Moral Stand (Aether’s Revival Book 7)

Gregory walked with Thera toward Chainer’s office. It was evening, and dinner would be served soon at the barracks. Gregory still had at least one other stop to make on the way back, but first, he had to attempt something.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Gregory asked for the third time.

“Being with you seems vastly preferable than staying here where Barnabas and the guards will seek repayment,” Thera replied.

“I’m glad you’re in shape; we march between Coldwood and Icelake five days each week.”

“I am aware of what the adept magi do, Gregory. Don’t worry about me. I will keep up.” She paused before going on, “I’m still a little confused about you doing this. You obviously do not want me the way most other people would… Ahh, unless your men—?”

“No,” Gregory cut her off gently. “They’ll not be touching you that way, either. They’ll treat you like the other staff and leave you alone. You’ll have a place, and there will be others to help you settle in.”

Thera’s brow furrowed, but she nodded. What could he want of me, then? Maybe more information about my home? Is he craftier than I thought? Hmm… I’ll have to guard my words carefully. I’ve already told him more than most magi know… unless they’ve forced it out of previous slaves. Her thoughts kept spinning new theories as to what his goal was.

Reaching the office, Gregory took a deep breath before knocking. He didn’t go straight in this time, waiting for someone to invite him in. That left him standing there for a few minutes before the door was opened by one of the wolf eurtik women who’d been in the room earlier.

“If I might have a moment of Mister Chainer’s time?” Gregory asked.

“Let him in,” Chainer grumbled.

Thera followed Gregory into the room, keeping her head bowed and her eyes firmly on the floor. Her pulse raced while she waited to hear what would happen.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you both again,” Gregory said with a stupid grin on his face. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to sell this slave to me.”

Both Artok and Chainer looked at Thera, trying to understand why the adept would ask for her. He’d already injured Chainer’s pride and given Artok a massive advantage to leverage against him. Gregory coming now, asking to buy a slave was dumb… unless… his smile was that of a young man who was in lust?

Chainer’s eyes narrowed. “My slaves are the best trained in the north. Not only did I buy them, I had them trained to be the courtesans they are today. It would be a hefty price to pay for one.”

Gregory’s smile slipped slightly. Looking back at Thera, he turned back to Chainer with determined eyes. “Prices change. This one was repeatedly beaten and hurt by your dead guard. I’m sure that would take some of the price down, wouldn’t it?”

Chainer’s lips twitched into a knowing smirk. “You obviously enjoyed your time with her, both before and now, again, Magi. I’ll sell her to you at cost, but you must never set foot inside my business again.”

“This year,” Gregory amended. “I’ll stay away for at least one full year, unless Magus Artok insists I come with him.”

“A decade, but allowable if the town magus wishes you to accompany them,” Chainer countered.

“Agreed, if we come to an agreed-upon price.”

“That one cost me five thousand vela from the slavers. Add in her training at the school, which runs sixteen thousand—”

“That cost for the school is likely the price for all the slaves you had trained that year,” Gregory cut in.

Chainer’s teeth clenched briefly. “Right… of course. Fine. Eight thousand vela and you can take her.”

Artok chuckled. “I’d be happy to loan you the money, Adept.”

Gregory smiled as he put his hand on the desk, summoning fifty-vela coins to equal the amount owed. “It’s alright, Magus. I had an inheritance from my clan head.” The stack of coins gleamed on the desk. “Her rune and the receipt, please.”

Chainer stared at the money, then hissed. Getting to his feet, he stomped over to a safe. He unlocked it using two keys he had around his neck, then came back to the table, sliding a slave rune across it to Gregory. “There.” He signed off on a document, then sealed it with a drop of blood before pushing it across to him, too.

Gregory looked down at the rune, then at Thera, before flicking it back to Chainer. “Wrong rune.”

Chainer blinked, then picked up the rune. “Bow down.”

Thera stood still, not bowing.

“Aether be damned…” Chainer muttered as he got back up. “Attend me, slave, so I can verify your rune.”

Thera hurried to Chainer’s side at the safe. Gregory picked up the receipt, checking it before absorbing it into his ring— he’d have to drop it off with the town clerk in the morning.

After a few minutes, Chainer came back to the table, practically throwing the rune at Gregory. “Now leave.”

Gregory caught it, checked it, then looked at Thera standing beside Chainer still. “Come to me,” he said softly. When Thera hurried to his side, Gregory checked the rune against her brand, then nodded. “Good day.”

“Good day, Adept,” Artok chuckled. “May your patrol be calm.”

Gregory bowed to Artok, then left the office with Thera following him. “Sorry about that. We have a stop or two to make before the barracks. Is anything in your room yours?”

“No. Even this outfit isn’t mine.”

