If not for the suns telling the time, I would have thought several weeks had passed since we departed. But it had only been a few days–days during which we landed thrice. And whenever we landed, young men and women would join us in the cages.
We were still being ignored by most. Only a few armed men paid attention to us, but even then, they only gave us a water bowl and some slices of old bread to eat. Their attention existed solely to make sure we survived.
The crying had stopped. At some point, everyone accepted that our situation looked bleak and that crying wouldn't help anyone. Instead, the other prisoners talked quietly among themselves and eavesdropped. So did I.
Being ignored was frustrating; however, it was also very useful. Nobody paid attention to us even as they walked past our cages. They cared that little about us. Was that a mistake, or were the armed men that confident that we were going to die either way?
No, not die. We were not going to die.
It was much worse than that.
We were going to be enslaved.
In truth, we were just tools. All of us.
Connecting the dots took a few days, but now I had the big picture before me.
Earl Nuer of the Zertian Empire was the culprit. His greed was the very reason all of us were here.
He paid the Order's Wizard to capture us–Chosen with Powers like ours.
The exact reasoning was still hard to grasp, yet I learned that the armed men, who ought to belong to the Order, were actually the earl. Just like the ship, which also belonged to him.
His men were to safely bring us to the earl' land, which apparently bordered the Forea Alliance. While I hadn't heard of Earl Nuer before, the Forea Alliance I did know. It lay far south of my hometown. Under normal circumstances, I would have never made it even close to the Forea Alliance in my lifetime. And now–after crossing the lands of countless knights and baronies–we were closing in on that mythical land.
If it were for any other reason, I would have been excited. Unfortunately, Earl Nuer did not have good intentions. One of his men was to use the Power of Oath, forcing us into a construct of servitude–one that made it impossible to betray him or deny his orders. Death was the only end that awaited those who broke the Oath.
Letting my gaze wander across the deck, I grimaced. We looked miserable. Most were starving, just like I was. Others looked grotesque–larger than the rest or covered in fur. But there was someone who had caught my attention.
She had bright crimson eyes that oozed longing, curves that screamed sex appeal, and a smile that mesmerized even the earl's soldiers.
She was the epitome of desire.
Hunger.
Just looking at her was enough to feel something I hadn't felt for a long time. Forgotten was the pain and suffering of imprisonment. All that remained was lust.
She almost had me, but her beautiful eyes shifted to a nearby soldier as he passed by. The soldier's lips curled up, and he walked closer, his gauntlet brushing almost gently against her cage. He blabbered something I couldn't understand. It wasn't important, though it seemed to entice the imprisoned woman. She moaned and pushed her chest out, pulling the soldier's attention to her ample breasts.
I grimaced as they played their little dirty game but froze when the woman's entire demeanor changed the moment the soldier left.
She was playing with him–with all of us. Using her Power.
It was clearly a dangerous Power, and that was exactly what the earl wanted. Dangerous Powers like ours. That had to mean my Power was dangerous as well. It certainly didn't feel like it.
Shift.
Was Shift dangerous?
It didn't sound very dangerous, and I couldn't test it either. Something about the cage restricted my Power. As for why it didn't stop the young woman's Power, I had no idea.
***
We no longer landed once the last cage was filled. One cage for one Chosen, followed by a week of silence–other than the occasional sob, groan, and the crimson-eyed woman batting her eyes at the soldiers.
The darkness of the night faded as the light of the first sun emerged beyond the horizon. It rose quickly, bathing the world in its glory. And like clockwork, the soldiers' shift ended.
The doors to the soldiers' living space creaked open, revealing a pair of brilliantly smiling young men. They did not look like they hated the early morning shift. Quite the contrary, actually.
I understood them. They were happy to see the crimson-eyed woman again. It was the fourth time they met for an early morning "meeting," and it was hard not to laugh at their stupidity. Did they not understand what was happening there?
Trixy–I had no idea if that was her name, but she was a trickster–licked her full lips as the soldiers approached. Her arms reached through the grid, her fingers playing gently across their arms.
"I missed you guys~" she moaned, her eyes flashing crimson.
Trixy always did that. First, she showcased her body, teasing the soldiers with just enough to make them want to see more–feel more–then she would pull back. When they returned, she would tease them even further until they came close enough to touch her. Her eyes flashed occasionally, but this time it felt stronger.
Her desire hung in the air. It was so strong that several prisoners woke up. They rubbed their tired eyes in confusion, while the smile on my face mirrored Trixy's.
She did it. She has them wrapped around her fingers.
"I can't take this any longer!" the younger-looking soldier exclaimed, his cheeks burning red. He licked his lips and reached for the keys.
"Are you sure about this? Playing with her is fi–"
"Shut it, Dave. We talked about this before. I'll take her first, and then you can get a piece of her." The young soldier dismissed his colleague, fidgeting with the keyring. "The others can form a line when they wake up!"
He chuckled, his smile growing wider as Trixy reached out to him once more. Her hands caressed his thigh and moved closer to his crotch, yet she never touched it. She made the young man anticipate what was going to happen once he opened the gate.
And as the young man inserted the key, swinging the door open with anticipation, I was struck by a sudden sense of desire as well. I too wanted Trixy. Right here. Now.
Trixy got up from the ground, showing just enough of her cleavage to silence the other soldier. The young man held out his hand to help her out of the cage.
"Come here, love~" She motioned for him to come closer, and he did, smiling like someone who had just uncovered the greatest treasure.
He leaned in for a sloppy kiss, and her lips parted to reciprocate his feelings–or so it looked to me, until I noticed the pair of oddly long teeth.
Trixy stepped out of the cage, pulling the young soldier closer. But she did not kiss him.
Their lips never met.
Her teeth dug into the soldier's neck instead, and a pained scream tore through the air.