"Owners of Slaves may do what they wish to and with their Slaves, as the Slaves are the owner's personal property. However, unnecessary, inappropriate, and/or too much punishment of a Slave will be determined as Excessive Punishment and such actions are liable for a fine of up to but no more than the Slave's value."Polaris froze, the weight of the words hitting him like a blow to the face. Then shock gave way to a sharp jolt of dread. What if the alleged confessor had been Nadia? He clenched his jaw and forced down the rising unease, careful not to let it flicker across his face where Rallian might see."Really?" he asked. "Have you seen this one in true form?"Rallian shook his head, and shrugged. "The confession was enough for me. She told me she's part human, part limoniad, and part mermaid.""Her parents must have an interesting story.""No doubt."After a few tense moments, Alik reappeared with the four slaves Rallian had summoned, with Nadia among them. They filed in silently, l

"Slaves in public must carry a visible form of identification approved by the Association of Slave Owners. Any violation of this law will result in severe physical punishment that will continue until the Slave gives up its owner's name and location, at which point the owner will be fined. If the Slave still refuses to reveal its owner's name and location, it will either be disposed of, sold in the next Slave Auction, or assigned to the following Annual Slave Arena."On Malla 10th, under a gray and expectant sky, King Darren, Queen Ariana, Lady Lusi, Lord Polaris, and their procession of knights and guards departed the palace to make their way to the Kingdom of Saíd, a journey just as long as Drake had warned. Five weeks across shifting terrain, twenty days by the strictest measure.After tending to her own affairs, Rein waited a few days before setting out. In the meantime, she gathered a small group of pixies hiding in the area, and tasked them with quietly watching over Nadia in her

"Slaves in public must keep their faces covered from the nose down at all times. If this law is at all violated, the Slave will undergo severe physical punishment. If this law is violated against one of Royal or Noble Blood, the Slave will thereafter either be executed or assigned into the following Annual Slave Arena. The owner may or may not be informed and will not be reimbursed for the Slave's value."From around the corner stepped a boy with snow-white hair, clearly older than Nadia. He moved with the quiet confidence of someone used to being watched. Behind him came a slightly younger boy, with a sharper edge in his gaze. Then a third, who paused when he saw her. This one looked to be about Nadia's age, his expression unreadable as his eyes locked on her."Is that a slave?" asked the youngest boy.Immediately, Nadia dropped into the slave's bow and waited for permission to stand, or a command to speak."Yes, it is, Colton," answered Drake."What is she doing here?" asked the seco

"A Slave must obey its owner's rules, excluding rules that violate the Law of Noelle. If a Slave Owner experiences consistent disobedience from his or her Slave, the owner may dispose of that Slave. All Slave deaths must be reported to the Association of Slave Owners within forty-eight hours of the death."Rein soared above the treetops, using the canopy as cover to stay out of sight. Once she judged she was far enough ahead of the cloaked woman, she dove back down into the forest, weaving through branches and shadows. She found Gideon still running, breath ragged. But when she glanced back, her stomach tightened. The red-haired woman had made alarming progress; she was nearly on him. The moment of truth had come. Rein took a breath, heart pounding, and opened her mouth to call out his name."Gideon!" The fiery redhead had beat her to it.At the sound of his name, Gideon whirled around and drew his panabas sword in one swift motion. The woman skidded to a halt, her eyes locking on the

"Thieving of a Slave will be dealt with in the same manner as the thieving of any other valuable property."After her discussion with Polaris, Rein visited Nadia at Aimonbay Estate, where the child completed her chores with force and frustration. She challenged Rein as to why in four months, no one had done anything to free Garnet. It took some time, and more patience than Rein thought she had, but eventually, Nadia agreed to hold off on any reckless attempts to handle the matter herself. She assured Nadia that she would find where Garnet was being held, she would study the property and the situation, and she would come up with a way to have Garnet released. Nadia's stiff silence felt like a trial, but after a long pause and a nod stiff with worry, Rein took her leave and began the search for Garnet's prison.Helvetica sprawled across the foothills in winding alleys and overlapping districts, every corner hiding another tangle of streets. Rein moved through market stalls and taverns, l