He’d been so scared when he entered the woods. Not scared of this, though. Now his initial fear of the woods struck him in all its ridiculousness. He’d never imagined, never could have imagined, that humans lived free somewhere. Not just any humans, but murderous, savage humans. If someone had warned him, he wouldn’t have believed it. He’d have thought they’d gone mad. Because everyone knew that saps belonged to Superiors, depended on them, needed them, obeyed them.
But not these saps. These defied imagining, defied belief. He’d imagined hardships on his way, but never something like this. It was inconceivable. The hurdles he’d faced on the road had seemed like the worst that could happen. That silly incident, getting caught in the snow, had seemed the worst possible scenario.
Never had he suspected he’d face much worse.
When he’d entered this forest, he’d never have dreamed such a place as this, such vicious people existed. Now he remembered his hesitancy to enter the forest. If only he’d known then how right his apprehension would prove. But he’d misread it, thought he’d feared the trees alone.
In his captivity, he let his eyes scan the stack of daggers again. If only he’d had some way to know, when he’d entered the forest, that as his fear had multiplied by untold thousands, this fate awaited him.
When would they return? And what horrors would they bring with them when they came?
Chapter 17
Cali explored the new apartment with Shelly. It was much nicer than the hotel room they’d stayed in. Well, maybe nicer wasn’t the right word. But it had a lot more space, and that was good enough for her. A door, locked to them, led outside to a small space enclosed by bars, which they could see through their window. The window opened a hand’s-width when she cranked a little lever. Cali had never had a real window before, with glass in it and everything. She opened the window despite the cold, and she and Shelly laughed as a blast of freezing air swept through the room. She closed the window and continued exploring.
They had a bathroom—a shower stall with a floor toilet in one corner—and a kitchen area where they could cook their own food in a small oven and wash dishes in a tiny plastic sink. Across the room from the kitchen area, a floor mat big enough for both humans to sleep comfortably lay rolled against the wall. Cali had always heard about the advantages of being sold to a Superior , and now she started to see them. She had more privacy than she’d ever had, and she only had to share her space with one other person.
She and Shelly delighted over their space, their own private world that belonged—almost—to them alone. “Girl, we’re going to have the most fun here,” Shelly said, clapping his hands. “Oh, I simply cannot wait. In spring, we’re going to pick flowers and put them on the windowsill. We can grow veggies in this garden space outside the window. Imagine, Cali and Shelly’s private apartment! Have you ever dreamed of anything so fantastic?”
“It’s pretty great,” Cali agreed, smiling, too. She’d never imagined she could smile so much. Shelly made her smile even when she wasn’t happy. He made her forget why she wasn’t.
“Great? It’s more than great. Here, let’s both get showers. I don’t smell too pretty, and no offense, but you don’t either. Then I’ll show you how to do your hair up. You’ve got great hair, girl. You could really find you a nice man while we’re here. I bet all the Superiors in this apartment got their own humans. With that face clean and something done about your hair, no one will be able to resist you.”
“Um, thanks, I guess,” Cali said, not sure how to react to this. She wondered why, if she was so irresistible, Shelly wanted to find a man for her. He should be her mate.
After they had both showered and washed their old shifts, they sat cross-legged on the floor, and Shelly pulled his fingers
But not these saps. These defied imagining, defied belief. He’d imagined hardships on his way, but never something like this. It was inconceivable. The hurdles he’d faced on the road had seemed like the worst that could happen. That silly incident, getting caught in the snow, had seemed the worst possible scenario.
Never had he suspected he’d face much worse.
When he’d entered this forest, he’d never have dreamed such a place as this, such vicious people existed. Now he remembered his hesitancy to enter the forest. If only he’d known then how right his apprehension would prove. But he’d misread it, thought he’d feared the trees alone.
In his captivity, he let his eyes scan the stack of daggers again. If only he’d had some way to know, when he’d entered the forest, that as his fear had multiplied by untold thousands, this fate awaited him.
When would they return? And what horrors would they bring with them when they came?
Chapter 17
Cali explored the new apartment with Shelly. It was much nicer than the hotel room they’d stayed in. Well, maybe nicer wasn’t the right word. But it had a lot more space, and that was good enough for her. A door, locked to them, led outside to a small space enclosed by bars, which they could see through their window. The window opened a hand’s-width when she cranked a little lever. Cali had never had a real window before, with glass in it and everything. She opened the window despite the cold, and she and Shelly laughed as a blast of freezing air swept through the room. She closed the window and continued exploring.
They had a bathroom—a shower stall with a floor toilet in one corner—and a kitchen area where they could cook their own food in a small oven and wash dishes in a tiny plastic sink. Across the room from the kitchen area, a floor mat big enough for both humans to sleep comfortably lay rolled against the wall. Cali had always heard about the advantages of being sold to a Superior , and now she started to see them. She had more privacy than she’d ever had, and she only had to share her space with one other person.
She and Shelly delighted over their space, their own private world that belonged—almost—to them alone. “Girl, we’re going to have the most fun here,” Shelly said, clapping his hands. “Oh, I simply cannot wait. In spring, we’re going to pick flowers and put them on the windowsill. We can grow veggies in this garden space outside the window. Imagine, Cali and Shelly’s private apartment! Have you ever dreamed of anything so fantastic?”
“It’s pretty great,” Cali agreed, smiling, too. She’d never imagined she could smile so much. Shelly made her smile even when she wasn’t happy. He made her forget why she wasn’t.
“Great? It’s more than great. Here, let’s both get showers. I don’t smell too pretty, and no offense, but you don’t either. Then I’ll show you how to do your hair up. You’ve got great hair, girl. You could really find you a nice man while we’re here. I bet all the Superiors in this apartment got their own humans. With that face clean and something done about your hair, no one will be able to resist you.”
“Um, thanks, I guess,” Cali said, not sure how to react to this. She wondered why, if she was so irresistible, Shelly wanted to find a man for her. He should be her mate.
After they had both showered and washed their old shifts, they sat cross-legged on the floor, and Shelly pulled his fingers
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