Page 42 of The Omega Slave

The next time he woke, he couldn’t stop shivering. He didn’t know how long he’d been here or even where here was, because it wasn’t in the palace dungeons. He was aware enough to know that, and his head hurt a little less. He still felt wretched, and he shook constantly from the cold.

“If Moxie wants him alive, we’re gonna have to cover him wi’ something.” Tsaria could barely process the words. “‘es freezing.”

Tsaria thought it worth risking trying to open his eyes again, and he managed it…almost. He couldn’t see much of anything, though.

“Tell Moxie ‘es awake.” Tsaria heard running footsteps, but didn’t honestly care. For a long moment, he wished he could just close his eyes and never wake up.

Kamir.

How could he have been so foolish as to believe what Alain said? What had he done? For too long a moment, his throat tightened so much he doubted he could swallow if he ever got any water, and of course as soon as that thought hit him, water was all he desperately wanted.

“Here.” The female voice surprised him so much he opened his eyes and took in the leather pouch tipped toward his lips. He eagerly parted them and greedily drank the tepid, stale water. He spared a thought for poison, but at that moment he wasn’t sure he would have cared. The pouch moved away, and he strained to follow it, before a hand pressed his shoulder. “Easy, lad. You’ll be sick if you drink too fast.”

Again, stunned to hear a female voice, he focused on what he could see in the shadows cast by the rushlight she carried. He recognized the faint smell of the dried pith of the rush plant and whatever animal fat it had been dipped in. They used them on the farm since wax candles were way too expensive.

Tsaria gazed up at her and she let him with no signs of discomfort. He would put her in her fifties but didn’t doubt here—whereverherewas—was as hard on the body as the fields, or the other back-breaking work the poor had no choice but to do. Her brown skin and eyes didn’t give him much hint at her heritage, and her head was shaved like most of the poor that didn’t want it riddled with lice. She wore cheap breeches and a loose man’s shirt.

She also had two throwing knives tucked into her belt. He met her implacable gaze once more and didn’t doubt she knew how to use them.

“Where am I?”

She tipped her head to the side as if contemplating her answer, but then she grunted as if making a decision. “You’re under the city.”

Tsaria gaped. “Rajpur?” He was in the sewers? That accounted for the goddess-awful smell.

“But how—” The woman he presumed to be Moxie raised a hand. It didn’t hold a blade, but it was still effective at silencing him.

“Not how this works. We take turns. I answered your question. Now you answer mine.”

Knowing he had no choice if he hoped to get out of here, he nodded, then winced, wishing he hadn’t moved his head.

“Why are you so important that the guards from Cadmeera and Rajpur were willing to fight and die over you?”

Tsaria didn’t know where to start, or even if he should. Die? He closed his eyes in horror. People had died because he had made such a rash decision. “I am a servant,” he answered. “Brought along with the emir’s party while he travels.” What could he say? He didn’t know her, and she’d likely sell him out to Lord Anslar.

“I didn’t ask who you were, but why you were important.” She unsheathed one of the knives from her belt.

Tsaria didn’t answer. She gazed at him, and he returned her look. This was his mess, and he wouldn’t involve Kamir. “Can you at least tell me how I came to be here?” She arched an eyebrow. “I refuse to say anything that may get another killed.” He tried to sound apologetic.

She sighed and stood. “You’ve been here two days. My lads saw the standoff as the soldiers from Rajpur seemed to thinkthey should take you and the Cadmeeran troops arrived and disagreed. The man in the wagon with you ran as soon as the battle started. By the time we found you, you’d been lying in the ditch half the night.”

So Alain had escaped. He wouldn’t wish death on him, but it was clear where his loyalties lay.

“Did they all die?” he whispered, ashamed of the catch in his voice.

She narrowed her eyes as if surprised he would care. “It was luck we happened upon it first, before more guards arrived. My lads hid until it was over then reported it to me. We didn’t see you at first. You were alive, so we brought you here. The least you can do is pay for making sure neither side got their hands on you.”

“I’m a pleasure slave,” he admitted.

“Well,shite,” Moxie swore. “But that still doesn’t explain why they were fighting over you.”

No, it didn’t. “I am sure the emir would pay for my safe return, but he has many enemies. I don’t know who you could trust.” It wasn’t like she could just walk up to the palace and ask. Besides, Kamir wasn’t even there.

“You’re lying,” Moxie said and stood up. She pointed to the dark tunnel ahead. “That’s the only direction to go, but even if you attempted it in the condition you’re in, you wouldn’t make it before one of the other gangs found you. And they won’t be giving you water, they’d just pass you around until you wished for death. You get an idea of how I can make money enough to make it worth my while to get you out of here, I’m all ears.”

She turned, and he opened his mouth but closed it again. He didn’t know anyone that they could get to in Rajpur that would help him. Tsaria closed his eyes and listened to her steps until they grew silent.

Tsaria woke several more times over the next few days. He was given water and stale bread he couldn’t stomach, and two big lads took him to the run off when he had to relieve himself. Moxie had been back twice, but there was nothing he could say. He didn’t trust anyone in the palace, and Cadmeera was too far. He had no coin to tempt them to make a journey, and she flatly refused to send any of her lads as she called them. It didn’t matter what name he dropped. The fact was, she wasn’t convinced they wouldn’t simply be thrown in a cell, and Tsaria had to agree with her. The guards wouldn’t tell those higher up about every beggar that came to the gates.

---