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“He was a dark elf who was stationed at the work camp I was in before- before I came here. He didn’t have much social standing, and even less magic, so he did the work no other dark elf wanted to do.
“When he first arrived at the camp, I avoided him. We could never tell if they were going to hurt us, or try to lure us into their bed, so we all just steered clear of them. They rarely gave us enough to eat, and one day, one of the children was so hungry that we couldn’t get him to stop crying.
“If any of us, even the children, cried too much or took too long to do our work, they’d beat us. I knew the kitchens were empty, so I snuck around to the storage building that they always kept locked. I just thought if I could get him something to eat, even something small, it’d help…” I trail off, glancing at Kha’zeth.
His black eyes are ablaze with an emotion I can’t quite read, and his lips are a thin line of disapproval, but not for me. I glance away again, trying not to lose my nerve.
“Toklys found me when I was sneaking back out of the kitchen with a loaf of bread. I was sure he was going to lash me for it, or turn me in to the other guards, but when I explained what was happening he disappeared back into the storage building and came out with bags of dried meats and fruits.
“He escorted me all the way to my hut, and helped me hand out the extra rations. After that- well, it was easy for me to fall for him. And he felt the same. We had to keep it a secret, of course, but we were going to run away together. We were going to be happy…” I take a deep, shuddering breath before pressing on. “He was there when your people came.”
I sneak another look at Kha’zeth’s face, cold and impassive as granite.
“He saw that they were taking human women, and he tried to hide me. Protect me. He made me crawl under his bed and promise not to come out no matter what.” I swallow, bracing myself for the rest of the story.
I’ve never said any of this out loud before, not even to the other women I was imprisoned with, and seeing how his people are the responsible party- I ball my fists up, continuing the story without delving too deep into the thought. I can’t stop now, and besides, he deserves to know what his people did. The pain they’ve inflicted.
“A massive demon tore into the front room. I couldn’t see what it looked like beneath all of the armor, but it was huge. Toklys held the demon off the best he could without a real weapon- he only had the baton and whip all of the guards carry. I think- the demon was playing with him, letting Toklys fight until it decided it was tired of the game.
“The demon crushed Toklys’ head with its bare hands. I watched the whole thing, and- I started screaming. The demon found me after that. I think I passed out, whether from shock or grief I don’t know, but the next thing I remember I woke up in a cell with the others.”
I take a deep breath, waiting for Kha’zeth to say something, anything. When he doesn’t, I look up at him, steeling myself for the worst.
Kha’zeth only looks at me, and after a moment, opens his mouth as if to say something before closing it again and looking out the window.
“You said you know why you’re here?”
My jaw slackens as I stare at him.
“What?” I ask. I just bared my heart and soul to him, told him about the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, and he wants to talk about his duty to his King?
Fury radiates through me, and I clamp down on the emotion hard, not daring to let it show. I don’t know why I was stupid enough to think that he’d care about Toklys or what happened to either of us. I guess he doesn’t have a heart after all.
My face warms as I turn away from him, staring at the ground and trying desperately to get a grip. Flying off the handle will only infuriate him, but even knowing that doesn’t quell my rage.
“Do you understand the implications? Or must I explain it to you?” He asks, that impassive look still etched into every line on his face.
Must he salt the wound?
Kha’zeth doesn’t seem to care if it upsets me as he begins. “You’re here because the demon race isn’t maintaining itself the way we once could. Fewer and fewer demons are being born every summer. In order to maintain our race, the King has come up with a…creative solution,” he says, no emotion in his voice.
Confusion knots my brow as I look up at him. He doesn’t seem all too thrilled with this arrangement, either.
Perhaps I can use that to my advantage.
“We are to copulate,” he continues, oblivious to my inner monologue. “Until you either sire demonic young, or are proven to be an incompatible vessel. The King has commanded this of the both of us, and it’s in our best interests to obey.”
I weigh my options, and decide to throw caution to the wind. Another chance like this might not come up again. “So this is a duty to you? Nothing more?” I ask tentatively.
Kha’zeth nods sharply, avoiding my gaze.
“How is he supposed to know that we’re breeding?” I ask, feigning curiosity even as my irritation simmers just beneath the surface.
Kha’zeth seems to see right through me anyhow. “There is no way around it. Once the King issues an order, all demons, and whomever else the order applies to, must obey.”
“What happens if I’m infertile?” I ask, half-scared of the answer.
“I don’t know, but it’s safe to assume you will no longer be a guest in my house,” he says. I decide that he’s being honest, although in truth, I can’t really tell.
