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Vale pats me on the back. “Come.”

My gut is twisting. I don’t want to leave these women, even though I know I can’t save them. I couldn’t save my mother, and I sure as shit can’t save myself.

Reluctantly I follow Vale out of the room.

A minute later we enter a large room made mostly out of a dark stone shot through with veins of gold. Sparking light glows dimly from the sconces along the walls. Stretching out in front of us are several pools full of glowing water. The light from it dances along the walls.

The air is heavy with steam and magic; it hangs in misty ribbons throughout the room and nestles itself in my lungs.

“It’s imported from Lephys,” Vale says.

“What is?”

“The water.” He nods to the luminous liquid.

I follow his gaze. Several naked couples are tangled together suggestively in the waters, many with their wings out.

I look away before I can help it.

“Never seen fairies rut?” Vale asks, his eyes taking in every twitch of mine.

I force my face into some bland expression. On Arestys, I was cunning. Here I’m an ignorant dustback, an Arestyan with no exposure to the outside world. I hate that. I spent years educating myself on the Otherworld, all to avoid situations like this. It was all wasted effort.

Vale’s lips stretch into a grin. “We can always change that, my brother. You’ll find that in this line of business, you’ll never be short of partners—willing or otherwise.”

Or otherwise?My skin crawls. That’s not a partner, that’s a hostage.

Vale’s grin disappears, and he leads me down the marble pathway that bisects two of the pools.

At the far end of the room is the largest pool yet, and it’s filled with a single man and dozens of women.

The man’s long black hair is plaited and fitted with jeweled ornaments.

… Pirate …

He leans back along the rim of the pool while the women flock around him.

My gaze moves from one woman to the next. Some have bare necks and pointed ears while others have rounded ears, their throats collared. More slaves.

Lazily, the man’s eyes slide from the women to us.

“What’s this?” he asks, studying me.

“Hermio,” Vale says, dipping his head. “I found you our newest recruit.”

I narrow my gaze on Vale, annoyed. “I’ve agreed to nothing,” I say, my attention moving from him to Hermio, the man in the pool.

The man in the pool raises an eyebrow. “Where did you find him?” he asks Vale.

“Dead Dragon’s Tavern. Boy was on his last few coppers.”

My attention slides to Vale. Just how long had he been watching me?

“Mmmm …” Hermio purses his lips, looking me over, “he’ll do. Get him outfitted and properly broken. I want him on the next job.”

Properly broken? They’re speaking as though I’m not even present!

… Many bad things happen here …