A Change of Fortune

Chapter 10:

  He was leaning against the fence again when Abensur, Rafu and Kofi-Zee came looking for him. It was the first time in days that he’d even seen the guards. He jumped when he saw them, came swiftly to his feet and waited to be told that it was all a mistake.

  Abensur said gently, “Nothing to worry about. I just want to take off your number. You’ve always hated it.”

  Valencio nodded uncertainly.

  Rafu remarked in a jocular voice, “At least you won’t have to carve away half your arm this time...”

  Valencio ignored him.

  Abensur drew his wand, and again said gently, “Just to take off the number.”

  Valencio stood still as the wand was pointed, and he was no longer No. 143. He didn’t look, just put his left hand up to it and caressed. Between his fingers was a small and very sharp piece of glass, but it was automatic to keep that hidden from the guards. Even now it was a daily ritual to practice with it, keeping it concealed, passing it into an opened seam of clothing and then out again. He’d scarcely spoken to anyone for the last few days, the girls, especially, told to simply leave him alone for the time being.

  Abensur took a wary step backward, and said, still in that gentle, calming voice. “That’s all. Nothing else. Probably just a couple of days, and make sure and do as Hilde says.”

  Valencio said nothing as the guards carefully retreated.

  Kamchatsu suggested to Abensur, “Maybe we should simply put him under a Bajet stun and deliver him to Bellamy like that.”

  “Madam Zhor would not tolerate it. We just have to be very careful.”

  “He was supposed to be so special.” He glanced at Abensur, “If he was stunned, he wouldn’t know if he was used again.”

  Abensur said very coldly, “Valencio would know. I’ve told you before, put all ideas of using him right out of your head.”

  Kamchatsu looked at him consideringly, but Abensur didn’t flinch. Kamchatsu gave up the idea, though he’d swear that Abensur would like the chance again, as well. To lose all the slaves! All the young ones. It didn’t matter about the older ones, but Amber and Angini and Lucy and Eva.... He thought they were all his favorites, and felt very bitter that he’d enjoyed none of them since the great wizard had arrived. He’d never treated them cruelly... He liked them, enjoyed them!

  Haru had been denied as well. Kamchatsu wished Haru was more of a fighter. If he’d been a proper Kobi-Wynn, he could take over leadership, and then they could kill John Bellamy, maybe Zhor and Najia as well, seeing they were no good for breeding any more, and they could keep the young and beautiful slaves. Plus Valencio, who’d quite definitely be put back into use. Fancy allowing slaves to refuse certain people!

  But Haru was spineless. He’d heard that he’d been seeking Bellamy’s company, and that Bellamy had taught him some new type of magic he knew. Kamchatsu concluded that he needed some allies... Yoweri and Abariki? Their complaints had been bitter. There were others of the younger Fighters as well. Abensur? He guessed that Abensur had best die as well. That shouldn’t be hard. Abensur hadn’t even qualified as a Fighter, and while he would almost certainly not refuse a duel, he’d heard that he’d never won one in his life.

  On the sixth day after the arrival of the great wizard, Brigitta had the treat of an excursion to Loch Carrikh, the name of the Scottish property that was to be their new home. Much later the same day, Evita had the treat, though she came back subdued, rather than excited. Helene was worried, and Evita agreed that it was all wonderful, and then burst into tears and said it would never happen, and she wished she hadn’t had to come back, but he was so tired and she didn’t want to give trouble.

  Three of them had been there now. It was true. Or were they all being lied to? They were only medj, and probably there was magic to make them think it was a real place. Maybe it was just a trick so they’d go quietly to their deaths.

  Valencio shook his head when Mildred said that to him. He didn’t think it was a trick. Just that he was so frightened that it wouldn’t happen!

  He didn’t appear at breakfast. Tasha didn’t nag. She agreed that it was best he stay right away from the wizards. He missed the gossip, but Treen had the story firsthand and went to find him. He was leaning against the fence again, and she looked at him disapprovingly. “Tasha said I’d probably find you doing that?”

  Valencio looked at her, puzzled, “Doing what?”

  “Leaning against the fence.”

  He quickly moved away from the fence and pretended he hadn’t sought its comfort. No-one understood how it could give comfort. He didn’t understand, himself.

  Treen said, “I came to tell you something. Rafu told me last night. He had to escort John Bellamy back to the leaders’ rooms, and he was nearly killed. Someone sent a Killing Curse at his back. But he just heard it or something, spun around and hit it back, killing the one who did it.”

  “He was nearly killed?”

  “Abensur said that people have been trying to kill him since he was a teenager, that he’s probably perfectly accustomed to hitting back Killing Curses.”

  “They always say that wizards are honorable, that they believe in fair fights.”

  “This one wasn’t fair, and Bellamy beat him anyway. Rafu was laughing. He said, ‘We thought Valencio was fast!’ It seems you’ve been outdone!”

  “I hope he doesn’t get himself killed.”

  “Soon now. Maybe tomorrow.”

  Tomorrow? Valencio nearly reached for the fence again, but stopped himself. He knew he was silly, hurting himself. He had to stop, or at least, not let the women catch him.

  Treen handed him a bag with a couple of brokis. “I told Helene I was going to find you, so she said to take these to you.”

  Valencio smiled and thanked her, and as she was watching him, managed to eat one and even keep it down.

  Tasha found him a little later, still in the same place, though this time he saw her coming in time to move away from the fence and pretend to be merely reading the book he carried. She looked at him, amused, and said, “We’ve all been issued warm clothing, including shoes and socks. Tomorrow morning, he says, but don’t rely on it.”

  “How can you be so calm?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe I still don’t quite believe it. Some of the older ones, they just pretend nothing’s happening. They’re too afraid of it.” And then she ordered him to go back to their room and they would try on the new clothes. “No numbers,” she crowed. “Same revolting color, but no numbers.”

  She tried on the clothing, a heavy skirt and a clumsy looking jumper. “No underwear of course,” she remarked.

  “You look so different!”

  Tasha twirled herself around in front of the mirror, and then went to him, “Hold me?”

  Valencio held her tight. Maybe it wasn’t just himself who was finding it difficult.

  Clarence appeared at the door wearing baggy trousers, and an expression more confused than happy. Valencio only looked at his new clothes and then put them carefully in a corner of the room.

  “You should try them on,” Tasha urged.

  Valencio shook his head. He couldn’t try them on. It all might just vanish if he tempted fate like that!

  Tasha hugged him and whispered, “Trust him. He’s going to take us away from here.”

  Valencio said softly, “I can’t trust. I feel as if it might be some sadistic plot, that it’s all a joke on purpose to torment us.”

  She hugged him and said confidently, “I’ll soon have you fattened up again in Scotland.”