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Kazrith encouragingly pushes me forward as the shopkeeper beckons us over. It goes the same way with the other shops we visit, where I’m offered discounts and free extras from the many vendors. They treat me nicely because I’m perceived as Kazrith’s mate and wife.
It’s almost overwhelming to be treated with such a high level of respect. I feel… seen and acknowledged.
I pull my new cloak tight around my shoulders as we return to selling. I look at my host from the corner of my eye as the day continues.
The longer my gaze lingers, the more I begin to realize that what Zathex did was a blessing in disguise.
18
KAZRITH
“Never seen anything with skin like yours,” the gilak demon drawls, standing brutishly over Hanna as he eyes the wares while I sift through the ledger. “You got real pretty eyes, too.”
I leer at the great hulking behemoth, watching him from afar. I know not to cause a scene, but I could eviscerate him right here, in this crowded market if I wanted to. I’m sure a being like him would be unmourned.
Behind him stands a gathering crowd, all gazing in fascination at my intimate business partner. I can tell what they all want, because I’ve seen them, obsessing and ruminating over the human slaves back in Sarziroch. I see them now, wasting space and time.
“Just let me know if I can help you find anything,” Hanna says, deflecting the compliment politely. “What are you looking for?”
The gilak chuckles. “I don’t think you can give me what I’m looking for,” he says. “You’re not built sturdy enough.”
My lips rear back, exposing my fangs. It’s at least more subtle than previous attempts. One gilak even explicitly propositioned her, knowing that her husband, me, was within ears’ reach. I hesitate to think about the vulgarity he uttered.
I kicked him out real fast, telling him we didn’t value his business. But still, I fantasized about following him home and confronting him, cutting him into tiny pieces if need be.
But I know that Hanna doesn’t like that. And because she’s a valuable business partner, I restrain myself when necessary.
“Well, we’ve got a wide variety of wares,” Hanna says, gesturing to them. “And I’m sure if you don’t know what you’re looking for, my husband can give you a hand.”
She gestures toward me, and I visibly snarl.
“Oh, sorry, Kazrith,” the gilak replies. “I didn’t know this was your wife.”
I chuckle, letting the sarcasm ooze from my tone. “Maybe we should both hang signs around our necks,” I suggest. “Would that help?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t have to take this.” He growls, walking away.
Hanna stares at me with a strange look. Though she’s small and frail, there’s something genuinely curious about the look. I can almost hear her thoughts.
“Why did you tell him that?” she seems to say with her scowl. “Because of your genuine pettiness, we lost out on another potential sale!”
The next customer in line walks up to the counter, a soz’garoth demon with notably pointed ears and pale blue skin. He exudes snakishness, speaking with a pronounced lisp and slithering forward as though not moving on two legs.
Thankfully, he doesn’t seem quite as forward… at first. He looks with intrigue at all of our wares, picking up relics from their pedestals and weighing them, feeling over jewelry, fine weapons, and metals.
“This one has a smooth and shapely texture,” he says, rubbing the glistening bloodstone on a pendant. Hanna chuckles and nods in agreement, discussing the artifact as though he were an old friend.
As I peer over the ledger, weighing balances, my mind runs wild.
I imagine the two of them together, naked. I imagine that he is not massaging a ruby, but one of Hanna’s nipples.
I imagine her moaning as he fondles her. “Quite large and sturdy, aren’t they?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see my shadows slip forward, and I don’t know that I want to recall them this time.
She laughs at one of his jokes. It’s not very good. I feel embarrassed for him.
She’s only flirting for business, I think, resisting the urges that would have my market destroyed. Don’t take it personally.
