it!” I appealed, but I was only met with cold, unmoving eyes. I stared at her, breathing hard for several minutes, hoping she’d give in... but she didn’t. Tears beaded in my eyes, and I knew I’d lost. I broke out into a cold sweat, and my feet trudged forward slowly and unwillingly. I wrung my hands and pleaded with every muscle in my face. “Please let me out when he says I did it…” I begged, and she nodded, then shrugged. I had no idea what that combination of gestures meant, but I had a feeling that all hope was lost.
It was a bitter misery struggling to do something that was only going to bring you more pain. Getting into the cage was hard, almost as hard as getting out of it. I squatted, curled up into a ball, and tilted until I was on my side. It was the only way to fit in it. My entire being screamed when Tofa closed the top of the cage and locked it. The cold bars pressed in from all angles, and my claustrophobia hit me in full force.
My wild eyes landed on Zosime and Dagmaer.
I’m sorry, little hatchling. I can’t be strong for you now.
After Tofa left, Zosime wiped a tear from her cheek, took a long breath, and began singing in a whisper. Everyone in the room joined Zosime’s efforts. Tired voices united in pain and sorrow to distract my mind.
We heard that you are out there
In your light we will trust
Your children are in nightmares
Do you remember us?
Please find us under stone
Beneath the rock and rust
Your children are alone
Do you remember us?
Free us from the depraved
By brute force if you must
Your children are enslaved
Do you remember us?
There was a steadying breath in the chilly, dripping room before the last verse, the water condensation a drum to their lament.
If you have but a moment
A last request we plea
Help lost Pelagia ascend
Do you remember she?
The final verse was something we’d added years ago, and we took a moment to grieve before the Slaves of the First Water moved on to the next song. They quietly repeated every song we knew until I grew drowsy. It was a tradition that went back as long as I could remember.
Whenever someone was put in the punishment cage, no one could sleep until the tortured slave did. I didn’t know how it came to be, but it had kept me from losing my sanity on more than one occasion. With my claustrophobia, I did worse in the cage than anyone else. I owed these people my life; I was certain of that.
When I woke, I realized there was no one to distract me. I tried to think of something pleasant, and my mind went back to the warrior I had been supposed to please last night. Just thinking about him relaxed me, and as soon as I realized that, I clung onto it like a lifeline.
I had never been asked to please an unwilling male before in my life. Actually, I didn’t think I’d ever seen an unwilling male until last night. I couldn’t figure out why he didn’t let me relieve him. He was obviously aroused; there was no hiding that monster from my sights. I smiled slightly into my hand and chuckled. It was really too bad. I think I would have actually enjoyed touching him, which would have been a first.
Great goddess, he was a stunning male. His very presence was overwhelming, like you were expected to either fall into line or get out of his way. He towered over everyone at the mansion with his broad but agile frame, and I swore his biceps were as large as the lord’s head. I nearly giggled again, picturing the lord’s head next to the knight’s bicep so I could see which was larger. I bet that bicep could crack the lord’s head like a walnut! How I’d love to see that!
Oh, and how I wished I could dig my fingers into his tousled locks. The deep, rich brown reminded me of roasted chestnuts I’d seen once at the lord’s table. The boyishness of his messy hair almost softened his barbaric silhouette. Then there were his bronze eyes. The way his metallic eyes looked at me last night turned all the butterflies in my belly into little dragons. They flew around and breathed fire, stoking and stirring my insides into a rapturous warmth. I smiled and squirmed happily at the feelings he’d aroused in me. If I had to be anyone’s personal slave, I’d rather be his. At least I had a feeling he’d never force me.
I loved his scent, I loved his sun-kissed skin, and I was dying to know what his expressive, cocky lips would feel like on mine. I probably shouldn’t encourage these feelings, but it was all that was keeping me sane right now. If he was a bad male, I’d deal with that later. Right now, he was my knight in shining scales, my savior, and I hung on to every memory I had of him.
He’d even made me laugh, offering to do something so stupid as pretend I was pleasing him. I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time. I sighed longingly. Of all the males that wouldn’t let me touch them, it had to be him.
A thought occurred to me in that moment that sent nausea curling in my belly. Although I’d never seen a male deny a female, I wondered if what I had attempted would have been considered rape. He wasn’t willing and did everything he could to stop me without hurting me.
Would he have been traumatized if I’d touched him? Did that happen to men too? If so, why didn’t we hear about it? I frowned and tried to scratch an itch on my nose, making my elbow dig painfully into the wires of the cage.
I was now beginning to feel ashamed of how I’d pursued him. Yes, I’d been ordered to... but that didn’t make me feel any better. I knew I had been risking punishment, but perhaps one night of torture was worth it to avoid traumatizing someone for life. I never wanted anyone to feel as dirty as I did. Even when I washed, I could still feel other hands on me. Groping hands and demanding cocks followed me like ghosts, reminding me that I was nothing but an instrument for release—used and stained.
