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The more time I spend in Xistrosie, I see the underside of the planet and want nothing to do with it. How can they get away with this? Why are the other citizens and planets of the solar system not fighting this barbaric rule?
I follow Fynn’s directions to the house that they had lived in, no been prisoners in. I stare up at the house, seeing a different house, one I haven’t entered in over six years.
“Akiyra, get in the house!” Vitro stands above me, arms crossed. Everything about him radiates violence. His muscular arms and chest, with tattoos covering them, his shaved head, but what scares me the most is his voice. It is flat as if he could care less what I do. That tone always means pain.
I slink up the stairs, shying away from him, hoping to not feel his hand on me.
“Akiyra! Akiyra!” I jump at Fynn’s hand touching my shoulder. “Hey, you okay? You spaced out there.”
“Yeah, fine. Just old memories. How about we get inside?” I shake off the memories, pushing them back into the recess of my mind. “Will Umbri be here? Do we need to do something other than pay to get you guys in my care and later free?”
“No clue,” Fynn responds. “But I can’t wait to tell the other guys.”
At that moment the door opens and Relly makes his way awkwardly out. “Fynn, Tobis” His high voice has a disapproving tone to it. “Umbri is waiting in the salon.”
I watch as the confident man I had come to know, turns in on himself. It is almost as if he is a shell of the man that had sat next to me. Tobis responds the same way as if they are afraid of this Umbri. What kind of control does he have over them?
“Boys, let’s go tell this Umbri character the good news.” I rush up and take each of their arms in mine, doing what I wish someone had done for me years ago, given me that vote of confidence and moral support to leave.
I can feel each of them stand taller next to me, making me smile to myself as we walk into the entrance hall. Fynn pulls me to the right and into the salon where a small man sits. I try to hide my shock that this little man has these two hunks running scared, but then Relly comes in behind us and just his presence sets my teeth on edge.
“Tobis! Fynn!” The little man yells, his pale skin turning red. “What have you done? Do you know what you have cost me?” Spit flies from his mouth as he jumps off the chair he had been seated on.
I have to strangle a laugh at his antics. He stands maybe five feet tall on a good day, his skin is so pale as to almost be glowing like the moon. His eyes are a dark, almost black with dark black furry eyebrows that slash across his forehead. His hair flops around on his head, thin wisps that I think were styled to try and hide his balding head.
“And you!” He points a long bony finger at me. “You steal from me!”
Suddenly serious, I step towards him, hand on my knife that rests in its hiding place on my pants. “I. Do. Not. Steal.” I glare at him. “These men are not your slaves. They are human beings and should be allowed to chose their lives. They helped me and I am just returning the favor.” I can feel Relly behind me, but I don’t back down and wait for the little man to back down. Behind every bully is a small person just waiting for someone to stand up to them. Well for these five, I will stand up for them. Crap! When did I start caring what happens to them? I fly solo. I don’t do relationships. Just me and Tiri.
Finally, I spin around. “Let’s go get the others and get out of here.” I don’t even respond to the splutters I hear from Umbri. He probably has never had anyone stand up to him, confident that no one would want to tangle with Relly.
Fynn and Tobis jump at my words, then quickly head for the stairs. “I hope they aren’t busy,” Tobis says.
I chuckle, “Tobis, I am sure that we can drag them away from whatever or whoever has them occupied. It’s not like every day you have a fairy godmother come in and cancel your debts.”
“About that-” He starts to say but I quickly interrupt him.
“No! We aren’t going to talk about that.”
He doesn’t say another word, but I can see the tension in his shoulders as I follow him up the stairs. I know that these guys haven’t had choices in their lives and I am probably hurting their male pride. At some point, we will have to hash it out, but right now isn’t the right time or place.
Fynn stops at a door and looks at me. “Do you want to tell them or have one of us?”
I bite my lip in indecision. I have never done anything like this before. How would I want the news? Would it feel like I was just being bought by another person if the “fairy godmother” gave the good news? Would I want to hear it from a trusted friend instead?
“You tell them,” I finally say.