Page 70 of The Silver Ones
"Marcus never lets us wander on our own."
The mentioning of Marcus struck again at Rem's pity. They were both bitter, desperate humans. Rem breathed hotly, staring at the vibrant eyes of Mavis. They could easily have been her own and Marcus as her Alpha.
“Wait, how are you out here now, then?”
“Our other Silver has him distracted. She wants the help as well.”
Rem wanted to help. She really did. But what was she supposed to do? She could only prioritize so much, and right now, her priorities were with her brother and then her future. She owed it to herself, if she were to stay, to ensure some kind of comfort.
Rem exhaled, rolling her neck back to look at the blue sky. She thought of the consequences but also weighed the reward of helping others funnel out of here. She wanted to. She wanted to agree to rob Marcus of his false entitlement. That would besweet.
Something came to her mind, the thought so fresh and warm that it gave her a new sense of hope. "Wait... Can the hunters... Hypothetically, get to someone within a shifter territory and free them? Like a rescue mission?"
Mavis furrowed her brows and shrugged her shoulders. "Depends on how much you pay them."
"I don't have anything."
"You can always offer yourself."
"I’ve already told you that the hunters don't want that.”
"Something tells me you weren't working with high-ranking hunters. The ones here will see the value in having an unmated Silver shifter. And there are plenty of important hunters that will shelter you. I can help you navigate that."
If it can get Oliver out...I could offer myself as payment. A human could sneak into Murphy’s...
Rem breathed rapidly, her eyes darting all around as her fingers fidgeted. It was too much to consider in this small span of time, especially with someone as suspicious as Mavis. Rem wanted to ask more questions, but the crowd grew louder.
Mavis added, "If you can help me, I would so grateful—"
"I know." Rem cut her off, not wanting to hear a sob story. Not because she was heartless but because there was nothing she could do, her mind already moving past Mavis. She could free Oliver and send him home to Ashmire.An escape to Fiona’s curse.
She was also still hung up on what Mavis said, about her having not met hunters with real authority. That made alotof sense. Remhadknown hunters, ones that traveled to Ashmire. She even shared her first kiss with the one named Hugo.
Perhaps she had just encountered the rotten ones while on the way here.
"What's the message?" Rem asked, not looking at Mavis.
"That Mavis Corwin needs to escape. She is a Silver under Marcus Malus and her payment for freedom is to offer herself as a shifter who will be immune to silver, one of the ones chosen by the Elders as special. I will serve under Osmond’s Hounds."
Rem wetted her lips and sighed. "Osmond’s Hounds?"
"Don't talk about it. To anyone. But yes, there is a place for shifters to go that want to serve the humans. It’s for Osmond Crowley himself. We have protection, if you say the right things."
“I don’t think we want to become a hound,” Rem cautiously said, recalling Ronan’s warning.
Mavis rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. Of course, the shifters say that. They hate anything related to humanity.Weare human, though. We wouldn’t be treated as an actual hound. The shifters here just hear that word and immediately think of enslavement.”
Rem’s head spun with theories and possible truths. She had been surrounded by shifters for weeks, and this conversation made her realize how biased those conversations could have been.
What if Mavis was right?
No, no matter what, it was still a good opportunity to get Oliver away from Fiona, which was the top priority. Rem’s life and happiness came second. "If I were to do this, who do I go to, and where do I find them?" she asked, having to at least consider the option.
"It's down in the Silo District," Mavis said enthusiastically, not wasting a second of Rem's generosity. "Go to the one painted in blue. Tell them'The Owl sleeps, and the wolf plays. I bring a message.'"
Rem narrowed her eyes. "Wait... How do you know that if you haven't been around them since being here?"
Mavis tutted with impatience. "My family is from a small village of hunters. We used to be a stop for traveling humans and hunters."
