Page 38 of Captive

Novikke couldn’t answer, but the woman didn’t wait for one, anyway. She left the room without another word.

Zaiur peered in through the open door. His eyes went to her arm. He smiled. “Come on, human.”

Not wanting another punishment, she staggered to her feet. As she passed Aruna, she raised her eyes from the floor long enough to look up at his face.

She might have looked at him with hatred if she’d had the presence of mind to feel hate. In that moment, she could only feel shock. Her arm still burned and tingled, and she could scarcely breathe.

Aruna didn’t look at her at all. His eyes were fixed on the floor.

As he turned and fell into step behind her, she felt his hand touch hers, and she thought he was going to hold on to her as he escorted her back to her hut. But instead of holding her, he pressed a small object into her palm. She hesitated, surprised, and then closed her fingers around it.

She stopped beside Zaiur and watched Aruna’s back as he walked away. He followed the mage down the hallway without looking back.

Her fist tightened around the object. It was something small and metallic. She slipped it into her pocket as Zaiur directed her toward the opposite end of the hall.

---