Charaxos threw a cloak over his shoulders, before shooting a disgusted look my way.
"Where are you going?" one of the harem girls asked. I was glad she did, I wanted to know myself, but knew he wouldn't tell me if I asked.
"It's none of your business," he snapped.
Well, so much for that.
"Lord Seth said no one was to leave..."
Charaxos raised his hand, and the girl shrunk back. Seeing what was going to happen, I stepped in between the two of them and stared the man down. He'd tried the same trick on me so often. I'd learned not to be scared of him long ago. He didn't have the guts to strike someone. He feared them retaliating.
"She's right," I said softly.
"That rule does not apply to me." His words might sound good in his head, but he lowered his hand regardless. "But if you must know, Seth has sent me on a mission to acquire some new slaves."
I swallowed hard, unsure how I wanted to respond to that one.
"Slaves?" the girl asked. I should thank her later with an easy job.
"Just more of you." He shrugged as if people's freedom wasn't a big deal.
"Where are you even going to get them from?" The question slipped out without me meaning it to. I knew it wasn't the wisest thing to do, and yet, I couldn't help it. There wasn't a slave market like there once had been, so it wouldn't be as easy as that. I hoped he didn't mean to kidnap anyone. I'd make sure to ask when they arrived, though I wasn't sure what good that would do. Once they were here, they wouldn't leave, just like me.
"It's better if I don't tell you." His hatred shone through in his eyes, no doubt part of his annoyance at my past refusals of him. Or maybe it was more recent, and he just hated the fact Seth had put me in charge of the preparations for Ra's visit and not him. I could see that kind of thing frustrating him. He wasn't the most logical of people.
Part of me wanted to argue against what he was setting out to do, but I knew that if I was aware of the pain and suffering he was going to cause, then I'd feel the need to do something about it, and there was a problem in itself. I couldn't do anything. I had no power, no freedom. I was as trapped as the harem girl stood next to me. Despite the fact she'd been here for several decades, she still had no clue how things worked. Either that or she'd walled off her true feelings to make sure she didn't go crazy. I'd seen what the harem girls had to do. It was the one thing that made me grateful Charaxos had taken a liking to me in the beginning. At least I hadn't ended up as one of them.
"I'm leaving," he announced, turning so his cloak swirled, nearly hitting the two of us.
"Why does he even need a cloak?" the harem girl asked. "It's hot."
"We live in Egypt. It's always hot."
"Then why does he need it?"
I shrugged. "Why does Charaxos do anything?" I responded, not intending to get an answer from her. "He's never going to tell anyone he sees as lower than him, so I'd just leave him to it." It barely mattered to the other slave that he was on the same level as me. I didn’t expect that to change any time soon.
"And you're alright with that?" She cocked her head to the side.
"You're full of questions." I looked at her again, properly this time, to try and put a name to her face.
"I'm just one of those people."
"Hmm." That didn't seem likely. I'd have to keep an eye on her and try to work out what she was up to. I didn't know why I was so interested. It wasn't like I could do anything about it even if she was up to something. But maybe, just maybe, I could help her and finally do the right thing.
THE GIRL STRUGGLED AGAINST CHARAXOS' tight hold. I glared in his direction, already annoyed at his treatment of her and I hadn't even heard her story about where he'd found her. There was no doubt in my mind that it was her side I should believe, either. Charaxos was untrustworthy, to say the least.
Plus, I still remembered how he'd acquired me. I wasn't falling for his charms again.
"Get her some clothes and put her to work in the stables," he demanded of me.
"No."
He raised an eyebrow, but I just stared back, not giving in to the pressure that he hoped would make me cave. I'd learned one thing about Charaxos over the years. He didn't understand women. And he definitely didn't understand me.
"I gave you an order," he threatened.
"And right now, I'm more important than you are," I reminded him. "I need her for the preparations." That was a lie, I could do without another person easily enough, but at least it would get her out of his grasp and undermine him. That meant I could give her a nicer job, rather than scrubbing the floors in front of Charaxos while wearing nothing but a rag. He called it character building. I called it demeaning.
Without saying a word, he walked off, leaving the two of us standing in the courtyard. I let out a sigh of relief. I'd expected him to put up more of a fight, and was surprised he hadn't. But I'd take it. The easy way was always the best.
"Are you okay?" I asked the girl.
"Of course