I’d learned to drift away and leave my body when I needed to, but... I’d never want to be the cause of someone else having to do that. No... I wouldn’t try to force myself on anyone again. I barely had anything to live for now, and I wouldn’t add that shame to the anchor that dragged my soul through the dirt. Dagmaer was my latest reason to live, but she was a thin one. She’d have others to protect her if I was gone—if I was lost enough to follow in Pelagia’s bitter, tear-stained footsteps.
Sir Keyon
“So, how did you sleep last night?” Lady Adelmar crooned the question over her glass of sparkling wine. I settled down at the dinner table, though it was a bit early to be supping. I was even crankier today than I was yesterday, and my answer was a complete lie.
“Oh, I slept very well, indeed. The guest quarters are most comfortable.” I was writhing all night from one thing or another. First of all, my brain was furious over how the slave had still been punished despite my attempt to intervene. Why the fuck did it matter what happened behind closed doors as long as I was “happy with her services?” Was she expected to hold a dragon knight down until I caved under her magnetic charms? She had no chance. Either way, she was going to lose. It was ridiculous .
Secondly, I’d been suffering all night with the sense that something was wrong. It was a mixture of dread and panic; a dull burn and sharp scalding of the mind. Even the room had felt too small—to the point where I almost couldn’t breathe. Part of me equated it with being forced to interact with slavers, but another part of me thought it was something else. Something deep and primal.
“Did our lovely Elpis leave you well?” Lord Adelmar asked, raising a brow over an amused smirk.
And the sales pitch continues, I thought with a sigh.
“Oh, she is quite the eager thing,” I said, taking a sip of my wine, but when the table murmured an agreement, I nearly choked in rage. It was the same crowd as last night; had everyone here touched her? I fisted my left hand at my side, allowing my claws to pierce my palm and draw blood. I focused on the pain, tried to slow my breathing, and took another sip, buying a moment to collect myself. Toast felt rage on my behalf too, and it didn’t take much for him to lash out in my defense.
“Yes, I was most pleased. Utterly exhausted by the time I hit the nest,” I finished, hoping that would be enough information for him. I studied the lord over the rim of my glass. Did he think he had me in his pocket now? Did he think that all it took was a night with his best slave to turn me into a sympathizer? What a lark if that was the case. No, there must be more.
“Ah yes, I had no doubt. Oh, here is our little sunrise. Come fill our cups,” the lord said, and I scented her before I saw her. Sweet grass and agave nectar coiled about me like a drug; it was much more potent than the wine in my hands. Every flavor was bland in comparison to her aroma.
The slave walked in slowly, gracefully, but I detected a slight limp. The instability wasn’t just in one leg, but both. She seemed weaker, shakier. One shin was wrapped in a beautiful blue cloth with bells hanging from it, but I saw the impression of bandages underneath. I could smell her blood. I didn’t know how it was possible, but she seemed even paler than yesterday. What did they do to her? What had her punishment been?
The lord held his cup out, and she rushed to fill it, trying not to limp. “We’ve trained her since she was a small thing, so she really doesn’t know how to do anything else. Including stretching before dancing, isn’t that right, my silly little Elpis? Did you strain a muscle again?”
She nodded and continued around the table to check for low glasses. So even though they weren’t even trying to hide what she was, they were still hiding the punishments and abuse.
“So that comes to expanding upon what I’ve been showing you today. Since slavery is illegal, there will be so many individuals at a loss with their newfound freedom. They won’t know how to survive. If Elpis was cast out, she’d surely die of starvation or at the hands of an abusive male.”
Is he looking to off-load his inventory before he gets busted? Toast asked.
Good question.
“Now, if someone offered to take her for a fee, they’d be responsible for housing her or preparing her to live on her own. Whatever they need from her, really. But at least she’d have a home.”
“Why would someone give you money to ‘adopt a slave?” I asked, briefly looking down at the grilled trout set before me. I nodded my thanks to the servant… or maybe it was a slave dressed as one.
“Well, the money is for a good cause! It goes toward taking care of the poor creatures that still need a home. If we so happen upon more slaves… we can care for them until lovely do-gooders such as yourself come along,” Lord Adelmar said, pasting a poor excuse for genuine concern on his rotten face.
So, Adelmar gets to collect slaves, claim that he is rescuing them, and is accepting ‘adoption fees’ for concerned parties to take responsibility for the slave’s future welfare, Toast summarized with venom dripping from each word.
Yep, I agreed. He’s rebranding, but he’s still in the market. He’ll generate income by abducting people and selling them. Same old story, different skin. The hatchling was just as ugly inside the shell.
“So why not allow these slaves to go through the king’s rehabilitation process?” I asked, knowing this would be his biggest hurdle. The lord’s eyes narrowed for just a moment.
