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Arianna tried to ignore the other slaves still staring as if she was a walking miracle.
“Is he as intense as they say?” a brunette female blurted.
Zylah shot the female a hard glare that had her shoulders hunching, but Arianna answered anyway. “Very.” She stared at her hand. “But he’s not difficult to be around as long as I stay out of his way.”
“It must be scary,” another chimed in.
Zylah huffed. “The irony is that he’s the reason we get to eat like this.”
“How do you mean?”
“Apparently, he claims a hungry slave isn’t as efficient. We’re to get two meals a day at minimum without disruption. The last slaver who tried to turn this place upside down had his skin ripped off right outside that door.”
“You saw it?”
Zylah grimaced. “Unfortunately.”
“Have you been here a while?”
“One of the few to survive a year. Some disappear, most die.” Her face turned somber. “I honestly never expected to see you again.” She lifted her cup of water. “Welcome to the club of survivors.”
Arianna clinked her cup with Zylah’s and some of the others and smiled until she realized they were entirely serious. It was a big deal to survive a year? Arianna found herself eyeing Zylah’s bruises again.
“Don’t worry about them. The male who claims ownership over me gets rough sometimes, but I’ve had worse.” Arianna nodded and ate her meal, but with each spoonful her stomach soured. She could help Zylah. She could help all the slaves in this camp, but if she did that, she’d not only be revealing herself to the slaves, but the guards would scent her magic as well.
Defeat settled over her. Her shackles were gone, yet she still wasn’t free to use her abilities.
“I’d get another stew ready before you head back.” Zylah stood. “I haven’t heard anything, so I don’t know how long he’ll be gone and if your cooking is the only thing keeping you alive, then you better make sure you have it ready.”
ARIANNA LEFT the mess hall, stopped to grab another small cup of soap, and ended her trip at the storehouse. The slaves within gave her pitying looks, and she wondered if everyone knew whose cabin she resisted within.
The sun had crested the trees, melting the frozen grass from early that morning. She needed to clean the floors again while he was out and empty the pan from the bathroom. Beyond that and getting another stew underway, she had most of the evening free to train.
Arianna stepped beyond the line of tents and paused halfway to his cabin when three familiar male scents washed over her. Each turned toward her slowly, their gazes full of murderous intent. Arianna took a hesitant step back, but there were already warriors blocking her escape.
Was this how the slaves disappeared? Had she done something The Demon found unsatisfactory? Had he ordered her removal?
Or—Or was he dead?
The males prowled forward, and Arianna took another retreating step back.
“You’re coming with us,” Lan said, the scar at the corner of his lip pulling when he grimaced. He grabbed her wrist, dumping the contents of her tray onto the grass, and yanked her forward. Arianna stumbled and fell before his comrades, scrambling in the dirt to right herself. She spun to face Lan’s stalking form. “We knew you had magic, we just didn’t realize what kind.” He spit on the ground. “I should have killed you.”
Her blood iced over. They knew. Somehow these males had figured out where she came from. Was it during her training sessions? Had her magic flared too much and given her away?
But what about The Demon? What would he think about a group of warriors barging into his territory and ripping her away? Or did he know?
Arianna’s head pivoted as she studied each male circling her. They growled, snapped their teeth, and drew their weapons. She lowered into a stance, eyes darting past them to the crowd of slaves and warriors who’d all gathered to watch. Her breathing came too quick. There was nowhere to run.
She needed to think. Stall for time. But—what did it matter now? She was behind enemy lines. Trapped. Alone.
Arianna took a shaky breath, her gaze returning to the males. They were smirking. They knew she didn’t have anywhere to go. She was a single drop of water trapped within a raging inferno and just like that drop, she’d vanish into oblivion.
Arianna wasn’t going to see Talon again. She wasn’t going to embrace her sister. She’d never again gaze upon the beautiful city of Levea or run through its dozens of sparkling pools.
“Lan.” The male shifted his gaze slightly toward his comrade. “What are we going to tell the general?”
Lan gave her a wicked grin. “What’s another runaway slave?”
