by Amy Cross
"Well," he replies, "if someone else comes and claims her, I'll sort it out with him. Until then, I'm afraid I need the gold. Finders keepers, and all that."
"I just want to find my parents," I splutter, still feeling weak.
"You might be lucky," he says, grabbing my wrists and holding them together before slapping a pair of metal cuffs over then and locking the side. "Maybe they've been sold to the same people. Hell, maybe you'll end up in the same stew together!"
"Stew?" I ask wearily as Kiran laughs.
"Don't worry," Nodby mutters darkly. "We'll find a way out of this."
"On your feet!" Kiran shouts, yanking a chain attached to the cuffs. When I fail to get up, he pulls the chain hard, dragging me several meters across the ground until finally I'm forced to get to my feet. "That's better," he adds. "We're gonna have to keep up a fair pace if we want to get to Papyr before nightfall, and I'm sure you can appreciate the fact that I really don't want to be out here when it gets dark. I'll drag you if I have to, girl, but it'd be better for all of us if you can walk under your own steam."
"I want to get to Papyr," I whisper, barely able to understand what he's saying to me.
"Aye," he replies, "we're going to Papyr. Seems like we're all in agreement."
"But when I get there -" I start to say, before he pulls me along; I almost trip over another rock, but at the last moment I'm able to stay upright.
"When we get there," he continues, "all you need to do is look delicious. I'll take care of the rest. If you're still alive by the time we reach the market, I think there might be quite a bidding war for you. It's been a while since a free-range, off-world human was put on sale. Hell, girl, you might fetch enough to fund my next expedition. I might even be able to hire some decent men for once."
"Nodby," I whisper, looking over my shoulder. "Where -"
"Forget about him," Kiran says firmly, pulling me along using the chain. "There's no way he'll be able to keep up with us. Let him burn out here in the desert."
"No," I mutter, trying to turn back. "Nodby!"
"Forget him!" Kiran shouts, pulling me so hard that I tumble down to the ground. "Hell," he adds, "you're gonna have to learn to be a better walker." He tugs on the chain, hauling me back up onto my feet before pulling me closer. "This is going to be very tiring," he says firmly, "if I have to physically drag you every step of the way. So why don't you do us both a favor and cooperate?" Seconds later, he presses the tip of his sword against my chest. "I'd rather sell you fresh and alive," he adds, "but I'd still get a good price for you if you've been dead for less than a day." He pauses. "So which is it gonna be, girl? Are you gonna make this difficult, or are you just gonna accept that this is the way things have to be?"
Thomas Never
"Tell me!" I shout, hurrying through the bead curtain and heading over to a nearby market stall, where various items of meat have been laid out on display. Stopping for a moment, I stare at the various hams and legs of lamb until I spot a different type of meat that looks completely unfamiliar. A shiver passes through my body as I realize what's really happening in this city.
"Thomas!" Carstairs shouts, running after me. "You really mustn't over-react like this! There are still plenty of chances to rescue your parents, even if they've been taken to the butcher!"
"Is this human?" I ask, staring at a large chunk of pink meat. After a moment, I turn to Carstairs, and I can feel tears in my eyes. "Do they eat humans around here?"
"No!" he replies, as if it's the craziest idea he's ever heard. "Well... Yes. Sometimes. But only when they can get hold of someone from your world, which is very rare."
"So what are we, then?" I continue. "A delicacy?"
"Are you human?" asks a booming voice nearby.
Turning, I see a large man leaning toward me from behind the stall.
"No!" Carstairs shouts, pushing the man back. "Of course he's not human! He's from the swamplands, that's all. You know what they're like over there. They look uncannily like humans, but their meat is far too stringy for consumption."
The figure narrows its eyes, as if it's still not convinced.
"Tell him," Carstairs continues, nudging my arm. "Tell this fine market trader where you're from, Thomas."
I stare at the figure. "I'm from the swamplands," I say eventually, before realizing that I don't know what else to say. "I look human," I add, "but I'm very... stringy. And chewy."
