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This madman is bettingmylife on a fight. Just as I’d thought I’d escaped the clutches of the slimy grotesque creatures – now I face being handed over to another from their foul species; perhaps over Marcel’s dead body.

As if pondering this, the Bullfrog turns his big bulbous eyes over to me. His greedy stare runs hotly over my body - until Marcel takes a menacing step forward and places his huge, muscular bulk between me and the creature. I’m relieved to be protected from the Bullfrog’s gaze.

There’s another consequence, too. The presence of the towering Aurelian is even more striking now as he steps up close, and the Bullfrog’s jowls jiggle nervously.

“Okay,” two slimy hands are raised. “No fight. You pay twenty percent more – agood deal!”

“It is indeed,” accepts Marcel instantly.

The tension in the room evaporates, and the Bullfrog almost seems excited to watch Marcel fish a bar of blueish-steel credit from his armor. He tosses the credit bar towards the Bullfrog, as if tossing coins to a beggar. The irony is that the single, weighty bar is probably worth enough to set a beggar up for life.

There’s a wet slap as the creature catches the credit bar in one of his slimy hands, and those bulbous eyes widen as he examines it.

Then, the Bullfrog grins – happy not just to have saved face in front of the others of his kind, but also to have made a quick return on his recent purchase.

The Bullfrog looks around, nodding and grinning. In his mind, he’s won – coaxing a premium from the Aurelians, and proving once again that Bullfrogs are smarter than the rival species. Bullfrogs take such things very seriously – sharing some of the greedy nature of the Toad species, but also this never-ending desire to come out of every interaction as the dominant one.

But domination isn’t so straightforward – and I feel like the Aurelians are the victors as we watch the Bullfrog unhook the leash from around his wrist and toss it to the nearest of Marcel’s battle-brothers.

The Aurelian with the thick lips catches the leash easily, cuffing it to his wrist.

Now, there’s enough slack in the chain for Tessa to rush over to me. She doesn’t hug me – although I know she’s desperate to. She’s terrified. Tessa’s whole body trembles and I put my arms around her reassuringly, pulling her tightly to my chest and squeezing her.

Tessa doesn’t resist – too scared to move.

As for me? My mind is reeling. I can’t believe I did it. It just goes to show that Ling’s advice was right. Sometimes, pushing back isn’t the answer. Sometimes, surrendering gets you what you originally wanted.

Recovering Tessa from the Bullfrog is a hollow victory, however. She was purchased by the Aurelians, and that means she’s substituted one alien master for a trio of new ones.

But I know the Aurelians are a better bet than the Bullfrogs.Anythingwould have been a better bet. Despite swapping one form of slavery for another, I’m left with the sense that – for the first time since Ling died – I’ve donesomethingright.

With no further word, Marcel turns and begins striding toward the stairs that lead out of the auction chamber. His battle-brothers follow – as if responding to a wordless command that Marcel never even verbalized.

The chain gets pulled taut, and I realize I can follow him, or be dragged along behind. I wonder if Marcel would even notice the extra weight. His biceps are bigger than my fucking head, and I’ve already seen his display of lethal power when he beheaded that Toad guard.

Resistance is truly futile, so I scrabble after him. I know just one squeeze of Marcel’s steel grip could kill a man, and I have no desire to see that or feel it.

I follow – just as there’s a splash behind me.

I don’t turn. I know the noise indicates that the next poor soul has been thrown into the auction pool from the walkway up above, but I can’t look back. If I look back, I’ll see how helpless I am. Perhaps I spared Tessa, but I’m powerless to save the splashing, frantic woman who was behind me – or the ones who’ll be thrown in after her

Eyes forward, I follow behind the huge Aurelian warrior. His two battle-brothers fall into formation behind us – Tessa chained to the wrist of the pale warrior with the thick, sensuous lips.

As we follow, I suddenly realize what I’d promised earlier.

I’d promised Marcel that I’d doanythingfor them if they took Tessa with them.

Now, I face having to make good on that promise.

Gods! And I’ve lied to them!

These three warriors were expecting a new slave who might need to be broken in. Now, I’ve created the persona a docile, subservient little toy – one who’ll do whatever they ask of me.

The worst part? I hate that some part of meachesfor this. Some part of me is fooled by the handsome, powerful exterior of the three Aurelians – and that’s blinded me to their nature.

My gut has never been wrong before, and right now it’s telling me – somehow – that it’s okay to trust these slave-trading Rogue Aurelians.

In fact…