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‘Thankfully,’ Grey murmurs.
At Kal’s inquiring look, he shrugs. ‘He smells of goblin.’
Dane rolls his eyes. ‘Get ready. Might as well get it over with.’
I nod, grabbing my boots and feeling a bit excited to be finally getting out of the room after over a week.
‘Stay close to us,’ Dane says.
I give him a look. ‘I can’t help but stay close to you,’ I say bitterly.
He cocks a brow. ‘Consider this. The same conjure that stops you from running also allows us to find you if you go missing. I suggest you feel protected instead of indignant.’
‘Protected?’ I raise a brow of my own. ‘I think you’ve been reading too much of that book.’
‘Until we abscond through the Gate, I think we should be living that book to the letter.’ He tries and fails to suppress a smile. ‘Don’t do anything naughty, Harbinger,’ he teases, ‘or you might get disciplined.’
I give him a mocking, narrow-eyed simper, and he takes a step towards me.
‘Careful,’ he says, suddenly deadly serious. ‘You do anything like that in front of Reyn, and not only will you be getting a hand tanning your arse, but you’ll be in his clutches before you can say, ‘Thank you for releasing me, Healer Reyn.’
My eyes widen in spite of myself because he’s right. I need to be a very obedient little slave out there. Outside of this room, they really are my masters. My only words should be ‘no, thank you’ and ‘yes, please’.
‘I’ll be good,’ I whisper.
‘See that you are,’ he growls. ‘You put one toe out of line, and I don’t care what we need to do to prove that we’re capable of keeping you, we’ll do it. Even if it leaves you screaming in pain. Do you understand?’
I nod vigorously. ‘Yes, I understand.’
‘Good. Come on. Stay between us and keep your head down.’
Kallum gives Dane a questioning look.
‘We’ve been asked about our female slave several times out in the streets. A human coming through the Gate these days is apparently very rare. She’s garnering attention that none of us want,’ Dane answers, looking at me pointedly as if it’s my fault.
We wait for Kallum to be ready as well, and I follow them out of the room and down the steps. I falter once, my foot sliding on the wet wood, but Kallum grabs my arm gently and draws me to him to steady me.
The action surprises me, both because of how careful he is with me and because of how quickly he realized I’d slipped when he was looking in the opposite way. When I’m righted, his hand stays on my arm, and he keeps me tucked next to him as if he’s loathed to let me go. I let him, and I tell myself it’s because there’s nothing else I can do without causing a scene.
We go through the town slowly, making our way through crowds that remind me of Alcana on Market Day. Grey leads the way, and Dane draws up the rear, leaving Kallum to walk beside me. None of them look at me, but that’s more than made up for by the amount of townsfolk staring at me with unconcealed avarice. Kal’s hand is on my arm, and all their gazes are sharp as if they think I’ll be stolen and whisked away from them at any moment. I suppress a shiver.
If I was taken from them and forced to serve the way that Reyn’s human girl is, wouldn’t I deserve it?
I flinch at the words in my head and the guilt that washes over me suddenly and unbidden. I’ve been free of these thoughts for several days … since the woods … I glance at Kallum’s profile. He was so sure I’d beg him to hurt me again. My brow furrows. Until this moment, I knew I wouldn’t. But I also know from experience that the thoughts will only get worse now that they’ve begun again.
I try to distract myself with the market, looking at crystals and magickal stones, potions and herbs for healing, dried spices, and shimmering textiles. It’s been a long time since I've seen the varied and amazing goods that are traded through the Gates as Alcana only bartered with their own world for so long.
We reach a door down a side street with a blue sign and a Healer’s pink Ialican flower on it.
‘Remember to be docile,’ Dane reminds me quietly, and I nod.
Grey knocks, and we wait while The Cunty Trio keeps their eyes scanning the general vicinity around us.
The door opens a crack a moment later, and Gwennie peers out. When she sees us, she opens it fully and steps out of the way.
‘Healer Reyn is expecting you,’ she says. ‘Please come in.’
Grey steps over the threshold first, and Kallum urges me in front of him, finally letting me go but staying no more than a step behind me until we’re inside and the door is closed.