"Huh," the figure replies. "I suppose it was too good to be true. There were two humans brought through last night. Can't imagine there'd be another so soon."
"Do you know where they were taken?" Carstairs asks.
"They were heading toward the citadel," the figure replies. "I suppose those little creatures were taking them to the Setters as a kind of offering."
"What little creatures?" Carstairs snaps at him.
"Never seen anything like them before," the figure mutters. "Like little cannonballs on legs, wearing helmets -"
"That's them!" I say, suddenly realizing that he's describing the creatures I saw back at the crash site when my parents first disappeared. "I saw them once before. They were the ones who lured me here!"
"Then they're still leading your parents through the Library," Carstairs replies, pulling me away from the stall. "This is good news, Thomas. It means your parents are still alive, although..." He turns and looks up at the citadel, which towers above these aisles.
"Although what?" I ask, starting to lose patience.
"If they were taken as an offering for the Setters," he continues, "we might have a problem. As old and decrepit as they might be, the Setters of Papyr have one thing that marks them out from almost anyone else in this region. They have money. Pots and pots of gold, filling room after room. If your parents are anywhere near here, and if anyone has managed to get hold of them, they'll have been taken to the citadel so they can be given to the Setters as a tribute."
"And then what'll happen to them?" I ask, even though I'm terrified that I already know the answer.
"Well," he replies cautiously, "I suppose there are a few possibilities..."
"We have to get them out of there!" I say firmly.
"The citadel is too well guarded," he replies. "It's completely out of the question. If that's where they've been taken, then..." He pauses, and I can see the sorrow in his eyes. "Thomas, I'm sorry, but if they've been taken to the citadel, there's nothing we can do. There's nothing anyone can do. The citadel is impregnable. The Setters have hired the fiercest guards from across the Library. It's said that they even managed to lure away some of the Soldiers of Tea to come and patrol their doors. There's absolutely nothing we can do to get them out. It'd be suicide to try."
"What about magic?" I ask, desperate to find a way.
"Even magic can't penetrate that place," he replies. "It would take an unimaginable force to break down the doors of the citadel and get your parents away from the Setters. I'm sorry, Thomas, but it's too late. We did our best, but once any human is taken into the citadel, the Setters can't be challenged. Whole armies have tried to break through those defenses in the past, and not one man has ever got past the door."
"But we can't just leave them there," I say firmly. "There has to be a way. If they're in there -"
"It's probably too late," he replies. "If they went there last night, they've probably already been..."
I wait for him to finish, but it's obvious that he doesn't think we have a chance. Turning, I look up at the citadel and realize that even though it looks like an unassailable fortress, I can't just stay here and accept my parents' fate. While there's even a chance that they might still be alive in there, I have to do everything in my power, even if that means...
"Thomas," Carstairs says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We should go somewhere safer and talk about this."
"Sure," I reply wearily. "Lead the way."
"I know a little restaurant," he continues, turning and heading along the aisle. "It's not too far. We can talk prope
rly."
Before he has a chance to stop me, I turn and run. Racing along the aisle, leaping over several old men who are sleeping in the mud, I make my way around the next corner, then the next, and then the next, before ducking under several market stalls and crawling through filth until finally I emerge at the other end. Glancing over my shoulder, I see that there's no sign of Carstairs, which is exactly what I want.
"Thirty-eight gold coins!" shouts a voice up ahead.
Stopping, I realize that there's some kind of event taking place in the space between the next few aisles.
"Thirty-nine!" shouts another voice.
"Thirty-nine gold coins!" shouts a man excitedly. "Do I have any advance on thirty-nine?"
Taking a deep breath, I decide that instead of trying to force my way through that mass of people, I should find a way around them. I hurry along the next aisle, and soon I'm heading straight for the citadel. The fortress looms high above me, and the whole place looks absolutely terrifying, but I have no choice. As I emerge from the end of the aisle and find myself in a small clearing at the base of the citadel's lonely outcrop, I stare up and realize that I have to find a way up there and rescue my parents. If Carstairs won't help, then I have to do it alone, and if I fail, then at least I'll die knowing that I didn't give up until the end.
