Tributes

Chapter Sixty-one

Adding new tributes once the initial arrivals had settled was a dangerous balance. As the final members arrived, sometimes they had to separate them to keep the original arrivals safe and happy with their lives. From what Julia overheard as she wandered the castle, sometimes her master and Helian didn't tell them that the next one had arrived. That felt wrong and like a very bad idea. 

It would be much better for the new person to be able to meet the people who had already been playing the role and see that it was safe. It was not what most feared. 

Julia learned more than most gave her credit. A lot of people dismissed her as a random human woman servant. She listened and she planned. The new tribute had not been cooperative and had refused to accept the chastity belt. The belt was an awkward thing to wear, but it didn't bother Julia too much after she got used to it. With the dynamics of the tributes, Tyreol might remove them altogether. Anna was the youngest who wore one; the boys didn't. 

If she trusted Luke more, she'd talk to him about it. He knew more about past tributes and how they were treated. Or maybe how Tyreol seduced people? Ignoring some kisses, Tyreol didn't show much interest in them. Once Chris stopped fighting, the level of seduction did too.

Tyreol hadn't wanted them, and maybe this was a side effect of that. Or maybe he felt too awkward to seduce and drag them into bed with children residing with them, and a teen with very real issues with anything of that nature.  They were in close proximity. 

That didn't mean that someone could refuse the belt without consequence. They locked the man in a room. Julia found it happening and watched calmly. One of the servants made a dirty remark before he spotted her and turned red.  Both bowed low before leaving. 

Outside, she might look like another servant, but in the tribute tower, it was clear she was someone with influence. Not all the guards and servants of the castle were the nicest towards the tributes. Everyone's eyes were on them, and not all the eyes were safe. More than a few times, she had hidden or sought familiar guards because of men who had made her feel uncomfortable. Despite Tyreol's assurances that no one would do them harm, Julia was no fool. Not everyone followed the orders of a God. 

She kept her knife with her at all times. She wasn't the only one; Paul and Jack did too. She needed to teach Anna how to use one soon. It could come in handy in more situations than one.

When the strangers left, she rapped on the bottom of the door. The bottom of the Tribute room doors had a flap to let food and water through if they were being contained. It was alarming, but so far it had been unnecessary. It was small, but it would be enough to talk to the man. 

The panel opened. "Hello?" A deep male voice whispered. They sounded in their early twenties at the youngest. Tyreol's promise that he didn't normally take babies rang true. Abel and Silas, even Paul, were a rare occurrence. Not the norm. 

"Hello. I can't talk long. Master never leaves it longer than a few hours to talk to the new tributes," Julia warned. She wasn't scared of him catching her. The castle pulsed with Tyreol's presence. It was easy to tell when he was close and when he wasn't. "My name is Julia, I'm one of the other tributes."

"He makes you call him Master?" the voice hissed back, plainly outraged.

"I'm more concerned about him feeling his name being spoken, I'm not meant to know about you. We only have to call him Master in public. In the rooms, he is fine with anything as long as it is not disrespectful. Please don't insult him if you can. Stay calm, and he will. If you fight him physically, he will respond as such. If you aren't a virgin, that may mean more than you are willing to give."

"He wouldn't," his voice ticked up scandalised.

"None of us has pushed him to that point but the threat remains. Be careful noname. He is a good Master. You may see, but there are rules to every prison." Julia paused as the castle hummed around her. "I have to go now, stay calm."