Page 19 of Lich's Mate

Her face visibly droops and she sucks her lower lip. “Oh. Well, that sounds awesome.”

“Hey! Shut up!” The guard who whipped her earlier swiftly flicks his wrist, catching Abigail on her upper thigh with his weapon.

She grabs the spot and hisses in pain but keeps quiet. I want to console her but don’t want to cause a bigger scene or give the guards more reason to complain about us.

To our right is a set of heavy, leathery curtains that separate our windowless room from another presumably bigger area.

The sound of animated conversations threatens to break through the material barrier. Our buyers are apparently eager to start bidding.

I clench my teeth. Not knowing what will happen once we’re led out of this room sets me on edge.

As if triggered by my thoughts, a large guard smacks aside the heavy curtain and pulls one of the women out onto a brightly lit stage.

I peek beyond their figures and feel the blood drain from my face. Large, muscular horned men sit and discuss the woman on the stage. There are xaphans amongst that crowd, too.

While she’s clearly dehydrated, starving, and afraid, they are dressed in fine clothes, eating scrumptious delicacies, and armed with weapons that stand taller than me.

Their skins, which range from ebony to pale white, shine in the pale green light cast by floating orbs that illuminate the bidding arena.

Horns thicker than my arms adorn their fearsome heads, while yellow and red eyes scan the shaking woman.

Although it’s hard to tell from my position, I estimate that these demons are all at least eight feet tall.

Their boisterous laughter in this horrid situation adds to their menacing and imposing auras.

Next to the woman stands another demon, this one a pale yellow that reminds me of a toxic insect that populated a forest near my hometown. His horns are elaborate, all four of them curling back with an unexpected grace.

The demon is likely way more poisonous than any insect out there.

His voice echoes through the arena as he starts pitching the slave to the buyers.

“Don’t mind the dirty hair, she’s come a long way and just needs a good scrub!” He lifts her arm. “Look at that, not a bit of unnecessary fat on her.”

She gasps as he yanks her face and forces her jaw open.

“The teeth are in good condition too. And she’s got strong hands.” The auctioneer lets her arm fall as if he couldn’t stop touching her soon enough.

“Shall we start the bid at 50 nodals?”

One of the guards pulls the curtains back in place, obscuring my view. “You’ll get your turn, just be patient.” He snarls at us, his eyes looking everywhere but our faces.

After this, the women are grabbed one by one to be auctioned off to the highest-bidding creature.

I can’t believe this. Is this how my life will end? As the pathetic slave of a fucking demon?

The whites of my knuckles are visible, my fists tight as if to hold on to the emotions swirling inside me.

I take a deep breath.

Don’t let these bastards rile you up. Don’t let them see that you’re scared. Let them think they have no effect on you.

I listen as the women are given monetary value amidst chuckles and lewd comments from the auctioneer. I’m starting to really dislike that demon in particular.

When it’s the shy dark-haired woman’s turn, he has an especially good time describing the value she could offer her new owner.

I can’t see what’s happening, but judging by the loud cheers, the poor woman’s probably being paraded like prized livestock at a market.

A familiar stench invades my senses and I feel an eager hand grope my ass. I can hear the smirk in the xaphan guard’s voice when he speaks right next to my ear. “No one can save you now. You’re fucked.”

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