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The house is even more flamboyant on the inside I hate it I hate the tapestries, the chandeliers, the fine furniture, the gilded walls It reminds me of Granthos’s estate: too pretentious, just like its master
Slaves hurry about, preparing the roo up, I can tell the finest slaves will be exhibited inside the house The rest will be on display in the huge back garden I glih the open s as we pass
Gareth keeps er The slave ahead of us walks with a liuess why When I was a young changeling, Clotty told tales ofI thought she was just cautioning me to never run But her cautionary tales were based in truth The li slave ahead of me, his shoulders curved forward, his head down—he is just one of many that Lord Zatran has bent and maimed
Gareth leans over and speaks into e like a cloud of hornets charging down the bond Don’t let it show”
He’s right I loosenthe harlot as best I can, I like to think I’ the role justice Given the way Gareth can’t see
We continue down a long hall, the walls covered with paintings of Lord Zatran, olden throne He’s painted larger and more beautiful than he already is Some of the works are of hies of sexual exploits Hisram, his harlots’ mouths open in utter pleasure All that tells s and as a lover in real life
The slave stops and turns, gesturing us into a large suite with a soaring ceiling, a golden fountain, and a bed twice the size of the one we had at Chastain’s ho rooarden
“If this is to your liking, I will let Master know” The changeling slave doesn’t look up
Lash marks snake from under his collar, and his arms are littered with more scars than I bear on my entire body
I take a chance and grab his hand “Silmaran sees all”
He finally lifts his eyes, their depths a crystal blue
“Take heart” I squeeze his fingers, then release them “You will be free one day”
A spark of surprise flashes across his face as he glances quickly at Gareth, but he responds to me in a near-whisper “Silmaran sees all Thank you”
He turns and shuffles down the hall
Gareth closes the door and grabsme up until we’re at eye-level “That was foolish”
“I know” I nod
His eyebrows bunch in the center “Did you just agree with me?”
“Yep” I rest olden shoulders “I just sort of acted without thinking He needed it, though”
“Needed what?”
“Hope” I twirl a lock of his dark hair around h”
“If he tells his master—”
“He won’t” I press my forehead to his
“How do you know?”
“Because I’ve been a slave long enough to knohich ones to trust and which ones run to their auzy fabric away frolad to be rid of it It tickles
His furrows lessen a little “I suppose you would be able to tell, yes”
I drop my voice even lower “This place is worse than the Spires”
“I have to agree with you there” He crushes me in a solid embrace “You should have never suffered as you did”
“Hopefully, e’re done in this cursed city, no one else will have to” I sigh and let myself relax in his aro, to give in and simply enjoy the warm touch of another
“Your bath is prepared, my lord”
He spins as a nude fe room, her lithe body covered in a fine sheen of sparkle
Gareth looks away, his gaze on the ceiling “Ah, well, yes, thank you”