The Serpent's Chains

Chapter 1: Slave Auction

Sabine

The streets of Vagar were filled with dancers and performers dressed in glittering, colorful costumes and masks. Musicians played drums and rattles through the streets and fireworks illuminated the sky. The entire capital had turned into a bazaar. I couldn't stop staring at the colors and lights.

"Keep your head down and walk!"

The thick end of a club struck the back of my head. I stumbled forward, caught myself, and kept shuffling. My ankles were bound with shackles and chains; each step was slow. In front of me and behind me, several other slaves were chained to me in one long line, heading toward the palace.

For the rest of the country, it was a great celebration. For someone like me, there was nothing to celebrate. I was on my way to an auction, and according to my master, I was the main event.

He ushered us through a door that led to an underground cell. Royal guards from the palace patrolled the corridors with long spears.

I saw the other cells packed full of slaves. We'd all be presented to the royals and nobles. Anyone that wasn't purchased would be sent to the prisons instead.

"Wait, not her."

My master stopped the guard as he tried to shove me into the cell with the others.

"Put her in a cell of her own. She's going to get me a pretty penny and I don't want her to get bruised. It will bring down her price."

The guard nodded. He unchained me from the others and pulled me down the corridor to an empty cell. The cell door clanged closed and the guard smirked at me.

"I bet she's a real beauty under that grime. Some noble will pay a lot to get between her legs."

I cringed and turned away from the guard's gap-toothed grin.

"If you want to make a little extra off of her, I'd give you three hundred gold for some alone time with her before the auction."

My stomach turned and I stared at the moldy, damp wall of the cell. The guard's keys jangled and creaked as he unlocked my cell.

"Not a chance! She's far more valuable to me for her magic and she's not to be touched, got it!?"

I never thought I'd be relieved to hear my slave master's voice. Slowly, I glanced over my shoulder and saw my master shoving the guard away.

The guard scoffed. "She's probably worn out, anyway." He stormed off.

My master came to the cell door and beckoned me over. Obediently, I went to him. He reached through the bars and grabbed the slave collar around my neck. A clunky, iron ring magically imbued to keep me from running away and from using my magic, unless my master allowed it.

"If you do anything to embarrass me again, I'll see to it that you're sold to a brothel here in the capital, and these royal guards are insatiable."

"I won't..."

"Damn right, you won't. I don't want another incident like the one that got you into this mess."

I nodded and bowed my head. I couldn't look at his fat, round, greasy face anymore. He'd been looming over me since I was nine years old. Unlike other slave masters, he preserved my body for the sake of my magic and allowed me to study magic that would benefit his own agenda.

One spell went wrong one time, and I lost his favor.

My ribs still stung from the beating he gave me but he was careful not to touch my arms or face. As he said, bruises bring down the price.