The lean man returned with hot, steaming stew and fresh bread. He gave everyone the same portion and said, "All of you will have a share of food and a chance to clean yourselves. Make use of this opportunity." Then he turned to leave, but not before casting a final glance at them. "You'll need to look your best."
Cassian's stomach churned with dread. Why were they feeding them good food and even asking them to look their best? What did this mean? Why did he have a feeling like cattle that were fed carefully before the day of their slaughter? Cassian gulped when this thought came into his mind.
He looked at the boys who had already started to eat, without caring about any consequences.
After all, the boys were given a decent meal after so much time, and no one wanted to miss the chance to eat their fill. Who knew when the merchant's mood would change and they would snatch the bowl of food from them?
Cassian also ate slowly, his senses on high alert, trying to find anything suspicious in their behavior, but the lean man seemed too sincere in giving them food.
After they had eaten their fill, they were led to a small bathing area. Surprisingly, the water was warm, and they were also provided with fragrant soap. This luxury almost felt like a cruel contrast to their circumstances.
Cassian scrubbed himself clean with the warm water, his mind still thinking about their motive. As he washed himself clean from the grime of the continuous journey, he finally felt his muscles relax.
Once all of them were clean, the merchant's man brought them simple but clean clothes and asked them to get ready. All the boys silently complied.
Cassian finally saw some fear in the other boys' eyes; now they also found this suspicious, and dread clouded all their hearts just like his.
As they finished dressing, a woman entered the room. She was tall and imposing, her eyes sharp as she scrutinized the boys. Cassian felt a chill run down his spine as the woman's gaze settled on him, lingering for a moment before moving on.
"These will do," the woman said, her voice clipped and businesslike. She turned to the merchant, who had followed her into the room. "Get them ready. They need to be presented tonight."
Cassian's heart skipped a beat. Presented? What did that mean? He exchanged worried glances with the other boys, their confusion mirroring his own. The woman and the merchant spoke in low tones, and they couldn't hear more of the conversation.
Then Cassian saw the merchant nodding, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "They'll be ready," he assured her. "They'll make a fine offering."
As the woman left, Cassian's mind raced. An offering? To whom? For what purpose? He couldn't understand what lay ahead. They didn't hear the conversation between the merchant and the woman, but they knew it was nothing good.
Cassian sat on the floor and huddled with the other boys after the merchant and his men left the room. All the boys showed only one emotion on their faces: fear. Fear of an unknown future.
Cassian felt so powerless now; he couldn't even decide on his own future. He had lost that right, just because of his greedy uncle and aunt.
If not for them, he would still have been in his village beside his sister. Thinking about his baby sister, Amara, Cassian felt tears tickle his eyes.
How was she faring in his uncle's home? Did they bully her, or had she eaten her fill? Because his aunt always forgot to give them food.
His aunt was greedy from the start, and Cassian knew this from the very beginning. That's why he had worked hard to earn money. If he gave his money to his aunt, she would at least give them a roof to stay under.
Because a roof over their heads was a must. If their aunt and uncle drove them from home, their future would be the same as this because human traffickers roamed every street, and Cassian and his sister's chances of encountering them would be high. And two little kids, how could they fight when they had no one to protect them?
And this plan of Cassian's was faring quietly, and his aunt seemed pleased with the money Cassian brought back home. But this changed when her eldest daughter got engaged to a town man, and he wanted ten gold coins as a dowry.
Her daughter was malicious like her aunt; after all, she was the one who gave them the idea to sell Cassian so she could happily marry the town dweller.
Cassian didn't know how much money that merchant gave to his aunt, but his aunt seemed pleased with the heavy pouch. And Cassian felt all the more disgusted with their behavior. After all, he was their blood relative; how could they settle down their daughter's home at the cost of someone else's blood and tears?
Cassian looked at the boys. Some had already started crying from fear, some were lost in their own misery, and some looked like they had lost their souls, only their bodies remaining alive.
As the night got darker, the lean man came back with the same merchant and shouted for all the boys to walk toward the wagon and gave them clear instructions.
"Don't dare to misbehave. The place where we are going is very important. If any of you decide to act on your own accord, be ready to lose your head," he said with malicious intent.
All the boys became pale because of his threat and nodded in understanding. The man smiled. "Good boys. If you bring us benefits, we will give you a generous reward," he said and walked away with a wicked smile.
All the boys looked at each other in confusion. Bring benefits? But how? He didn't say anything specific; how would they know what to do?
Only Cassian and a red-haired boy, who had furrowed brows, found this incredible. What could be the greatest gift other than releasing them? But it was impossible; they would never be released.
Cassian and the red-haired boy's gazes met, and they instantly understood that they both had the same thoughts, unlike the other boys. But they didn't continue staring at each other because the merchant had warned them not to talk to each other, or they would have to face dire consequences.