Alice Never
"Forty gold coins!" shouts a voice.
"Forty-one!" shouts another.
"Forty-two!" shouts the first again.
"Forty-two!" shouts the second.
Opening my eyes, I start to realize that I must have passed out somewhere along the way. I've been dumped on the ground, with my wrists still chained together, and although my neck hurts, most of the pain has been replaced by a kind of dull stiffness. As soon as I try to get to my feet, I realize that my right ankle feels swollen and numb, and the most I can manage is to kneel, at which point I look around and find that I'm in the middle of some kind of market, with various creatures crowded around to gawp at me.
"See?" Kiran shouts, nudging my shoulder with his knee. "She's alive! I told you she wasn't dead! Now how does this latest development change your thoughts on her price?" He leans down toward me. "Good work, girl," he whispers. "I was starting to think you weren't going to cooperate?"
"Where's Nodby?" I ask, looking around but seeing no sign of him.
"You mean the elf in the box?" Kiran replies with a sneer. "We left him in the desert. I'm sure he's nicely baked by now."
"Fifty gold coins!" shouts a voice nearby.
"Seventy!" shouts another.
"That's more like it," Kiran says with obvious glee. "Need I remind you, gentlemen, that a live human is going to provide much softer, more tender meat than one who's been dead for a few days. Also, remember that this isn't just about having a fine meal on your table. It's also about impressing your guests. Why, if I were one of you fine noblemen, I'd be tempted to buy this human and offer her to the mighty Setters as a reminder of my loyalty."
"One hundred gold coins!" calls out another voice.
"Where are we?" I mutter, still struggling to remember exactly how we ended up in this place.
"Welcome to the great city of Papyr," Kiran replies. "Home of the great Setters, whose power once dominated half the Library."
"Once?" shouts a voice from the crowd.
"And they shall dominate again!" Kiran shouts enthusiastically, immediately raising a roar from several of the onlookers. "The arrival of a fresh, live, free-range human in this city is surely a sign that the gods are once again looking favorably upon the Setters of Papyr. Do you think fresh humans have just wandered into every city in the land? Papyr has been blessed, and this is only the beginning. Soon, the Setters will rise to prominence once again, and who among you would not like to be the one who delivered this first, wonderful portent to their table? I'm sure the rewards will be plentiful."
"Two hundred gold coins!" shouts a voice from behind us.
"Two hundred gold coins!" Kiran bellows, unable to hide the glee in his voice. "Thank you, kind gentleman! Now, is there anyone out there who'll see that this human is worth even more?"
"Nodby," I whisper, still looking around in case he appears. After a moment, however, I can't help but think about him being stuck out there in the blindingly hot desert. With the weight of his cage to slow him down, there's no way he could ever have made the journey, and I can't help but shed a tear as I think of his corpse being slowly fried out there as the harsh sun continues to bleach the rocks and sand.
"Two hundred and ten!" shouts a nearby voice.
"Two hundred and twenty!" shouts another.
"Two hundred and twenty-five!"
"I think we're nearing the endgame," Kiran whispers to me. "Don't worry, though. I've recognized one of the bidders as the assistant to the Grand Chef of the Setters' palace. I think there's a fine chance that you'll be turned into a feast fit for a -"
"One thousand gold coins!" shouts a deep, calm voice from nearby, causing an immediate and very audible gasp from the assembled crowd.
"One... thousand?" Kiran replies, sounding shocked as he turns to face the new bidder. "Did I hear you correctly? A thousand gold coins?"
"One thousand," the voice says again. "Do not make me repeat myself."
"Does anyone have an answer to such a wonderful, and entirely deserved, offer?" Kiran asks, clearly trying to hide his excitement. "No? Then the human is sold to the new arrival for the princely sum of one thousand gold coins!"
