Page 33 of Given to the Fae
I’m left by the side and largely forgotten, which suits me well because it means I can just observe. When two large men walk through the doors, I’m the first to notice them. They’re tall and broad demons with white horns adorned with gold filigree. Each has many earrings dangling from his ears. Their tunics match and there are only subtle differences in their faces and builds,though one is very slightly taller and strides forward first, clearly the one in charge.
‘Bere, my friend!’
They all greet each other loudly and then Bere shows Bell and Ila off to his potential buyers over a drink from a wine skin.
Unfortunately, the Wren brothers seem unimpressed by Bere’s wares. They eye Bell and Ila almost disdainfully, and one of the brothers even smirks at Bere and asks if he’s been letting his men sample the cargo again. They leave without buying and Bere’s face is red with anger.
But he doesn’t berate or punish his men, he lunges for Bell and Ila.
‘Worthless, useless human filth!’ he rages, backing Ila to the wall close to where I am. ‘What am I to do with you, now? Fuck! The next large town isn’t for days!’
I stand on legs that I’m thankful feel much stronger and ready myself to slink away without Bere noticing me, but as I do, I see Bell staring. She narrows her eyes and jerks her head toward Bere who’s looming over a sniveling, sobbing Ila. I know what she’s saying. ‘You deserve it, not her and perhaps he’ll even be punished for hurting you.’
I lower my eyes. She’s right, now more than ever. I move quickly, placing myself in front of Ila just as the slaver’s fist is barreling toward her.
He catches me hard in the mouth, snapping my head to the side. I go down with a thud, landing hard on the flagstone floor. Only a moment passes, I think, while my head whirls and I try to make sense of what’s happening, but there’s a hard thud that vibrates through the floor followed by shouting and screaming all around me. I think I’m alone. I should move. I know that, but I can’t seem to make my body obey.
Locke
‘Where the fuck did that thing come from?’ I hear Warrior yell.
I grab Bere and drag him to the wall so that he doesn’t get crushed. The slaves are screaming and scrambling together in the corners, though the massive beast that’s currently still stampeding through the main floor of the barn can’t get into their pens anyway.
I slap Bere’s cheek a few times. Probably harder than necessary.
If only we didn’t need this cunt alive. I look over at the females he was taking his rage out on. The youngest one is crying quietly with the one who seems to be her friend. The third, Bryn, is on the ground unmoving. Blood trickles from her lip, already swollen from Bere’s fist.
‘Bere!’ I snarl loudly, slapping him again harder and wishing I could do more to the nasty prick.
His eyes flutter and he groans, grabbing his head. ‘What happened?’
‘A bovine bull came barreling through the door and ran right into you,’ I tell him. ‘It doesn’t look as if he’s gorged you though.’
Bere sits up and stares at where the furious animal is being herded back outside. ‘Gods. The cargo?’
I let him see my angry expression. ‘The ones you were beating senseless after you told the men not to touch them?’ I can’t help but ask.
He winces. ‘Fucking Wren brothers. I knew they’d break their word.’
He gets to his feet, sways, and then gives his head a shake. ‘Get that beast out of here and close the fucking doors! Silve, find out who let that thing loose and give them a sound thrashing they won’t soon forget!’
Silve nods and leaves immediately.
‘Fuck,’ Bere mutters, his eyes on the unconscious girl. ‘Morgan, see to the female I put you in charge of, for fuck’s sake!’
‘He’s not here. Went for a piss, I think,’ one of the others calls out.
I don’t look to see who.
I watch as Kings hauls her up none too carefully and gives her a shake. Her head snaps back and forth with the force of his handling.
‘She’s human, you halfwit!’ I roar. ‘You’ll break her fucking neck doing that.’
‘What happened?’ I hear Jak ask and look to see both him and Morgan walking in together.
‘Taking a piss together, were you?’ Warrior spits.
Jak sneers at Warrior. ‘I was getting a new pack, you cunt. You saw my other split this morning. You heard me say I needed to find another.’
