Why then Chabone?
For someone who used to be always cautious, everything happened unpredictably.
The work at the tavern... There weren't many options amid the disease that was spreading across the island. The richest people kept away from the city centre. But in the port, where the ships anchored at the pier, the movement was still intense with sailors, privateers and pirates.
-All this? Really?" The question was one of pure dismay.
Exhausting work. Very low salary. Cassie stared hungrily at the fruit stall for sale at the local merchant. Just the smell of them made my mouth water. Green apples gleamed on the shelf and cost a small fortune in the offseason. She was in love with apples. Since childhood. And they pay for the week... May they have mercy. It was barely enough to pay for the rented room.
- Bad harvest from the people here, young lady. Not many ships with food arrived from Muir. The price is a fortune.
Cassie sighed miserably, tearing her eyes away from the rest of the shelf. Guavas. And persimmons.
With discounts from the meagre salary... There wasn't much to spend on luxury. Winter was approaching. She needed to provide warm clothes.
Walked through the quiet alleys and without the laughter of the children's din. The sun was starting to shine on the horizon. It was very early. And many services awaited in the tavern. She imagined with frustration the crockery pile of dirty dishes and pans that would have to be washed and yet the rooms to be cleaned and tidied.
The de monsieur Garro tavern was one of the most frequented in the region. And Garro… Cassie sighed. An insufferable man and above all a merchant. He profited from everything. She exploited employees. The brothel called customers in the harbour whenever a ship arrived. She'd been lucky to get work only in the kitchen.
She nearly screamed when she entered the tavern from the back of the kitchen and bumped into Monsieur in the narrow hallway. She held back a sigh knowing she would hear more lectures. It was absurd how much he deducted from his salary with a few broken dishes. Well, there hadn't been that many. And it was not at all her fault that they had been left in piles of dirty dishes where they could easily fall.
- Bon jour, sir. - She said shyly as she dodged quickly.
She hated the way he always found a way to touch her with thin, sweaty hands despite the man's several pounds. Her hands sent chills, realizing the hidden intentions of innocent gestures.
-I would like a glass of hot milk. - Garro spoke with a satisfied smile.
Profitable business. he would never deny a request from Philip Morgan to employ the girl and make her life miserable and complete hell. Richard had almost managed to ruin his reputation. Of course, he wouldn't refuse to help his brother who couldn't stand the arrogant captain of the Gaia. Just as he had ordered the cook, the duties of the new maid were increased.
She was young and beautiful. Maybe mistreated, nothing that some care about and new clothes wouldn't solve the situation. Everyone was always the same when they arrived at the Golden Rooster. Just a little persuasion and encouragement. Satisfied, he unashamedly admired the girl's body in plain clothes, standing out with the curve of her breasts, making Cassie uncomfortable.
-It's a shame that a girl like you lets beauty end up on the edge of the stove and wood. - The comment seemed harmless.
Garro asked his guards to find out if the girl had any living relatives. Nothing. No relatives on the island. His satisfaction couldn't have been greater. She gained Philip Morgan's good graces and protection to keep the spice smuggling business going and maybe… That girl would be worth a small fortune at auction.
The news that Katie was worried about the girl's innocence made him smile with good eyes. It would take time to obtain other attractive merchandise for the Eastern auctions, but that girl in front of him would be worth a fortune to pay off his gambling debts. Only then did he give up the possibility of enjoying the charms before initiating the girl into the most lucrative tasks of the tavern. The most select and exquisite audience... He needed new girls to attract clientele. One of them was seriously injured after being physically assaulted. The strange habits some of these men had then...
-No problem! - Cassie replied very quickly, even more uncomfortable.
And didn't like the way he looked at her. She bit back an irritated sigh, knowing the need to keep the job despite how awful it was. There weren't many alternatives. The Armada? Return to the Tomorrow Star and accept Thalagar's whims? If only she could get his savings back... Maybe on Muir...
-I could make your life so much easier, my dear. Garro smiled, showing his white teeth. An auction He could gather his wealthiest clients and hold a festive celebration to decide who should have the honour of robbing him of virtue. He sighed regretfully, imagining the pleasures the girl could offer before. She was distant and suspicious.
