Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
We jumped down and I grabbed Ren’s hand as we snuck between the rows of cages. Acting quickly, I climbed up and opened the locks on several nearby cages. Before I knew it a stampede formed. A demon guard gave a panicked shout when he saw what was happening and many of them left their posts to chase after the escaped captives.
“We need to let them catch us,” I told Ren as we joined the fray. His eyes widened when he realised what I was suggesting.
Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted a demon coming up behind us. He held a large weapon, like a metal bat, and swung at Ren, knocking him off his feet. My friend fell to the ground and I ran to help him. I wanted the demon to catch us but I didn’t want to make it obvious, so I pulled Ren back up as I yelled, “Come on!”
The demon caught up to me fast, grabbing me by the hair and yanking me back. I grimaced, my scalp smarting. Another one came running at us and grabbed Ren, locking his arm out.
“Thought you could get away, did you?” One of them snarled as they manhandled us back to one of the cages. I shared a glance with Ren, who looked a little scared. I didn’t blame him. Even though our intention was to get caught this was still a terrifying situation. They shoved us into a cage and I tripped, landing on my hands and knees before they locked the door tight.
Again, there were about a dozen captives. I made eye contact with a dark haired woman who was cowering in the corner. Something about her told me she was a dhampir, like me. There was also a little girl at her side. The child looked equally as terrified as her mother.
How did these demons justify trapping people like this? It was inhumane, though from what Vas told me the demons who held power in this city cared nothing for treating non-demons with dignity. They only cared about using them to carry out dangerous labour.
“What’s going to happen to us now?” Ren whispered, catching the attention of two new demons who’d appeared outside the cage, standing guard.
“I don’t know,” I responded quietly.
One of the demons stepped close, his unusually bright green eyes roving over Ren before fixing on me.
“What language was that?” he barked in Oreylian but I pretended I didn’t understand. He frowned, his attention coming to rest on my ears. Oh crap, I was still wearing my earrings, the remaining ones I hadn’t sold for dolmens. The demon’s eyes lit up before he demanded, “Hand me those ear baubles, halfling.”
Again, I pretended I didn’t understand him.
“What’s he saying?” Ren asked.
“He wants my earrings. They’re really obsessed with gold here.”
“Well, give them to him. I don’t like that nasty expression on his face,” Ren replied but I hesitated. My stubborn side didn’t want to capitulate so easily.
“Listen here, give me those ear baubles and there won’t be any trouble,” the demon demanded.
I swallowed thickly. “I don’t understand,” I lied in English, which he obviously couldn’t interpret.
“That’s it,” he yelled, slamming his hand down on the metal bars and causing everyone to flinch. “Hand them over or I’ll cut them out.”
“Okay, okay,” I relented in Oreylian. “I’ll give them to you. Just wait a minute.”
I reached for one of my earrings, taking my time removing it from my ear. I handed it over and the thug snatched it away eagerly. He held it in his palm, turning it this way and that as though entranced. For some reason gold turned demons from this realm into magpies, the shininess distracting them from paying full attention to what was going on around them. Interesting. The demon brought his attention back to me and a frown slashed across his face. “Hey, you’re the one who opened those cages,” he accused and I flinched. “Yeah I saw you climb up and open the locks. Dozens of halflings escaped because of you, you little bitch!”
I stilled, fear in my heart as he advanced on me. Ren tried to intervene but the demon was stronger, pushing him away as he knocked me to the ground then stood on my hand. Pain shattered through me.
He broke one of my fingers.
Ren tried to help again but then the other demon burst into the cage and knocked Ren over the head with a bat, causing my friend to collapse to the floor, unconscious. I cried out, wanting to go to him, check he was breathing, but the arsehole still had his foot on my hand. I struggled through the pain, not giving him the satisfaction of begging for mercy.
“You’ll regret freeing those captives,” he seethed and I grimaced, knowing what was coming when he lifted his weapon and brought it down on the side of my skull. In the next second, everything went black.