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I can’t breathe—I’htless, andburst and suck in oxygen, greedy for it

My whole body is a wreck, full of cuts and bruises, but I’m alive Safe Away from the Kraa and the auction

I glance up at my savior His smooth purple brorinkled in concentration, and the powerful muscles in his arms move as he taps and touches controls I’m s I don’t understand

I struggle to sit up “Who are you?” I shake my head “What do you ith me?”

He finishes one last maneuver, then pushes his chair back froleaht, and his eyes darken

Then he smiles “Who am I?” He raises a brow and crosses his arms “I’m Khrys I’m a Zandian warrior… and your new master, at least temporarily”

Khrys

The little warrior doesn’t appear to like this answer She pushes to a sitting position, wincing “I belong to no one but hty and at odds with her subservient position She grabs a silver foil blanket from her side where I tossed it and pulls it over her torso and lap

My mouth twitches with a smile—an unfamiliar sensation “What, for all of…” I pretend to count on ers “One, two, three whole minutes?”

She glares at me “I could have escaped by myself”

“No” I shake my head “Not without your medicine Without my assistance, you’d likely be back in chains Or dead”

“Well, without oo on the auction floor”

My lips tug again “Doubtful” I like her spunk

She sticks up her chin “And right about now, they’d be washing your organs out the door with a power hose for all the vermin to enjoy”

I stifle a full smile “Perhaps you played a minor role in my escape”