Page 8 of Given to the Fae (The Dark Realms #3)

I find some water in a jug and drink that instead before stuffing myself with dried meat and nuts that I find in bowls on the small table.

Confident that the cunt will be out until the morn, I roll him over to his furs and take down his trousers.

His cock lies innocuously against his leg like a maggot and I make a face as I remove his boots and cover him.

While searching the tent, I also find a collection of healer’s vials. I smell them until I find the one I want and I tie it to the ends of the laces of my dress before I tuck it between my breasts where it won’t be noticed.

I then curl up close to the cunt and go to sleep, thankful for some respite and what will hopefully be a good night’s rest.

Jak

We don’t return to the camp until long after it’s gone quiet.

My stomach still turns at the cries I could hear, the revelries that Bere was presiding over.

I see the smallest of the human females tied up beside the fire.

She’s battered and bruised. Her dress lies next to her, ejected from the furs just as she was when they were finished using her.

Whether she’s asleep, or in a faint, I don’t know.

By the state of her, it could be either.

I look behind me to ensure that Locke hasn’t yet returned. He wouldn’t like what I’m about to do. But I am...or at least I was, a healer once.

I pick up the tiny human along with her dress and take her to the wagon.

I throw a blanket inside that I hope she’ll have the intelligence to hide in the straw before morning comes.

The other one with the short hair lies in the circle.

She’s still dressed, but her skirts are bunched up by her thighs, and there are bruises over her legs and she’s covered in dried seed.

Her lip is split and her jaw swollen. With a sigh, I pick her up as well and take her to the cart.

I cover them both with the blanket and shut the door, locking it and pocketing the key.

At least, I can ensure that they’ll be left alone for the rest of the night.

‘What are you doing?’ one of Bere’s men hisses from behind me.

I turn on him, pleased when the smaller fae male takes two steps back.

‘None of you cunts thought to post a guard,’ I snarl low, hoping he doesn’t notice the blanket in the low light.

‘If they fuck off in the night and get themselves killed, we don’t get paid.

What am I doing, you ask? Protecting our investments for fuck’s sake, which is more than I can say for any of the rest of you. ’

‘Where’s the third?’ he growls. ‘There were three of them.’

‘No doubt Bere has the last one in his tent now,’ I reply.

And is probably making her fulfill all sorts of his depraved desires tonight.

I resist the urge to hit the nearest tree, or the male in front of me. Locke wouldn’t like that either. The mission is paramount, after all, and, if we’re successful, we’ll save more lives than these five pathetic human slaves.

‘Aye, that’s where she’ll be,’ he mutters. ‘I’m going to bed.’

He wanders off and I grab my pack from mine and Morgan’s tent.

It’s too small for us both, anyway. Morgan is massive.

Besides, it’s warm enough for me to sleep outside under the clear sky, so I do, but I don’t shut my eyes until I hear Locke and Morgan return from their hunt.

Only then do I let a dreamless sleep claim me.

The morning brings with it a light drizzle and I’m woken to a kick to my foot from one of the others.

‘We break camp in a few,’ Derth, one of Bere’s most loyal, mutters to me. ‘Get up and pull your fucking weight, Jak.’

I grunt at him and rise, my body protesting and I wish I could go back to sleep again.

I splash some water on my face from the cool river and drink my fill, noticing that the two females are still in the wagon and their blanket isn’t in sight.

Both of them look tired and their faces are blank as they stare out at nothing.

They sit close to each other, and I notice the slightly older one is holding the smaller one’s hand.

I look away. There’s nothing I could have done to help them.

It would have meant months of work wasted. Years perhaps.

I fill two cups from the river and give them to the females through the bars. The water is accepted with averted eyes and a part of me fears that they think I was among the males who abused them last night.

My thoughts are halted when I see the third one emerge from Bere’s tent. She’s walking slowly but not limping, and in fact looks much less injured than the other two. I move away to give them a moment with each other as she nears the cart.

‘Come to gloat?’ the younger one snarls, but the one sitting next to her nudges her and shakes her head.

‘There was naught she could have done, and you know it,’ she says quietly, shifting position and wincing.

I watch from my vantage point as she glances around to make sure no one’s watching and then delves into the collar of her slave dress.

She pulls out a vial and my eyes narrow.

That’s one of Bere’s from his private stock of supplies.

When he notices it’s gone, she’ll be punished severely. He’s no fool. He’ll know it was her.

‘If you share it, your wounds will heal enough to feel better but not enough for them to notice.’

The slightly older one snatches the vial with a snort. ‘I owe you nothing, Bryn .’

The third one’s lip curls just a tad. ‘I don’t need you to owe me, Bell .’

I watch as the two humans in the cart share the vial, wondering at the odd relationship they have. They clearly aren’t friends, but they don’t seem to be true enemies either.

