“You are mistaken. The doctor sent us into the woods to search for herbs,” she calls out into the inky black air. A white cloud billows in front of her. It is a normal sight in winter, but it looks like magic spilling out of her soul. “There’s an outbreak of disease.”
The corners of my mouth tug upward.
She’s lying with such ease—perhaps not a perfect hero, after all. Just a woman doing what it takes to get out of this hell hole in one piece.
I respect that.
The giants kidnapped her over a month ago, and the new king himself assigned me to care for her. I helped her bathe, mended her clothes, and dressed her.
Slowly, we became… notfriends. Allies, perhaps. So much so that I let her convince me to try to escape Zlosa. A death wish for any slave in ordinary conditions, but the promise of the trolls presents extraordinary circumstances.
I’m skeptical by nature, but I found her passionate confidence contagious. The way she spoke about the home of the Trolls—Enduvida—sounded like just what I was looking for: a safe new life.
I need a new life. Fast. In a place where they don’t care what I did with the giants. The promises of no slavery and men in search of women to care for were just bonuses.
“Disgusting lying, bitches. Step back,” the giant calls.
I fucking hate them.
Another gust of wind almost blows back the cloak covering the costume Estela wears, which would expose her as the king’s escaped pet.
A frenetic energy pulses through the air as I watch Estela. She seems as fearless as any wild animal.
“Wait!” Estela cries.
The giant warrior extends his spear and parts the black cloak that was meant to cover Estela’s ridiculous diamond costume, which makes her look like a godsdamned snow pixie.
The giant’s eyes gleam with surprise. He’s found something very valuable indeed, and now we’re all going to pay the price with blood.
“You belong to the king!” the giant roars. “Men! Find and kill the others. They’re trying to escape!”
“Maldita sea, hijo de su puta madre,”?1 I curse in the human tongue—a rarity for me.
My stomach drops, and I look back at the other slaves.
“Stay in the trees! You’ll be harder to catch,” I yell.
We’ve barely begun to scatter when Abi, another comfort woman I’d personally invited on this death mission, screams. The space before us lights up. Bright white flashes, striking quick as lightning and making me temporarily blind. I fall against a tree.
A wet gurgle sounds from the front of the trees. When the light dims, I see the giant lying on the ground with an arrow sticking out of his neck.
My mouth falls open, and I press my hand to my mouth to silence my scream.
Several more arrows fly through the air and lodge themselves in the ground with an audiblethud. Abi’s scream is joined by nearly every woman in the group.
“Are those more giants?” a new woman shouts.
I turn back. “What giant would kill one of its own?”
The woman doesn’t listen, running toward the fence that would lead us to freedom. I grab my skirt and run after her.
“Wait!” I yell, but she still ignores me.
Dodging branches, I use my hands to grab onto tree trunks and propel me forward. When I reach the spot where the copse of trees thins, I draw a deep breath.
“Please! Don’t—!” I start.
One of the giant’s axes swings through the air. Time slows as I watch the blade slice through her clothes, flesh, and bone as if it were nothing.