Twice he managed to hold her in his arms using pretexts and very quickly she escaped. Taking another chance, he tried to hold it in her hand, noting the injured fingers.
-What? -Cassie tried to move away from him, but he held her tightly.
-I must regret so much beauty wasted with much work.
-No, let go of my hand. - She said with apprehension.
Heavens! That job...
She gritted her teeth, hiding her anger. And all on that account… she refused to think. It was all her fault after all for letting herself be enchanted by a man like Richard Morgan. Men were all the same. They just wanted fun and nothing else.
Men were all the same. She began to worry about where Monsieur was going. Garro pretended not to hear, looking at her avidly. The girl didn't wear a corset. Despite her worn and plain clothes, she didn't smell bad.
"Come on, Rick thought she was dead.
She was the great love of his life from him. The woman disappeared for a few years, but when she learned that Gaia was anchored in Garrone, she felt noticed by Rick. Come on, Cassie. If he loved you would have left you alone in a camp like this? Even more, after having enjoyed the night a lot?"
Cassie closed her eyes, telling herself it didn't hurt at all. Patience if the great Mister Richard Morgan liked to have fun like that... His manner... his lack of consideration... They had offered money for her to leave... There were certain men more decent than him. It was a small fortune. Did he like that man and what did he get out of it? He had ordered his brother to provide money for her to stay away from everyone.
-I bet you would like a better life and more comfort.
Cassie shivered, thinking how much all this would cost, nervously trying to pull her hand away. Like Philip's offer at the castle? Before the Council ordered her to be expelled without any appeal after years of work?
-I do not care. I explained to him that...
Garro's face with friendly expressions dropped the mask.
-I bet so, but you don't know how pleasurable it can be. -A dangerous light appeared on his face. Garro exulted, anticipating a fortune she could guarantee him.
- Already said...
-And who cares? A father? Or maybe a lucky guy? How do you expect to explain to them that you worked in a tavern with a brothel and kept your honour intact? A reputation compromised... Come on, no man of respect... What do you have to lose?
Garro pulled her to him and tried to kiss her.
-Oh! She revolted and a fleeting flash of silver lit his eyes.
An exclamation of pure anger escaped her lips as she pulled her face away.
He cursed angrily as he dragged her against the wall and immobilized her. Garro was much stronger and not inexperienced. The indignant protests let a new curse escape his mouth with kisses on the white neck, noticing the mark on her skin in amazement and shrugged. moving away.
- Do you belong to the wolf clans? he asked in amazement.
He was well aware of the marks left by the wolf on the white skin. There weren't any brands. They were from a...
Only the girl didn't carry the catena mark on her wrist. There were no fang marks that would recognize her as a female of a pack. Perhaps a concubine... The business of selling smuggled goods with wolves for a time was quite profitable until the Armada has complained about auctions and illegal trade in white women. Richard Morgan was a wretch who made his life hell.
-Of course not. Cassie gasped nervously, putting her dress back together and making sure the mark was hidden.
Richard could be miserable and arrogant, but at that moment she was certain that just that mark left on her skin had saved her from a much worse situation. Garro knew the wolves too well for anyone to molest a female chosen by a pack member. That could mean war. For a moment he almost cried with relief.
Garro swore softly. The girl could have belonged to the wolves she was a female of those miserable predators. He noticed the gleam in her eyes with much more interest.
A girl was a witch. A mestizo?! Weren't they legends?
Ah, the wolves never left theirs. She had been exiled in disgrace from her people. Luck could not have been more favourable. Better than that, a girl with the skills of wolves and sorcerers.
-I really must be sorry. Business is not doing well. I had a lot of losses last week with a lost charge. - The comment was very innocent.
Losses? Cassie rolled her eyes.
The tavern was always full. She bit her lip. The losses were caused by the fact that monsieur liked gambling and gambled money. It was said that he had lost a fortune to a local merchant. Irritation began to show. It didn't matter to anyone whether or not she was… A low curse escaped as she backed away from the man, trying to keep calm.
Patience. She was going to have to fend for herself and survive somehow. But not like that...
