I do not own magi or the characters. I do own my oc.

Chapter 37

I stand behind the pillar pressed close to Sinbad as we wait for our opening. We have managed to convince the children that Maader is manipulating them, so now we just need them to react and we can catch the guards…well off guard.

"Are you sure you can do this," asks Sinbad his breath grazing my ear. "You're still pretty weak. Plus they haven't taken the chains off your ankles."

"I'm stronger right now than I have been in weeks, Sin," I whisper back as I can feel his hands firmly grip my waist. "We're running out of time. I know what her thing is now, so I can play her. I just need you to give me that opening."

We both pause as Lady Maader walking into the room. Immediately, many of the kids come running up to her asking about how she feels and if she loves them.

"It's so sad what she does to people," I whisper feeling myself start to shake. I try to calm down and focus as Sinbad pulls me even closer so my back is pressed right up against his chest.

"Bring all of the slaves here," speaks up the merchant getting both of our attention. "We have to sell them all for cash as soon as possible."

I can hear some of the kids yell, scared as she grabs one violently by the arm.

"Be quiet and behave! Can't you listen to what your mother tells you!?"

As Lady Maader gets more and more agitated, it works more in our favor.

"He was right!," yells one of the kids. "Lady Maader doesn't really love us at all! We're just objects to her!"

"After all…" Maader pauses as the children move away standing there staring at her. "Just what do you...You why are you all looking at me like that?"

Sinbad let's go walking towards Maader. I watch knowing I have to wait until they're out of the room to act at all.

"Lady Maader," says Sinbad grabbing her wrist. "You mustn't provoke them. Come this way right now…"

I watch as she lets Sinbad guide her to her office, just off the main room. After waiting several minutes a group of guards start to filter in to stop the kids. This is when I have to act.

I step out from behind the column immediately facing all of the children.

"Everyone," I yell as nicely as I can. I notice many of the guards glaring at me, thinking I'm the one behind this. "You need to calm down! Now is not the-"

I stop as a guard roughly grabs my arm pulling me backwards.

"Shut it," growls the man. I pull a little bit trying to get him to let me go. I notice a few of the kids watching me scared. "You probably started this."

"Wait! I didn't do this," I yell before the man starts to react poorly again. I feel him jerk my arm back, knowing I'm going experience a far too familiar pain soon.

I feel the guard get me to the ground, before pulling my arm backwards. I feel him continue to pull as I try to suppress the scream forming in the back of my throat. Suddenly, I feel my shoulder dislocate and let lose that scream I was trying to keep from letting out when this happens. The guard drops my arm as I pull it close to my body hoping to ease the pain.

"Leave her alone," yells one of the kids running up to a guard.

The guard goes to kick the child, but hits me on the side as I grab the kid and spin so I'm protecting him.

"Enough," I yell to the children. I can see the guards out of the corner of my eye back off. "Stop fighting back, children. Things will work out. Just trust me."

I pause and hold my breath hoping I said enough for the children to back off, and luckily they do. As they back off and run to their own space, the guards all seem to stand there shocked.

I get up stumbling a bit, knowing I need to get to Sinbad and Maader as quickly as possible. As I make my way through the hallways, some of the guards are whispering about how I'm one of Maader's children now, and I have to stop from vomiting at the idea.

Finally, I come to the door knocking on it lightly.

"Lady Maader. Sinbad," I say hoping for a response. "I've handled the children for now."

"Leila," says Maader as I smile to myself. "Please come in here."

Slowly, I open the door actually finding myself struggling with the weight of it because of the pain moving through my upper back now. Finally, I sneak into the room before shutting the door. I turn feeling Sinbad's eyes on me as I walk farther inside.

"I managed to calm the children down for now, but I don't know if I was successful at stopping all this talk of revolution. They shouldn't be a problem for at least a little while."

"What happened to your shoulder," asks Maader as Sinbad starts to walk towards me. I can see the concern on his face, but can't react.

"One of the guards though I was behind this and injured it," I reply noticing Sinbad stop next to me.

I see him go to reach out, but before I can stop him, his hand touches my shoulder sending another wave of pain down my arm. I grip my shoulder and fall to my knees as Sinbad pulls his hand back.

"Oh dear," says Lady Maader moving towards me as I grip my right arm and a guard walks in. "We need to get you help." As Maader guides me to lay my head on her lap she turns to the guard. "Bring a Doctor here quickly. We need to help her."

"I'm sorry," I say shakily as Maader smooths my hair back. "I didn't mean to…"

"Now, now," says Maader as Sinbad sit down next to me. "It will be alright. Just rest for now my child."

"Thank you," I reply quietly flinching a little as Maader touches my shoulder. I shut my eyes trying to stay calm as I feel Sinbad place a hand on my waist.

We all sit there for a while waiting for a doctor to come help. At least this was a bit of good to come from this, having my shoulder examined.

As the doctor walks inside, both Maader and Sinbad stand up to give the man some space, but I reach out taking Maader's hand.

"Will you please stay," I ask her knowing I really want Sinbad to stay.

"Of course," says Maader moving next to me as I look up at Sinbad. He smiles at me trying to tell me it's going to be okay, but I don't want to think right now.

After what feels like hours the doctor has my shoulder forced back into place. It was painful to say the least, but it could always be worse. I wait as the doctor starts to bandage my shoulder, trying to keep it from swelling or me from moving it too much. The doctor says something, but I'm not listening to him and I don't plan on it.

