The Captain's Slave part 23

Previously…

We knew they would come. That they wouldn't accept the disrespect of Malik coming to their land to free their slaves or murder and assault their slavers.

They want to pin me down, and they want to strip Malik of everything: his freedom and his lands.

My freedom comes at a cost. And they want me to pay.

PRESENTLY

GRACE

I grit my teeth, feeling cold all of a sudden.

Malik approaches the entrance to the camp in strong, proud strides. As if he owns the camp.

He told me to stay put, but I'm not his servant anymore. I don't have to follow his commands.

Quietly, I slide behind the tents to inch towards the gates. Needing to hear the conversation. I don't want to be sheltered from whatever is coming our way. I want to be prepared.

I peek out from behind a tent as I examine the situation There's a posse of men at the gates. All wealthy townsmen and lawmen. Some I recognize, such as Kitto and her master.

Kitto is back. She hangs her head low as she stands behind her previous master. 

Why is she here? Malik freed her from slavery. He sent her off with enough resources and money to live off for a while. She should be long gone now and settling into a new life as a free woman.

Malik stands before the closed gates, a row of masters standing behind him. They look riled up, their hands fisted or set atop the hilts of the daggers on their belts.

"Malik. That is your name, isn't it? It didn't take much digging to find that your parents owned the land before Gusto leased it." Kitto's slaver glares at Malik, his eyes promising murder.

"Leased it?" Malik snarls. "He squatted on my territory for months, living off the labor of his slaves. Slaves which I freed."

"And what proof could you possibly have of these vile accusations? Slavery was outlawed long ago."

Malik growls. I can hear his fury from across the distance. Feel it palpate in the air.

"You would know plenty about it, considering you're a slaver yourself!"

"Lies!" the slaver shouts. "False accusations coming from a murderer. That's right. We found Gusto in the grave you put him in."

Malik crosses his arms over his chest. And I know he won't deny the truth because he's not pathetic like these other slavers who dare to come hunt him as if they've been wronged.

General War approaches the scene, looking angry at what's unfolding at his gates.

"How dare you bring commotion to a military camp?" he shouts at the slavers. "Be gone from my fucking gates!"

"You have a murderer among your ranks!"

War stands beside Malik. "What is your proof?"

I'm sure War knows that Malik is guilty. The masters are equally possessive in nature, and both capable of putting men underground to protect what they love. But War stands beside Malik, willing to defend him because he trusts him. He knows he doesn't take life without a good reason.

"This servant girl," the slaver answers, pushing Kitto forward. She stumbles before catching herself. "She was taken by Malik and saw him murder Gusto. Interrogate her if you must, but you will release Malik and the servant girl that he stole from Gusto."

War is silent for a few seconds, thinking of his options before deciding, "send the girl in. I will interrogate her myself."

"Fine!"

My heart is racing in my chest. I watch every one of Kitto's movements, but her head is hung, and her steps are calculated.

Did they kidnap her and drag her into this mess? What are they holding over her head?

The gates are opened only to allow Kitto inside.

"Leave and return at sunset," War orders to the men.

War and Malik lead Kitto deeper into the camp.

Once the gates are shut, I run after War and Malik. Determined to speak with Kitto.

I catch them in the war tent, the masters arguing as Kitto sits in a chair.

All heads turn to me when I enter.

"Grace," says a stern Malik. Looking at me like I've disobeyed him. "I told you to stay put."

"Clear the tent. I want to speak with Kitto privately."

War stays quiet, watching what unfolds.

Malik seems to get angrier by the minute. "War and I are figuring this out, so I need you to stay with Joan, and don't worry about this. I will take care of it."

I sigh. "Please."

He stares at me and grumbles before heading for the exit. "Fine. Five minutes," he says.

Both men leave, and I'm left in the tent with Kitto. I sit beside her.

"Hey. Iit's me. Are you alright? What happened, Kitto. Did they capture you again?"

She raises her head. "No," she says, licking her lips and scanning me. "I went back."

"Back…to what?"

"To my master."

I reel back, shocked. "What? Back to your slaver? But why?!"

She sighs and slaps her palm on the table. "Because life on my own was hard, Seven. I didn't make it far until I ran out of resources. I was starving, and no one wanted to give me a job except for whore houses. So I went back to where I had shelter and familiarity."

I can't fucking believe her.

"And so your only option was to return to your slaver?!"