Before I can say anything, Kiran starts to drag me along the ground, before finally kicking the side of my belly to make me stop. He seems to be in a hurry to get the transaction completed.
"I'm glad that my little auction was able to attract a bidder who recognizes the value of good meat," Kiran continues, his voice much quieter than before. "I can assure the gentleman that -"
"There is no need to keep selling her to me," the voice replies. "I've made my decision, and I have the coins for you."
Looking up, I see that the buyer is a tall figure wearing a dark shawl that covers most of his face. He holds out five small pouches for Kiran, each one looking to be full to the brim.
"One thousand gold coins," the figure continues. "If you wish to count them, I'd prefer that we conclude the business back in my office."
"That won't be necessary," Kiran replies, opening the top of one pouch and staring at the coins with a look of absolute astonishment on his face. "I can assure you, kind buyer, that these riches will be used for archeological research of the highest order. Why, even now, I have plans to excavate the tomb of Elder the Second, one of the greatest librarians of the first dynasty. I've already located the tomb and made a preliminary entrance, but with this money, I can hire -"
"I do not care," the figure says firmly. "Take your gold and get out of my sight."
"Absolutely," Kiran continues. "Of course." He turns to me. "Good luck, girl. On behalf of myself, and my academic pursuits, I'd like to thank you for contributing to such a noble endeavor. I hope your death is swift and brings as little pain as possible."
"Go to hell," I mutter darkly. "You killed Nodby."
Smiling, and clutching his pouches of gold tightly to his chest, Kiran turns and disappears into the crowd. It makes me feel sick to my stomach to think of him getting away with all of this, but I can only hope that when he makes it back to Elder the Second's tomb, he finds himself in the same trap that awaited Table, Nodby and myself. All the gold coins in the world won't save him once he's sealed in that place.
"Rise," says the figure standing next to me.
"I don't think I can," I say quietly, feeling as if I might pass out at any moment. My whole body seems to be vibrating with a kind of pain that I've never felt before, and I feel completely hollow. "I can't walk," I whisper.
"You can," he replies, "and you will. And you must."
"My legs hurt," I tell him, even though I know he probably doesn't care. "I think my ankle's broken. I can't go anywhere on
it."
"In the grand scheme of things," he says calmly, "such things are of little importance. For now, all that matters is that we get you away from this market as quickly as possible. Papyr is not the kind of place where a human should let her presence become widely known. I'm sure there are already various factions discussing what they would do with you, if only they could steal you away from me."
"But -"
"This way," he continues, grabbing the chain and starting to pull me through the crowd.
"Stop!" I shout, as the pain from my ankle causes me to drop down onto my knees. "I can't walk!"
"You have no choice in the matter," he replies, staring down at me. "I'm the Angel's Emissary, and I have a task for you. If you do not agree to this task, I'm afraid I shall have to find another way to use you, which should not be too difficult." He pulls his hood back to reveal a normal, almost human-looking face. "Believe me," he adds with a faint smile, "in a place such as Papyr, that are literally hundreds of things that could be done with you, and that's before we start thinking of ways for you to die."
I try to protest, but he merely starts pulling me along the ground. As I bump along the mud, my ankle starts to hurt more and more, and all I can do is cry out in pain as I'm dragged deeper and deeper through the crowd.
Thomas Never
"Hello?" I shout as I approach the large iron gate at the front of the fortress. "My name's Thomas Never! I'm a human! I'm here to see the Setters!"
I've spent the past hour climbing up the rocky side of the outcrop, and now that I'm up here I figure I've got to take the direct approach. The place looks to be completely impossible to break into, so I've come to the conclusion that rather than try to force my way in, I need to make them open the gate and let me in voluntarily. I don't really have much of a plan after that, but I'm sure I'll come up with something. After all, these Setter creatures can't be complete monsters; it must be possible to reason with them and to explain why they should let my parents leave. I just have to hope that Carstairs was wrong about them.
