11

"Seventy-thousand potch," the slaver replied instantly.

I sort of reeled, deep inside. Stupidly, I was amazed at how quickly he could assign a price to human life. At the same time, I was amazed it was so high. For that much, they treat humans like animals? How revolting, how exorbitant, how demeaning, how- I really didn't know what to think.

Grand raised his eyebrows at the slaver. "Interesting. I thought you might price him higher."

The slaver smiled unctuously; it didn't suit him. "I know better than to poke a trained eye, your lordship."

After the transaction was made and the slave line finally moved off, Grand surveyed his new slave, who was still kneeling. Grand glanced proudly at me, but he didn't really see me or he would've known what to expect. "Well, Salisha. You see how neatly business is done? None of the mealy-mouthed jabbering your father's so fond of. Just look at him -I'll have him winning matches within two years. It'll be a good lesson to Solis in training warriors. So, would you like to name him?"

I stamped my foot. "What are you doing?"

Grand saw me this time.

"How could you do this -Buy someone like -like-"

Grand's eyes narrowed, showing his thin veneer of patience. "Calm down, Salisha. Honestly, chick. What are you going to do about it?"

My mouth worked soundlessly for a few moments. Then it opened wide. "I'm going to scream! I'm going to scream that my grandfather is an evil slave-buyer who's going to ruin some man's life just to prove a point! If you can't prove it some other way -than you're pathetic! Pathetic!"

Grand's eyes narrowed further. The soldiers in the training ring had all stopped what they were doing, eyeing us with varying degrees of unease and interest. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mother and Father banging out of the house, absolutely incomprehensible. I saw all this, but I was only paying attention to Grand, watching those cool eyes and that one fist that had occasionally lashed out at me. I knew I'd never duck fast enough.

I narrowed my eyes. "I can't believe you! If you don't free that slave, I'll never speak to you again! I won't have a grandfather that deals with slavers! You dishonor me!"

Grand put his head on one side. "Well now, little Salisha."

I balled my hands into fists. "Well what?"

"You're a poor bargainer. If I released this slave, how would you reimburse me? You don't have seventy-seven thousand potch, and even if you did, I wouldn't take money from my own granddaughter."

I tilted my chin up, looking him as evenly in the eyes as I could. "I'm not bargaining. I'm commanding."

Grand stared at me. His eyes narrowed even further. My nerves recoiled, bracing for his fist. But slowly, slowly he smiled. Then he turned to my father. Father had just gotten to us and interposed himself between me and Grand. Mother grabbed me from behind, her hands steadying my shoulders.

Father glanced at the slave, then at Grand. "You bought this slave?" He took a deep breath. "Father, I have outlawed slaving in Sable."

Grand gave him a scornful grimace. "Spare me your preaching, Solis. I thrashed you too often to be under your power." He looked over Father's shoulder, ice cold into my eyes. "It appears I haven't thrashed Salisha often enough."

Father squared his shoulders. "Don't touch her."

"Don't," said Mother. I could imagine her eyes, hostile and warning. She, like myself, usually got on very well with Grand.

Grand laughed shortly. "I won't. And do you know why not?"

No one asked.

"Because she isn't like you," Grand said, training his gaze back on Father. "She's like me. She stands up for herself, and to hell with anyone else's agenda. You never could have done that at thirteen. You can hardly do it now."

She's like me.

I can't begin to describe how those three words made me feel, still make me feel right now as I write them. Scared of the implication, disgusted with myself, enormously proud of myself. Unstoppable.

"Father's just as brave as you are," I said. "Braver! Now let the slave go."

Grand gave me his eerie smile again, a strange mix of admiration and annoyance. He turned disdainfully away from Father, but he tossed Mother a laugh. "Get your chick married to a strong-willed man, Melissa. Before they all find out she's strong-willed." Then he walked off.

I'm still asking myself today, why did he do it? Why did he submit? Dare I suspect that the rejection by his granddaughter, the one who took after him, was something he didn't want to face?

Maybe.

When Grand was gone, I felt absolutely mortified, even worse than after the whole "They can pee standing up" episode. I especially couldn't look at the slave. "Well," Mother said, a bit hesitantly.

Father was looking upset, but he gave me what was undoubtedly meant to be a reassuring smile. "Well, Salisha. Well." He looked down. "I'm sorry about that, young man."

I risked a look at the ex-slave. He was staring at each of us in turn, frowning warily. Mother came forward and untied his hands. "We'd better get you cleaned up. Salisha, run along and find someone with a water rune. We need ice for his face. What's your name?"

The ex-slave was getting to his feet, wincing as he unbent his joints and rubbing his chapped wrists. "Dinn."

"Nice name," Mother said absently, eyeing his dirty clothes with the air of one who was already measuring him for a new tunic and trousers. "Salisha, get on."

I got on, coming back with Robaro, one of our best Water mages ("I'm back! I got some dinn for Ice -I mean, er, uh..."). Mother and Father had taken Dinn into the house and placed him in the large front room. Mother was gingerly washing his face. Father was walking upstairs into his study, rubbing his temples.

"We knew Father wouldn't survive debtor's prison," Dinn was saying, his voice thick -probably from all the blood and snot. "So I went. It was only supposed to be for two years. I didn't know that imprisonment meant I belonged to the country."

"Horrid rule," Mother muttered. "Prison's where most of the gladiators come from, if they're not kidnapped abroad. Sooner or later, the Queen and His Commandership are going to put an end to all this -oh, Robaro, here, help me."

As Rob conjured up some ice, I realized that I was entirely useless to this little tableau, and I was still almightily embarrassed. I retreated upstairs to Father's study. He was placing some books on a shelf.

"Father," I said, coming up and hugging him around the waist. "I'm sorry I'm like Grand."

Father sucked in his breath just a bit, then his hands came soothingly on my head. "He meant it as a compliment, Salisha."

"B-but Grand bought a slave. I'd never-"

"He meant you stood up for yourself. And he's right, you did. It's an admirable quality. Don't take it any other way."

"He used me to insult you!"

"Well," Father said after a moment, "that's not your fault either."

I looked up. "I wasn't stupid then?"

Father smiled. "I don't think so. Though Rocco will certainly call himself stupid when he realizes what he left you alone to face."