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“You may go, Neve.”
I sucked in a breath. “Isn’t there another way?”
He froze, goblet partway to his lips. Only his dark brown eyes flashed up to me. “You dare to challenge me?”
“No, but what if the prince purchases me?”
My master glanced away. “You should have thought about that before you killed one of our kind.”
“So I should have let that newblood kill me?”
“You have work to do.”
A lump formed in my throat. Some slaves could trick themselves into believing that their masters cared for them. I’d never been among those delusional few, and yet, this cut to the core. The work I’d done to build his wealth, the pain he’d inflicted on me by smothering my magic, handicapping my wings, and stealing my very blood—it meant nothing to this vampire.
I meant nothing.
Deep inside me, something sparked. Something I usually kept smothered—defiance. My hands formed fists, and I spun on my heels, storming out of the room.
In the workshop, humans, witches, and even one elf who’d strayed too far from his kingdom stared at me with sad eyes. No doubt they wondered what had transpired. Perhaps the elf had even heard.
He can spread the tale then, I thought as I stomped toward the door.
Master Aldéric was going to sell me! I refused to spend my last day working only to be cast out, no matter what I did. Who knew what sort of situation I’d find myself in next? I swallowed the potent fear rising inside me.
Screaming stars. I could be dead by the end of the week.
Chilled autumnal air blasted me in the face as I hurled open the workshop door and stepped outside. Angry tears came like a waterfall, and I rushed around the corner, desperate to be out of sight. I didn’t want anyone to see me break down.
And yet, much to my dread, the door to the workshop opened again. I opened my mouth to tell whoever it was to leave, but the sound of their footsteps stopped me. That distinct footfall pattern told me it was Anna. Out of all the souls in Isila, she was the only one I’d welcome at my side.
“Neve! What happened?” She approached and placed a soft hand on my shoulder. I couldn’t meet her eyes, so I focused on a stray red thread lodged in her raven-wing hair.
“I’mbeingsold!”
“What?”
I took a deep breath. “Master Aldéric is putting me up for auction. Tomorrow.”
Her hands clapped over her mouth. “No!”
“He doesn’t need a slave as troublesome as me.”
“He fears his own family,” my friend replied, making the connections.
“Yes and I’m scared of who will purchase me,” I admitted. Many bloodsuckers would be happy to own me, to drink from me. Magic that I couldn’t use filled my blood. They loved that flavor.
“Someone can talk to Master Aldéric.” Anna’s soft voice fluttered with fear and red splotches of color began appearing on her high golden-brown cheekbones. “Perhaps Rose?”
I snorted. Rose was our master’s oldest slave. She worked in his household and traveled to his country home when he did. Occasionally, Rose even spoke to lower-ranking vampires on our master’s behalf. Rose wore silk dresses and held her head up high. And yet, she remained a collar-wearing slave; drained like the rest of us. She held no rights of her own, no sway that mattered.
“That won’t work. I killed one of their own.” My tone rose with the words as my blood boiled hotter.
I couldn’t believe that I was being punished for simply saving my own skin. Skin that my master was now selling! There was no way to win here, and I hated that.
Burning moon!
“And you know what, Anna, I’d do it all again!”
