A Blade from the Wastes - Throne of Glass

Contract

The walk from the brothel to the Keep was a love-hate relationship for Cera. At this moment it was cold and raining. It hadn't been raining earlier, so she left her thicker cloak at the Keep. Cera wrapped her black cloak as tightly around her as she could and pulled her hood far over her head. The sun had disappeared hours ago, so she had to get back to the Keep quickly to get as much rest as she could before training with Wesley at dawn.

She was beyond tired from her training with Clarisse, so much so that she barely hear the rushed footsteps behind her. Cera turned just in time to have a girl, no more than thirteen, smack right into her. Cera steadied the girl and quickly noticed the pain and fear in her eyes. Cera noticed the girl's thin ragged clothing next.

The girl looked behind her, then to Cera. "Help me! Can you help me?"
Cera looked to where the girl came from but saw no one.
"Please! You have to help me!"
Cera quickly nodded and put the girl under her arm. "This way. I know where it is safe."

Cera steered her away until they came to an abandoned trading post. Cera wedged the door shut before turning to the girl. She was shaking; either from fear or the cold, Cera couldn't tell.

She took off her cloak and wrapped it around the girl and sat her on a stool.

"Th—thank you." She looked to the dirty window. "He can't find us here, right?"
Cera shook her head. "No, you're safe."
The girl pulled in a shaking breath. "Th—thank you."
Cera knelt down to her level on the short stool. "What's your name?"
"Runa."

"Runa." Cera liked the name. "My name is Cera." It was still odd to use her alias. "Who were you running from?"
Runa swallowed. "M—my master."
Cera lost her breath. "You're a slave." It wasn't a question. Runa was still shaking. "How long have you been a slave?"

Slave.
Cera hated the word.
Runa shuddered. "I was sold to him when I was five."
Cera fully took in Runa. Sight, smell, touch. The girl reeked of more than one male scent. Tears welled in Cera's eyes.

"You were sold as a sex slave, weren't you?"
Runa nodded. "My mother died in childbirth with me and my father gambled away all our money. He sold me to Luker to get rid of his debts."
Cera let out a breath. "How old are you?"
"Thirteen."

Thirteen.
One year older than Celaena.
"Was this the first chance you've gotten to escape?"
Runa nodded. "He forgot to shackle me to my bed. I made a lot of noise getting out. I hid in the shadows the best I could, but he's been following me." Runa suddenly started to cry again. "He said if I ever escape and he finds me, he would put me on display to his whole community and they could do what they wanted. I've seen the girls that are punished that way. They are humiliated and abused for WEEKS."

She started to hyperventilate. "I shouldn't have escaped. I don't want to go through that! He's merciless. He'll leave me up there long enough for the rats to get to me. I shouldn't have escaped!" Runa was a puddle of tears and Cera quietly hoped that she would stop shouting or they would be found.

Cera wrapped her arms around the girl and tried to soothe her. Cera thought about how she could help Runa's situation. Clarisse was a hard no. Arobynn might protect the girl if Cera pleaded enough, but she doubted it. Getting her to a boat to escape could work, but all the boats would be docked until the storm passed and that would be the first place the man would look. Plus, it didn't seem that the storm would be passing in the next few days. Thus, having the girl stranded for the time being.

Hiding her in the sewers was an idea, but again, the storm would flood the tunnels. Cera had no place to hide the girl until the storm passed and she could get the girl on a boat. Getting Runa out of Rifthold by land would take too long. Cera pulled away from the girl and smoothed her bright, wavy red hair.