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“I’d gone for a walk that morning on a road near my farm.” Her reply is garbled, and in between her words, I hear the distinct sound of a toothbrush scrubbing inside her mouth. “It was a remote area, very safe. Or so I thought. Someone came up from behind, seemingly out of nowhere. At the time, I didn’t realize the person taking me wasn’t human and that they had a portal to another world.” She swishes some water, spits, and finishes, “The man pulled me through it, and the next thing I knew, I found myself looking up at the Day Realm castle.”
So much for mundane subjects.
This conversation took a heavy turn, but I want to know Ro better, so I push on, “Did you ever find out why you were chosen? Why did the snatchers go to Brazil in the first place? The reason I ask is because it’s uncommon for them to take someone from a country where English isn’t the primary language. They would’ve had to go out of their way to find you.”
She lets out a bitter chuckle. “I was told I’d been handpicked for the king, but I wasn’t the only one. The snatchers scoured the human world for the women Zarid would like best. And yes, it was the worst for those of us who didn’t speak English well. Training someone to be obedient is already hard enough when they’re being held against their will, but when they can’t even understand the orders being given… not everyone is patient or understanding.”
So it’s true, then—Zarid sent his men to find females, and all he cared about is that they were gorgeous and innocent. It’s been said he preferred inexperienced girls because he could mold them to cater to his specific tastes.
“Fucking scum,” I growl out, and Ro releases a resigned sigh.
“I thought we were supposed to be spending this time being happy,” she reminds me wryly. “Zarid is dead. There’s no need to dwell on him. My life happened the way it happened. I’m trying to accept that the best I can. You should, too.”
Her tone is placating, and I have a feeling she’s become very skilled at deescalating angry men.
It’s not her responsibility to manage my emotions, so I force myself to calm down. “You’re right. We shouldn’t speak of such dreary subjects.”
We’re quiet for a minute. The water is still splashing as Ro continues scrubbing, but at least my conversation tactic worked on my cock. My erection is completely deflated.
Any time I think of the practice of abducting women, it makes me sick.
My job has often put me right at the center of the trade, so I’ve seen the tragedy, and it’s taken a toll on me. I’ve busted many auctions where we got there before the girls were sold, but I’m haunted by the few instances when we arrived too late. In those times, we had to hunt down the victims, but by then, sometimes they’d been violated already.
I’ve witnessed the aftermath of lives altered forever. I can heal the physical injuries the women sustain during their trauma, but I can’t fix their mind. I can’t erase what’s been done to them.
A lot of the outcomes had a silver lining, though. Most of the humans who were brought here were taken from hard lives. Snatchers usually target people who don’t have families and won’t be missed, so many of the women we’ve saved have decided to stay in Valora under royal protection instead of going back to homelessness and poverty.
Giving someone a choice is the least we can do.
What will Ro choose?
Valora? Brazil? Somewhere else in the human realm where she can start over with a clean slate?
I can’t help thinking about how I’ll feel when she and I go our separate ways. I picture dropping her off somewhere and watching her walk away while knowing I’ll never see her again.
My gut churns with… panic? Dread?
I rub the unsettled area on my stomach. “So what will you do after we escape the Lost Land?”
“You know what? I actually have no idea. With my tendency to plan to look to the future, it’s crazy that I can’t see it. It just seems like wherever I go, I am… misplaced.”
I frown at the way she sees herself in the world, as if she’s not a part of it. “In my experience, fitting in has less to do with where you are, and more to do with who you’re with. I think I could be content anywhere, as long as I’m surrounded by the right people.”
“Who are the right people for you?”
You, a voice in my mind whispers. “I found a home with King Kirian and my fellow warriors.”
“And that’s enough for you?”
“It has been. I’ve never wanted anything more until—” I stop myself before I can blurt out more of my feelings.
“Until…?”
Until you. This time, the voice isn’t a whisper. It’s a loud exclamation knocking around in my skull. Almost a demand.
For a moment, I envision Ro and me together. Living in the same home. Loving each other. Building a life.
Such a silly thought.
