The two of us only just fit in the tight space of the alleyway, and I have a feeling I need to work fast before anyone notices the ox is no longer in position.
“Right. I’m going to reach down and take the collar off, okay?”
It huffs again, right into my face. Its breath is hot and rancid, but I don’t react, instead leaning closer until I’m near enough to undo the fastening. The metal stings my fingertips, and on my tongue, I can taste iron.
Again, I don’t know how I know, but I can tell the clasp is ensorcelled to remain closed. That and there’s something else underneath, another form of magic that I can’t quite make sense of.
The ox doesn’t move and I manage to ignore the way the metal burns and blisters my fingertips. But I’m able to locate a loose pin and break the connection.
“Almost done.”
The ox’s flesh looks raw beneath the collar, and I stifle a wince. A twist and snap has the fastening loosening enough for the collar to fall into my hand. I step back, hitting the alley wall while the ox stays in place. It feels like we’re both holding our breath for a moment.
Then the ox shrinks before my eyes, growing smaller and shifting shape until it morphs into a human figure.
Into... a naked woman.
I avert my eyes immediately, but not before my eyes land on the many scars littering her back. I can’t see a single inch of unraised skin.
What the—
My eyes skirt past her to the whole street of wagons, all pulled by various beasts.
Just how many of them are beast-borne people trapped in their animal form?
The woman’s eyes dart all around before landing on her hands and arms as she holds them out in front of her.
“You all right?” I ask softly.
Stupid question, really.
“How long have you been stuck like that?” I continue, already pulling the cloak from my shoulders to wrap around her. “Do you have anywhere to go? Or a stash of clothes somewhere?”
The woman’s eyes scan my body and my bare legs, and I grimace, stepping deeper into the shadows of the alleyway.
“I’m not into whatever this is,” she says in a voice that’s impossibly gravelly, like she hasn’t used it in a long time.
Shoving the collar into the pocket of the robe as I thrust it at the woman, my fingers bash against some material that lets out a loud clink; a hefty coin purse.
“Well, that makes things easier,” I mutter to myself. “I’m not into anything weird either. I just saw the collar and reacted.”
She gives me an impassive stare, not responding even as I thrust the cloak at her more enthusiastically. When she eventually takes it, I then shove half of the coins at her before clutching the rest of the purse to my chest.
The woman eyes my bare legs again as she weighs the coins in her hand. “You expect me to believe you just set me free for no reason?”
“Yep.” I take another step back, heading deeper into the alleyway and further from the street before glancing over myshoulder. I can’t exactly walk around in the middle of the city dressed in just my shirt and underwear.
That’s when I spot the papers plastered all along the damp wall and let out a pained groan. Snatching the nearest one, I inspect it for a moment before scrunching it up.
“Well, that’s all I need.”
The scarred woman appears at my shoulder, surprisingly swift and silent on her feet. “That’s you,” she grunts.
“It is. Me and a whole lot of my brother’s crew.” I rub my tired eyes as another wave of Reva’s concern trickles into my chest. My attempt at sending some soothing energy right back to her doesn’t seem to work as I’m hit with yet more worry as it intermingles with my own.
Plastered on the wall are countless posters detailing missing people. Layered right over the top is a fresh piece of paper with a dozen faces peering out. And right up close to the top, my face is staring back with a fat reward for finding information on any one of our whereabouts, dead or alive.
Well, that’s not good. Our arrest warrants have reached the capital.
