Underland(10)

“Nine hundred,” a loud voice spoke up from the back. Kira tried to see through the mass of bodies gathered around, but she couldn’t find the bidder, so she watched the auctioneer instead.

Grater must have known him, because his eyes furrowed and he looked surprised at the bid. But he acknowledged it and turned back to Ssirone for the counter-bid.

Kira felt her own smug mile work at her mouth when she noticed Ssirone’s disappointment at not being able to see the bidder and intimidate or paralyze him like he had Peter.

“Nine hundred fifty,” Ssirone called to Grater, but Kira could hear the panic in his voice. He was about out of money and desperate.

She craned her own head and tried to search the crowd. Who was the new bidder? Was he worse than Peter or Ssirone? Would she get someone like her stepfather? She shuddered and felt the chain around her neck. Had it just gotten tighter? Breathing was suddenly difficult, and her bravado started to wane.

“One thousand freedom tokens,” the confident voice answered.

“That’sss too many freedom tokensss to pay for food. I’m out.”

Kira silently prayed and hoped for some miraculous intervention. A hole opening up in the middle of the earth to swallow her was her best bet.

She felt the verbal hammer of the word Sold as it came crashing down on her. Her head felt so heavy. Despair clung to her thoughts, trying to take control of her soul. The mental battle slammed at her, but she couldn’t let go. She wasn’t about to let it gain any ground. This moment or circumstance was out of her control, but that didn’t mean she was giving up yet.

The giant handed her leash to her new owner, a plump man with thinning dark hair. He yanked on it, forcing her to follow behind him. All she could see was the back of his head and an extravagant robe. She imagined that her eyes were laser beams, boring holes into it.

Her owner handed her to a large redheaded troll while he paid Grater the money due.

Two other people joined them near the gate, and Kira thought she recognized the one in the long jacket. In fact, she knew she did.

“Hey!” Kira called. “Hey!”

He turned suddenly, bringing his face mere inches from hers. “Slaves don’t talk unless spoken to.” He glanced away quickly as if fearing being associated with her.

“I know you,” she said. Butt-Chin’s sandy blond hair was long and untrimmed. Nothing about him looked out of place.

He ignored her. That was fine with Kira. She’d never gotten his name and preferred her nickname for him anyway. “Butt-Chin” definitely made him less scary.

He nodded at the boy zeke, standing alone. A look of silent understanding passed between them, and Butt Chin joined the line, waiting to pay and leave. Why didn’t the zeke run away? Why wasn’t he chained like her?

Her fat owner said, “Come. Now.” The troll yanked on her leash. She tried to hold her head high as she left the Gambler’s Market, to not show the fear rolling off of her in waves. They escorted Kira back to the docks and boarded another boat. The skiff she’d come in on had been falling to pieces, but the Siren was the limo of small boats. Newer, with seats instead of benches, it had a motor.

“Sit.” The fat man commanded. “We are waiting for my trainer.”

She was going to ask him who that was, when he smiled and she felt the weight of someone getting in the boat. She turned.

Butt-Chin and the zeke.

The owner spread his arms out across the leather seats. “Ah, Den, did you find me a boggart at the market?”

“No, Remus, none with debts came into the market.” Den came over and pushed her onto a bench. He tied her to the railing.

So this was Remus? Kira wrinkled her nose with distaste upon learning her new owner’s name. Alpo and Vic had mentioned him—with fear. But the slightly overweight man seemed more intent on his next meal and extravagant clothes than on what went on in the slave market.

“Pity, I was really hoping for one.” His voice had a whiny sigh to it, but then his eyes roamed over and he caught sight of the zeke.

“Oh, Den. Please don’t tell me you spent my money on another zeke. You shouldn’t have. I’ve already got Creeper.” His voice hitched as if he was expecting to be presented with a gift. He said it slyly but it was obvious he wanted the zeke.

“No, I bought him with my tokens,” Den said stiffly. For a split second, Remus scowled, but then the look disappeared. “I put a bid in for one of Howl’s boggarts for you like you asked if I couldn’t find you one. We should know within the hour if you’ve won…but I can already tell you that you probably did.”

“Oh goody.” Remus chuckled and pressed his fingers together. Large rings glittered on each of his fingers. “I can’t wait.” Remus surveyed Den’s purchase and let out a disappointed sigh. “He looks familiar. Why does he look familiar?”

Den shrugged. “I don’t know,” he answered dismissively. “I wasn’t able to gain much on his background.”

“He looks far too young and untried. How can you ever become a revered sponsor like me if you keep buying unknown zekes?” Remus said snidely. “You can’t, that’s how. As a trainer, you know what you need. You’ve got to spend your tokens wisely.”

Kira watched Den’s cheek twitch, his jaw clenched. The zeke’s eyes glittered dangerously, but neither spoke up.