- I will be more careful with the dishes, monsieur. - She said hurriedly. He wanted hot milk. She would have to get cut logs to light the fire and get away from the man.
The idea brought relief again. Garro narrowed his eyes. Wasn't that foolish. Thanks to Katie's intervention, he hired the girl at a meagre salary hoping she would give up spending her beauty in this way. Her sooty face almost made him swear. He wasn't making the girl's life any easier. And he intended to make it difficult for her to understand how things worked out there.
-I can provide admirers to treat you like a queen. -Garro suggested showing a concern he didn't feel.
That very night, he would let the wealthier merchants and farmers know that the tavern offered a maiden for her distraction. He almost smiled. I would choose the auction participants very carefully. Naturally, they would have some cost to enjoy the right to participate.
And maybe add to the girl's to-do list with heavier jobs...
The girl might have rebelled, but nothing a man's strong pulse couldn't handle. Thus, he could obtain the money as collateral and payment of the debt incurred. Either way, it wasn't safe to keep a girl involved with wolves in the tavern.
-It's very kind, but... - Cassie didn't know how to get out of the situation.
God! Did he never understand a no?
Garro sighed
-I'll let you reflect on our conversation. - He showed understanding. -One of the girls is sick and won't work. I'll need you to take care of her chores. The bedsheets need to be changed and washed.
Cassie bit back a miserable groan.
-And as for the firewood... We'll have to provide more. Can I assume you have experience with the wood axe?
She widened her eyes. Like? What?
Last night, while tending to a box of vegetables brought into the kitchen. Cassie paid for the sins of a lifetime. Who knew why these fruits could cause so much trouble? Her hands were burned and swollen and red. The itch had her cursing every last customer of the tavern with curses irritated by the lemon pie the cook was making. Pained Katie was given a chamomile compress to ease her pain and discomfort. It meant more work. She also suffered from back pain and cramps.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the empty vegetable box and a groan of protest came over the new boxes the cook had brought. Nobody ate that much! Not even the ship's cook prepared so much food when they camped on the land. She expected Rick Morgan to burn in a hot oil boiler! For all eternity! Unhappy man! what did you mean? Besides ruining your life?
She was by no means going to give in to crying. He didn't even deserve her tears. he'd probably had a lot of fun singing about his adventures and bragging about what a stupid girl she was.
Anger rose to alarming levels as he wondered if the girls' stories were true about a supposed courtesan he kept as a lover. Of all the damn foolish things he'd ever done in his life! Had she been deluded and longed for by that man?
-He... he is...- She didn't quite know how to ask in front of the courtesan in fine and beautiful clothes that caught everyone's attention.
-My mate. - the crystalline voice brought an emptiness in the chest. serrated.
He didn't know how to treat women! He was a conceited conqueror who always got the upper hand. A profiteer. opportunist. A mate?
By lunchtime with half the chores done, she'd changed the sheets and washed the dirty clothes. Saying nothing in front of a new box… box of vegetables arriving… Cassie could easily pluck his smug smile with her fingernails. It was just him showing up in front of everyone and telling his adventures.
.Nothing in the world would give her more satisfaction than never seeing him again. Take advantage of your interest. And as for the work at the tavern… Oh, it wasn't just slavery, Garro seemed determined to torture her with an endless list of jobs.
If she was able to pick up the dirty dishes from the tables after lunch was served? Why, how would she take care of the dirty dishes for lunch with more beds waiting to be made and sheets changed, sir? And the firewood hadn't even been cut yet. Her hands…she sighed, giving up the whining. Painful, swollen and blistered from burns. It even ached to move them after carrying so much weight in the tavern.
And as for the food... The tiredness was so much... so much so that she had already lost her appetite. The unattractive meal..she stared with an empty stomach gnawing and wrapped the greasy stew in the meat-filled pot.
Holding her breath, she managed to grab two ripe tomatoes. And a piece of bread. The sight of the finely chopped carrot slices for the stew was appetizing.
Patience. It was better than nothing. Maybe when she was hungrier... Just the thought was frustrating. He fondly recalled the ship's cook. He always kept some vegetables aside for her when they had them before cooking the meat. The good lord was an angel. And the cook in the tavern is a real executioner.