He was hoping we weren’t going to ask that one! Toast snarled with delight. I could almost hear him sharpening his teeth to cut through the lord’s spine in one bite.
“Consider this a private service, Sir Keyon. The castle has limited resources and attention must be spread out among many. We simply offer a more intimate, nurturing process for the lost and lonely,” he said with a practiced shrug. He then tilted his head and twirled a finger through his trimmed, greying beard.
“We really do have the slave’s best interests in mind,” Lady Adelmar said with faux compassion, fiddling with her necklace.
They both seem nervous now, I said to Toast. Look how they fidget.
Best accept any deals right now, then we could probably send the signal tonight.
“And how do you guarantee that these… ex-slaves are adopted by good people?” I asked, too curious to stop at this point.
“Oh, we’ll have a strict referral system in place…” the lord said, looking progressively more uncomfortable with my follow-up questions. The table became quieter, and other guests shifted in their seats.
“Sounds intriguing, I admit,” I finally announced, taking a bite of my fish. “Would certainly save me some trouble if you gathered the slaves for me.”
The tension around the table released, and it seemed like Adelmar’s guests found it possible to breathe again. Some laughed, and discourse around the table went back to a steady chatter.
We need to know if anyone else is involved, I noted in frustration. This could start an entire new ring of slave abduction and trading. We’re witnessing its birth right now !
I suppose I could try to not kill Adelmar, and we could take him back for questioning. Leofwine’s good at getting them to squawk.
True, I mused.
“So, if you’re… amenable to this noble venture of ours, I’d be more than happy to make a gesture of goodwill,” the lord said, but his eyes were following Elpis as she worked to refill Duke Gero’s glass. He was on his fifth, but with how he stared at the slave’s breasts, he didn’t seem to be draining his cup for the alcohol.
I had to dig my nails into my palm again to keep my rage—and subsequently Toast’s rage—in check. I forced my eyes back to the lord’s and raised a brow. “What gesture did you have in mind?”
The lord held up a small gold ring with a key attached. I didn’t make the connection until I heard a tiny gasp come from the slave at the foot of the table. I glanced over to see shock on Elpis’s face. Seemingly without thought, her hands drifted down to her hips. What...?
OH!
“Absolutely not!” Duke Gero protested, sending spittle flying across the table. “My Lord, you said th—”
Lord Adelmar chuckled and swung the key to Elpis’s chastity belt around his finger. “I’ve made no promises, my dear duke. Don’t you want our generous venture to succeed? Don’t you think our benefactors deserve the very best?” Duke Gero was practically purple and possibly at risk of a heart attack.
Good. Toast scoffed. I decided I didn’t want to sink my fangs into that rotten shit anyway.
“So, Sir Keyon,” the lord said, “would you be our first good soul to adopt a poor slave? Elpis has been here almost her entire life. She needs a kind soul to look after her… free of charge, of course. Who knows what could happen to her if she was released into this dangerous world all alone…”
I was frozen. I admit I had not seen this coming. It shouldn’t matter, though… I’d call my troops tonight anyway. This place would be empty by dawn .
“That is a very generous offer… but I’m afraid I must decline. I can’t have this coming back to me, you see,” I said in a bored tone.
The lord sighed and turned to the duke. “Well, I suppose our original deal stands then,” the lord said, adjusting his grip on the keys. There was a moan of dismay from Elpis, who was shaking like a baby deer at the turn of events.
“Then I look forward to breaking her in after dinner!” The duke grinned excitedly, almost bouncing in his chair, and gestured for Elpis to come sit on his lap.
No. No. No. No. No!
“I’ve changed my mind,” I announced firmly in my most authoritative, dominant voice. “I accept your offer.” I didn’t need to give a reason. Fuck these people. If I was playing a part, I’d play the part as someone who took what he wanted.
The lord grinned, and the duke screamed in outrage, but I was too busy talking to my dragon to care about anyone.
I know you don’t like females, but we can also agree we don’t like the pig dragon. Let’s not give the pig dragon what he wants. The female won’t touch us. We’ll hand her over to our soldiers when they arrive. She’ll go through the intake process like everyone else. Please don’t put her rape on my shoulders, Toast.
Toast was silent for several minutes, and I busied myself eating the remainder of my meal. Lord Adelmar tossed Elpis’s key to me, and I snatched it out of the air. Elpis slowly made her way to my side and stood there quietly. Her legs were beginning to shake, and I looked up at her. “Sit, Elpis,” I ordered, and she collapsed to the floor, exhaling in relief.
See? She’ll do what we ask. Just trust me to handle her until our troops come. Please!
Fine, Toast said, caving but sounding frightened. If she stabs us in the back, it’s your fault.
Totally fair, I agreed, looking down at the golden key in my palm.
I’m going to have nightmares.
I got you, big guy.