I duck away so that they don’t see me and start to panic.

If anyone other than me, Locke, or Morgan had seen what the third one did, stealing from Bere and helping the others.

.. They’d be dragging all three of them in front of our leader to face consequences.

And I’ve seen the creative discipline he metes out.

They’d survive him, but they’d never be the same, and they’d never even think of stealing from a fae ever again.

But I was the one who caught them, so I delve into my pack, into my personal healing stores, and I find the same elixir that she stole, hoping I’m not already too late.

I stride into Bere’s tent as if he’s called for me, even nodding a hello to one of his other men as I pass him. I find the tent silent but for a low snoring coming from the furs at the back.

Thank the gods.

I quickly put my vial with the others in Bere’s stores and grab the empty bowls from the table to replenish with flat breads and honey for our leader’s morning meal.

I find the camp half cleared, and quickly fill the bowls, returning them to the tent. Bere is rising, yawning and scratching his balls when I go in.

‘Where’s the girl?’ he asks.

‘Found her walking about the camp so I put her with the others in the cart before she got any ideas.’

He nods. ‘Good.’ Then he chuckles. ‘I’m surprised she can walk at all after last night.’

I force out a chuckle. ‘Tight cunt, eh?’

‘Aye, I suppose. But you know these slave females. They’re all so well ridden. I’d take a fae female any day in lieu of these human whores.’

As if any free female would ever choose him of her own free will. But I nod.

‘Aye, me as well,’ I commiserate.

‘The camp cleared?’

‘Almost.’

He nods and waves me out. I leave gratefully and spy the girl drinking by the river. What was the name the other one called her? Bryn.

I approach quickly. I told Bere she was in the cart, so that’s where she needs to be.

‘You!’ I say harshly.

She jumps at my voice and rises quickly.

‘Think you’re better than the others because the leader fucked you, eh?’

She looks at the ground in front of her feet in submission. My eyes narrow. Why do I get the feeling her fear is an act? Perhaps it takes an actor to know one.

I take out the key I stowed in my tunic last night and grab her arm before pushing her back toward the river.

‘Ugh! Fine!’ I snarl. ‘Piss in the river then if you must. I don’t want you soiling the cart. I’m the one who has to fucking clean it after you animals.’

She looks confused and a little alarmed, but she wades to the river and pulls up her dress, squatting.

‘Bere checks his vials,’ I say in a very, very low voice.

Her eyes widen and her mouth opens on a stutter before closing again.

‘Foolish female.’ I roll my eyes. ‘I’ve sorted it this time because he’ll maim all three of you for thieving and we won’t get the money we should for you at market. But don’t do it again.’

She gives me a small nod and I beckon her as I see Warrior, one of Bere’s men, from the corner of my eye.

He’s watching me closely, beady shale-colored eyes following me as if he thinks he’s invisible.

He’s always lurking around in his blacks, his jeweled knives hanging from his belt for all to see.

The cunt looks like he’s pretending to be a Dark Brother, or something.

I pretend I don’t know I’m being observed, grabbing her arm roughly when she’s close enough. She makes a sound of pain that I ignore as I swiftly unlock the cart. I shove her in with much more force than necessary, and she goes head-long into one of the bars with a cry.

I force myself not to react as I usually would. Instead, I chuckle callously. ‘That’ll be the least of your injuries if you cross me, human,’ I say loud enough that the fae eavesdropping hears easily.

But I see her taking her spot in the cart, away from the other two females.

I feel their eyes on me, and I expect to see fear, but instead all of them are still.

They’re pretending not to be watching me, but I can sense anticipation.

It’s as if they’re waiting for something and it feels very similar to when Locke was touching her at that repugnant trading post we picked them up at.

I walk across the clearing and grab my pack, noting that all the supplies down to the last bedroll have been stored away again. I nod at Morgan as I grab my horse, and we begin to move. I’m one of the last to leave, so I’m behind the bulls who are attached to the back of the cart.

No one can see where I’m looking now, and I find myself inexplicably drawn to the female sitting alone in the straw of the cage. I’m surprised to find that she’s looking at me as well, and I frown.

Her eyes bore into me, and she seems oddly pensive where the other humans are resigned.

I look away, focusing on the trees around us. We won’t make it to the next Ring until the sun is high. At least after that there’ll be a town where we can get some decent food.

I chance another look at the girl. Bryn .

She’s still staring intently at me. I stare back until she finally looks away and I sigh.

I should ignore her. Nothing good is going to come from interacting with her, especially when we reach the next town. That’s when the slaves will see the healer and we’ll begin offloading the cargo to whomever will buy. Bere said that girl is for the pit fighters, but he might change his mind.

I don’t care , I tell myself. Who is this girl to me? No one.

The mission is paramount.