Before anything else can be done, I feel Sinbad come over helping me stand up as Maader stay close to my side whispering that everything is going to be okay. She continues to do so as Sinbad helps me sit on the small sofa in the room and Maader has me lean on her shoulder. I try to relax but do so even more as I feel Sinbad move next to me.

"You need to go rest," says Maader as I turn to look at her. "Sinbad, take her and take good care of her."

"Yes, Lady Maader," says Sinbad helping me stand up. I notice Maader stand up with us still staying close to me.

"I'm glad to still have children like you, Leila," says Maader as Sinbad wraps an arm around my waist. "Especially, when con artists are stealing one of you. But it terrifies me that to save this company I may still end up losing you."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," I say trying to sound confident. "You've accomplished so much, Lady Maader. I trust your judgement."

I watch as Lady Maader smile at me, sending chills trough my body. Without another word, Sinbad starts to guide me through the door. As the doors shut I stop pretending and feel my body giving into the pain only for Sinbad to shift me closer, firming up his grip.

"You're going to be okay," he whispers as I feel myself start to get light headed. "Just lean on me."

I nod as Sinbad starts to move me through the building towards the main sleeping quarters. After we enter I notice a lot of the kids study me trying to figure out what happened. Shortly after, Sinbad lays me on the bed and I quickly turn onto my left side facing the wall not wanting to say anything.

"Hey," he says smoothly, but I can hear some reluctance in his voice. "I'm going to see what I can find to help with the pain. I'll be back in a minute."

I don't see anything, but feel Sinbad lightly squeeze my forearm before I hear him walking away. And that's when I can't help but quietly let tears fall. Usually when I do this my shoulder only hurts when I move it, but it's a constant pain right now. I can hear some of the kids coming closer trying to see what's happening.

"Someone go get Sinbad," says voice I don't recognize, so it's probably one of the older kids. I hear the person, a girl I think come closer. "I don't know your name," she says directed at me I guess. "What is it?"

"Leila," I say flinching as she touches my shoulder lightly.

"Okay Leila," she says as I hear the door opening. "I need you to lay on your back." I nod before using my left arm to turn feeling this person helping me.

I look up realizing that this must be Salena's sister, because they look so much alike. I tell her so as she nods before reaching for one of the small bottle she has sitting next to her. I see Sinbad come into view with Salena next to him.

"I have some things that might help her," say the girl as Sinbad moves to play with my hair again. "Just keep her relaxed."

Sinbad nods before trying to keep up a conversation with me, but it's harder than it seems. Eventually, he proceeds to just playing with my hair and whispering to me every once in a while.

"How old are you," I ask the girl as she rubs some of the oils on my shoulder where she removed the bandages.

"14," she replies still focused on the task at hand. "Your shoulder might feel numb for a few hours."

"What about your sister," I continue wincing a little as she starts to re-bandage my arm.

"She's 9," says the older girl still not all that invested in the conversation. "Now just relax. I need to finish up."

"She seems younger," says Sinbad figuring what I was going to say next.

"Well she is kind of small," says the girl still working. "Plus she doesn't like to talk to many people."

"She tried to help me for a while," I say as the sister looks at me now interested.

"I know," she says looking proud. "Where do you think she got the medicine?"

"Thanks," I say relaxing as the girl seems to finish up. I notice that she gathers up her materials ready to leave. "How did the two of you end up here?"

"Our parents died in the war a few years back," she says finally looking me in the eye. "Maader came and took us, but I was only nine so there wasn't much I could do. What about you two? You don't seem like typical slaves."

"He's not," I say pointing to Sinbad as I attempt to start to sit up, only to have them both force me to stay lying down.

"Don't get up yet," says Sinbad, which is probably sound advice. "I'm a merchant from Napolia, but was tricked into this. And I dragged Leila into this. But we plan on ending this as soon as possible."

"Well if you two need any help," she says with a shrug. "Just let us know. We want out of here too, so…"

"Can you give Leila something for the pain in the morning," asks Sinbad as the girl gets up to leave with her sister. "Everything happens tomorrow, and she's probably the most capable fighter here. If we don't have her against the guards…"

"I'll come back early, but I'm not sure how much it will help."

"I'll manage with whatever I've got," I say shifting over with Sinbad's help. "I've dealt with way worse odds."

The girls nods before walking away with her little sister, who seems to still be watching me not sure what to make of me. I wave a little before turning onto my left side, finally realizing the chains on my ankle braces were removed. I feel the bed sink in a little behind me before feeling Sinbad wrap his arm around my waist and pull me as close to him as possible.

"You should go to sleep," he whisper as I shiver once again feeling his warm breath on my neck. "I'll stay here until you do and then I'll get everything set up with the kids."

"You don't have to," I say starting to feel that numbness in my shoulder that the girl mentioned.

"Yeah," he says as I shut me eyes feeling calmer now. "I do. I intend to stay here and keep you safe for as long as I can. I got you into this mess."

"No you didn't," I say feeling sleepy. "I got myself involved in this when I close to jump off that building back in Partevia."

I feel Sinbad laugh a little before I open my eyes remembering something Maader said.

"What did she mean about con artists," I asks noticing Sinbad tense up for a moment.

"Sindria Trading Company found a way to free me, but…"

"They couldn't get me out of here," I finish for him noticing Sinbad let out a small sigh.

"I promise you're coming home with me tomorrow," he says burying his face in my hair. "I'm not leaving you here."

"I know," I say shutting my eyes once again, knowing that Sinbad plans on keeping his word.