She growls. "Don't judge me! Not everyone can get swept off their feet by a rich landlord! You had it easy, Seven. He chose you. Took you from slave to wife. I didn't have the same luck!"

"It wasn't luck. We fell in love."

"Please," she growls. "The man was lonely. If he met me first, he would have fallen for me instead because you and I are cut from the same cloth!"

Her words make me sick. I don't want to believe them. I won't. What Malik and I have is special. Not some default state he fell into to fill a hole in his heart.

"Look at you," she says, gesturing at me. "You gained weight. Your hair got longer. Your clothes are prettier. You're well taken care of. So you can't sit there and judge me for trying to achieve the same: a man to provide for me."

She's angry. Not just at me, but the world.

"Why are you here, Kitto?" I ask her.

"My slaver asked me to testify that I witnessed Gusto's murder. That Malik kidnapped me from my master and beat me to submission before I escaped."

"But those are lies!" I shout. "He didn't lay a hand on you. He was kind."

"I am loyal to my master and his cause because he feeds me and takes care of me," she replies. "Just like you're loyal to your master because he cares for you. There really is no difference between us."

But there is. Because Malik killed Gusto in self-defense.

"You know this won't end well," I warn her.

"No, it won't because Gusto was my master's cousin. Family. And he will not rest until blood is spilled."

I growl before tearing out of the tent.

So what? She's going to lie to War? Make him decide whether Malik is worth the trouble of fighting the townmen?

No. I won't fucking allow this. Malik killed Gusto to protect me. And now I will protect him.

I pace outside the tent, plotting. Furious with Kitto, my former friend, for her selfishness.

I have thoughts that are unlike me. Thoughts of violence fueled by my anger. I want to jump in the tent and drag Kitto by the hair.

And I don't like this because I've suffered enough violence in my life to not wish it on another female.

But damn it, this isn't fair!

Malik and War return. They find me distressed.

"Here's what we're going to do," says Malik. "We're going to track down the town men and take care of them before they can return."

"What? And murder them blindly? No. That's not right." I turn to War. "What about you, General? Will you not hear what Kitto has to say?"

"It doesn't matter what she has to say. The men won't be satisfied with anything but the harshest punishment."

I groan. "She can testify to every court that will hear her. Tell false accounts to bring even more law to your camp. This won't end unless she tells the truth. And she won't."

"So what?" Malik asks. "Are you suggesting we get rid of her, instead?"

"We're not getting rid of anyone, Malik." I sigh. "She's all alone. I think the right thing to do is offer her a place in the camp. A reason to abandon her master."

Malik chuckles, surprising me. "Her? The friend that betrayed you? No."

"It's not your decision," I counter.

The old me would have bowed her head and kept her replies in her head. But this situation with the townsmen and Kitto involve me, and I must make myself heard.

"Yes, it is."

"Actually," War steps in. "She's right. It's my decision."

"No, it's not," Malik insists, glaring. "Because I'm taking your offer. I'm replacing you as General, so a day like this never occurs again."

He's getting angrier. His withdrawal from the numbing medication is rearing its ugly head again.

"You can't just take over from War so suddenly just because things aren't going in your favor. He is the leader of this camp."

Malik flashes his teeth. "Do your loyalties lie with him or with me? What is this really about, Grace?"

I glare at him. How can he question my loyalty after I gave my all to him?

"Seriously? Are you accusing me of something?"

He looks between War and I, his mind descending to madness. His jealousy, the worst symptom of his withdrawals, is surging. I've always been able to snap him back to reality when he snapped at masters in the past. But this is different. This is War versus Malik. I don't know which one would destroy the other. The men are equally powerful.

"You tell me," Malik says. "Do you fancy War all of a sudden?" 

He glares at War who looks at me cautiously.

"Look at me, not at her," Malik snarls at the General.

War shakes his head, frowning. "Get a grip, Malik. The withdrawals are making you crazy."

"Listen to him," I insist.

The storm that has been brewing since Malik stepped back into camp unleashes. Tension has been building as their equally dominating personalities kept on clashing. Today, the tension bursts.

Malik swings at War, who swings right back. The sound of flesh and bones pummeling makes my teeth clatter.

The two fucking masters are fighting because of me, while our enemies are due to return any second now.

And for the first time in a while, I am floored.

Joan comes running in our direction, dropping her basket. "What happened?!" she shouts.

I truly don't know what to answer.

READ PART 24>

A/N: Messy, messy! Malik needs to get back on that cra k - coca ine and relax 😂