Bringer of Winter- a M/M/M Epic Fantasy Romance

8- Markings

KHIFF—

We were sold the next day to a burly man with bare feet who rode a huge stallion proudly, although the poor horse almost buckled under his weight. Eten and Paul left the cage, horses, me and Ryker with the man without a backwards glance, and I prayed to Ioty I would never see them again.

The man tied his stallion to the back of the cage so he would follow behind, and then he took the reins of the cage horses and kicked them into motion. We travelled in silence until the moon rose high in the sky and I could hear the crickets chirping so loudly I wondered if there were any bats in Pryn at all. How could the insects be so free as to make more noise than I had ever heard a bear make?

When even the moon began to set and the man hadn't stopped the horses, Ryker and I curled up on the hard ground of the cage and I fell to sleep in his arms, only to wake what felt like moments later to Ryker's voice softly calling to me. I mumbled and sat up slowly, rubbing at my eyes with my good hand and looking around sleepily. The sun shone on my face, making my eyes sting even more. But it wasn't long before I was wide awake, staring around me with fascination. We were completely surrounded by men, women, and children tied by their ankles and wrists. Some wore the bands around their necks, mostly the men, and some of the children weren't tied up at all.

"Gods," I muttered under my breath. "Ryker, what is this?"

Few of the slaves paid us any attention as they tended to wounds, cooked over a small fire, and spoke among themselves. But just as in the town before, some glared at us in hatred, others in fear, none in friendship.

"We are in an auction house, Khif. We're to be sold here."

"Ryker, why did you not wake me?"

"You were tired, Khif."

I glared at him and stood, moving to the side of the cage. A few of the slaves flinched at my movement but I ignored them, studying my surroundings. We were in a stone courtyard, maybe of a large mansion or even a castle. The gates were locked and guarded by two men who looked more like pirates than guards and who sneered at me as I watched them.

There were at least fifty slaves ambling around the courtyard, and I could see what looked to be other gates and walls where more might be kept. A few cook fires and pots of food, a trough of dingy water, and chamber pots littered the courtyard, burning my nose with the many scents and making me want to vomit the precious food Eten and Paul had given to Ryker and me just before they had handed the reins over to the barefoot man with the stallion.

When the gate opened behind them, the two guards moved out of the way, only to admit two more men who were dressed similarly. Seemingly at random, they grabbed a few moaning, whining women, a handful of children, and two men, leading them out of the courtyard.

To be sold?

"Ryker," I began, unsure how to voice my concerns. "What if we are separated?"

"If we are separated, Cailleach, we will survive until we can find each other again. It is simple. You survive, because if you do not I will drag your soul straight back from the realms of death and force it into your damn body."

"And I yours," I answered, the words a promise, forcing the hot tears that burned in the back of my throat away. We were Nibeans, and we would live and die as Nibeans. I would stay true to the spirit of the gryphon that Grana had said I emulated so well, and I would never let these men of Pryn see how they made me feel like a little boy lost alone in the dark.

I looked down as a man coughed, trying to get my attention, and I frowned down at him. Ryker seemed amused, but I wasn't certain what I thought. The man carried two bowls of a steaming broth and he shoved them through the bars at my feet, looking up at me with kind but guarded eyes.