than ever.

“You going to sell me off, Sir? To Tooth n’ Claw?”

The boy misread the surprise on Diogo’s face.

“I’m sorry Sir. I didn’t mean no disrespect. I know it’s your decision Sir. Please Sir, I - ”

“What makes you say that boy?” Diogo said, studying the boy close.

Jasari squirmed under his hard gaze, shrugged and looked down at Diogo’s boots.

“Master’s always saying he’d sell me if I was worth something. Always says a place like Tooth n’ Claw is where a useless slut like me belongs.” He looked up at Diogo. “Is that where you’re selling me?”

Diogo was no good at handling slaveboys. Anything he said or did made things worse. He wished like hell Valak would hurry up.

“I ain’t selling you nowhere. You’re going home as soon as your Master pays me.”

The boy fought back tears. Gods-curse it, Diogo thought, where the fuck’s Valak?

“Softly boy. You’ll be home before - ”

“He won’t pay you,” Jasari shouted in a high screechy voice that grated on Diogo’s nerves. “He probably left town already. He’ll be on the first ship out.”

“You’re wrong boy,” Diogo said quietly. “No one would do that to me. He’ll pay, and come Good Day you’ll be back home.”

“Yeah,” the slaveboy said, and sat at Diogo’s feet and put his face in his hands.

Valak walked in. The relief on Diogo’s face was ecstasy, salvation.

“They’re coming,” his Handler said. He was about to say more, but he caught the look on Diogo’s face. “What’s up?”

Diogo told him. In a few minutes, by some magic that made Valak the best Handler Diogo knew, he had the boy smiling. It was a small smile, but it was better than anything Diogo could have done.

Jasari knelt at Valak’s feet, fidgeting with the man’s trousers in a way that would have annoyed Diogo beyond all reason. He didn’t know how Valak did it. Slaveboys all over him all the time, with their petty nonsense – this one took that, he said this, it wasn’t me, he got more cake than me - bawling, laughing, noisy. Diogo cringed inside at the thought.

Valak watched