“It was in your possession when you were bought, so it’s yours now, though you won’t be keeping it long.” Gregory summoned a cloak from one of his non-magi outfits to his hand. “Put this on. We’ll need to stop at more than one place before we head back.”

Thera put on the cloak as she followed Gregory. She bowed her head to the few slaves she saw when they passed them. Wide eyes stared back as the slaves watched Thera go. She knew she’d be the talk of the staff that evening, and probably for the next month.

Stepping out of the Golden Collar, Gregory exhaled a long breath. “Okay. To the commander to drop off my report, then to see a cobbler about shoes for you. I’m sure the sisters’ clothing will fit you until we can get you some of your own in Icelake.”

Thera blinked at the setting sun. “I don’t require shoes. My feet are fine for the wilds,” she said on reflex. She was free of her cage, but still had a master to serve. He’d been kind to her, though she was uncertain about what his true intentions were.

Gregory accepted her words. Her furred, padded feet were likely better than most boots.

~*~*~

Roberts had taken the report with a grimace. He’d wait to see what Magus Artok did; if nothing came to him, he’d add his own addendum, then file the report. He warned Gregory that Magus Artok would be upset when the report finally made its way up the ladder. Gregory just nodded and thanked the commander before excusing himself.

The mess hall of the barracks was mostly empty, though not entirely. Davis was sitting at a table talking with Hanz, Basal, Rafiq, Dot, Polka, and Barny. All of them looked his way when Gregory walked in before their eyes went to Thera behind him. The shock and puzzlement on their faces was clear.

“Yes, she’s a slave, and yes, I have her rune,” Gregory said as he advanced to the table. “Dot, Polka, if the two of you could help her? We’ll get her clothing and sundries in Icelake, as we’re leaving in the morning. Until then, I’d be grateful if you could help.”

“Clothing, sundries, and teaching her what we do?” Dot asked.

“Yes. She’ll be joining you two in your duties for the year.”

“For the year, sir?” Davis asked slowly.

Thera tensed at his phrasing, too. It sounded like he was going to sell her at that point.

“There’s a plan, but I won’t speak about it right now,” Gregory said simply, meeting Davis’ eyes. “Trust me.”

Davis nodded. “Everyone in the unit trusts you fully. How do you want the sergeants to explain this?”

“I bought her and brought her to assist,” Gregory said simply. “It’s the same rules as the sisters. We’ll need to break out one of the extra cots for her when we’re camping.”

“I’ll make sure it happens.”

“Gregory, why did you buy her?” Rafiq asked.

“She assisted me in my audit, and reprisals would’ve come from it. I didn’t feel right leaving her to that. Also… her story. It’s hers to tell or not, but I wanted to do something to help. Barny, is there any food left?”

“I set some aside to finish cooking when you got back, sir,” Barny said. “I can make another for…?”

“Thera,” Gregory said. “Thera, these are my friends.” He did a quick round of introductions. “Please? We had a snack around midday, but that was the last time we ate.”

Barny got up, with Polka going with him to help.

“Now, let me tell you about my day,” Gregory exhaled.

~*~*~

Gregory pushed his plate away; it’d been scraped clean. “Always delicious, Barny. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Gregory,” Barny smiled as he collected the empty dishes. “I’ll clean these, then go to bed.”

“Thera, do you want to come with us? We can get you better clothing and settle you in for the night.” Polka offered.

“Oh… yes,” Thera said, her mind again whirling. Gregory had laughed and joked with everyone at the table that evening, people who ranged from human to partial-eurtiks, and even full eurtik slaves. Everyone had been treated kindly, which again threw her into confusion over who Gregory was as a person.

“Thank you,” Gregory told the sisters.

“Oh! Your cloak, sir,” Thera said, taking it off.

There was a sharp inhale from the boys, as Thera only had on the thin silk dress she’d been wearing earlier. It didn’t hide the fact she was naked underneath it. Gregory accepted the cloak back, letting it vanish into his ring, but gave the boys a stern look. Both young men looked away, their faces reddened.

Dot leaned across the table, making Basal look her way. “A glance is fine, but never stare. I don’t want to be disappointed.”

“Yes, Dot,” Basal said quickly, blushing even more.

“Good,” Dot smiled, then took Thera’s hand. “This way.”

Rafiq cleared his throat. “Gregory, you do know that you’ve made more trouble for yourself, right?”

“I did my best to walk the line. We’ll leave an hour later than normal; let the men work on the Peaceful Fist during that time. I have to drop the paperwork for Thera off at the clerk.”

“Yes, sir,” Davis said before he stood up. “I wonder how the men will take it?”

“Me, too, Lieutenant… me, too…” Gregory murmured.