I wasn't too thrilled with the last chapter, so hopefully these next couple will make up for it. Thanks for all the reviews! Y'all make my day!
"You're very lucky, do you know that?"
Elizabeth looked up, surprised to hear the gruff voice finally speak to her.
She was once again being led over rough terrain toward an unknown destination, but this time there were a few welcome changes.
First of all, she was now riding a horse instead of following along behind one. A stretch of rope tethered her mount to that of the man riding in front of her. The chains had been removed from her ankles and neck, although the collar and the wrist restraints remained. Still, this trip had so far been considerably easier than her last.
She studied the man who had spoken, her master…she tasted bile in her throat as the word flickered across her mind. For the past two hours, ever since they had left the city, he had not so much as turned to look at her.
Either feeling her eyes on his back or simply not hearing a response to his question, the man shifted and glanced over his shoulder at her.
Realizing he expected her to respond, she glanced down at her bound hands, looked back up at him, and quirked an eyebrow. Without saying a word, she seemed to convey the message: Lucky? You've got to be kidding.
A ghost of a smirk fleetingly graced his hardened features and he answered her unasked question. "Yes, I said lucky. Believe it or not, I'm a fair and honest man. You could have gotten a lot worse. Damien, the other man who was going after you, isn't exactly known for his compassion…" He trailed off, but Elizabeth was pretty sure she knew what he meant. She'd seen the way the other man had looked at her…it wasn't exactly a kind face. "Trust me, you'd much rather be working for me. Farming isn't an easy job, but I promise it's better than anything he'd have you doing." Elizabeth was definitely inclined to agree.
Feeling a little more confident after his statements, Elizabeth spoke up. "How much further is your farm?"
"We should be there by the end of the day," he answered. "Wouldn't take so long, but I wasn't planning on leading another horse the whole way back."
Elizabeth's eyebrows rose again in surprise. "You mean you weren't coming to buy…a slave?"
He shook his head. "Nope. Just wanted to trade for a few things I can only get in the city, not that there's much we can't make ourselves."
Elizabeth's puzzlement must have shown on her face, because the smirk returned to the man's face. "Wondering why I bought a slave, then?" At her nod, he sighed and his expression sobered. "I was wandering by when they put you up there. I heard Damien talking about…well, I heard he was hoping to purchase. I don't like Damien too much…liar and a cheat…and I guess there's just a soft spot left in this tough old man."
Elizabeth smiled a little at that, the resemblance to her great-uncle resurfacing in her mind. "Thank you," she said softly.
The man's eyes hardened once again, and he turned back around to the front. "Don't thank me yet. I may have had different reasons for it than most, but I still bought you as a slave, and you will work for me."
His tone clearly indicated that the conversation was over, but Elizabeth still had one question on her mind. "What should I call you?" she asked quietly.
"Phaestus," he muttered after a moment, glancing briefly over his shoulder again. The gesture reminded her strongly of Elos, and she once again wondered where he was.
Deciding that the slave trader didn't matter just now, she gave Phaestus a small smile. "I'm Elizabeth." For the first time since this whole ordeal began, she finally felt safe enough to relax a little. He nodded, and they continued on as the sun sank lower in the foreign sky.
