Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
The captain seems thrilled at this request, though. His face is suddenly wreathed in smiles. “We have a great many slaves taken from enemy lands. You can have your pick of them. Here.”
The captain points at the chained line I’m tied to—the dull slaves, the ones they think they won’t get much coin for. The sea-ogre narrows his eyes at the captain, as if realizing he’s being shown the rejects, and I wait for him to explode at him, to toss him overboard, to twist his neck with those huge, powerful arms of his.
Lady Dywan speaks up again. “Are you mad? No woman in her right mind would want to be the bride of a monster!”
And I suddenly realize how I can get off the boat. How I can get free of the future awaiting me in Sunswallow, where—if I’m lucky—I’ll get sold to a whorehouse.
So I raise my chained arms into the air and speak as loudly as I can. “I’ll do it!”
All eyes turn to me.
I realize my disguise is probably not doing me any favors. I’m filthy, with my hair in my face and my dress-waist moved up to make me look as unappealing as possible. I struggle to my feet —no easy task given that I’m chained to people on both sides and on a crowded boat—and while all are staring at me, I adjust my dress, lowering the hemline so my cleavage can be shown to its advantage and push my hair back. I’m not the greatest beauty in the land but I can be pretty when I smile, I’m told.
I smile brightly at the sea-ogre. “I’ll do it. I’ll be your wife.”
The captain is eyeing me—and my newly bountifully revealed breasts—and I can practically see the coins clinking in his head as my price just doubled. “Sit down, tart. The ogre gets to pick.”
“Yes, but I’m sure he’d want an eager bride,” I say in a cheery voice, giving the monster my most winning smile. “I’m very eager, and I’m also experienced. I know all about pleasuring sea-ogres.”
I might also be a bit of a liar.
The ogre just stares at me with hard, strange eyes. He hasn’t said a thing. My heart is racing with terror. If this doesn’t work, my fate is going to be worse than ever. I’m putting everything on this moment, just like Lady Dywan is. Unlike Lady Dywan, though, I’m willing to work with the enemy.
“Pleasuring sea-ogres?” the captain repeats, a sneer on his face. “You?”
“Me,” I agree, continuing to lie with audacity. “Look at me. I’m tall and strong, the perfect sort of woman for a sea-ogre. They like their women with a little meat on their bones, am I right?” And I give a sly wink. “Plus, I know all about the two-finger tease.”
It…sounds specific. Like something an insider might know. I figure either the ogre himself will call me out for the liar I am, or he’ll be intrigued enough by whatever a two-finger tease is and take me with him.
I would rather service one man—monstrous or not—than an entire brothel full of them. I would rather run off with the sea-ogre than end up at the bottom of the harbor with the rest of the slaves on this overloaded boat.
My father said that the gods smile upon those that make their own luck. I hope Vor of the Seas is watching because here I am, making luck. I just need one of the gods to smile upon me and nudge things in the right direction.
“Two…finger…tease?” the captain asks, highly skeptical.
As he should be. I’m making an absolute fool of myself, but I don’t care. I’ll say whatever just to get off this cursed, doomed ship. I’ll do whatever to get away from the fate awaiting me at Lady Dywan’s side. The fates have yet to be good to me, but a sea-ogre’s bride can’t be any worse than what I’ve already gone through.
I smile and wiggle my first two fingers.
I’m not a virgin. I doubt most women in my situation are. I’ve spent a few nights in the stables, tumbling a handsome boy, and I know how to pleasure a man. Surely a sea-ogre man is much the same. They like their balls jiggled and their cock sucked just like any other man. I’m sure I can think of something inventive to do with my fingers.
I’ve got nothing to lose.
The sea-ogre stares at me, eyes narrowed. It’s a distinctly unfriendly look, but I don’t know that he has any other looks. He scowls in my direction for so long that I’m positive that he’s going to say no, that he wants to pick out a pretty blonde or a small, dainty thing. If so, I’ll have to figure out my next course of action, since I’ve revealed myself to be a liar, somewhat attractive, and the purveyor of the great two-finger tease. All these things will be sure to be used against me by my captors.