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But if I ht Because irl said, “I shall” and stepped over the e ribbon, she must stay with thestuck with Prentor of Seven Hills Hoh to cause a knot in her belly that made her feel like she had sed stones

He’s not the right one forHe’s nearly four years younger than me! And he’s so short! Why, I can practically see over the top of his head No, I’ht one If I ret it whencomes—I knoill!

She told herself that she would indeed, ripen Late ripenings ran in their family and both her mother and her aunt hadn’t ripened until well into their late twenties to early thirties Pinchu was just impatient to have the farm to himself and his new bride-to-be He wanted Makenna out of the way and didn’t care of the way he got rid of her ruined her life in the process Her older brother always had been a selfish bastard, she reflected, staring up at him But this time he had topped himself

“You wantat him “But not to Seven Hills with Prentor! I’ll make my oay in life if Iwhen I’ht for me!”

Pinchu threw up his hands in a draesture

“Fine—go! Why should I care if you ruin your life? I was just trying to help you”

“No, you were just trying to get rid of me and if Mother and Father could see you now they would weep for your selfishness!” Makenna snapped back “Oh, and if you think Trenda of Green Folds can cook for you as well as I can, then I have news for you—I have it on good authority that she burns everything she touches and can’t even boil water So I wish you the joy of her and the far”

Her brother’s dark eyes—the same shade as her own—had widened and he had opened his mouth to protest—to defend his indefensible actions But Makenna didn’t stay to listen She whirled around and stalked off, not sure where she was going, and not really caring either—too angry to do anything but run away from where she wasn’t wanted

Eventually her feet took her into tohere sheall over the area He had a wagon full of goods and he filled Makenna’s head with tales of a bakery tns over that had need of an assistant

“For the owner’s daughter died not long after her first ripening, and now the poor dear lady has no one to help her bake the bread and the tullew rolls everysincerity “She beggedwoive rooain I proirl that wants toat Makenna speculatively “Say, can you bake bread?”

Makenna assured hi at hertullew rolls were second to none

“Why, you ht just be the one for the poor old baker lady!” the peddler exclaimed He frowned “Oh, but would you even want to co and you’re just about to settle down in your on, just like all the other girls I’ve met”

Blushing, Makenna had ad yet

“But I’erly “And I’m sure I could find someone to settle doith in that town”

“You’d have many more to choose from,” the peddler said “And I’ just for you”

Later, when she was tied to the wooden table, with the huge Trollox, Biter, leering at her as Frogu shoved the first spreader between her thighs, she had cause to reret her blithe decision to follow the peddler into his wagon What a fool she had been!

But in her defense, the people of her planet were irl didn’t usually have to fear for her safety And they didn’t even know about spaceflight or that there were other people out there—many, many different kinds of people So how could she have known that the peddler was actually a Grouthian slaver in disguise?