SWNOVELS Chapter 607
"Where are they?" I asked the man, starting to panic. "Did you take Damien's
family and Basin's family or just us? Didn't my female offspring send someone for Rose's family and mine?"
"The slavers," Thom spat out, "were offered safety in our camp. They are being transported separately. Hannah and Kennedy are well respected or such a request would never have been honored."
I stared at the man in the dim half light of the tunnels. He had referred to our men as "slavers" and I had that sinking feeling again Free men would view men like Damien and his Brothers as no better than the women.
"I am free with Damien and his Brothers," I said quickly taking a step toward Thom.
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"They said I was not a slave and made me family one night 'long ago-"
Thom snorted and his eyes flashed, "They told you this? They told you one day you were family to them?'
"Yes," I said eagerly nodding my head, "they said I was family and not a slave. Damien and his Brothers decided on their own that slavery was wrong. I asked to be free and they made me family."
"That was their decision, was it?" Thom asked lowering his voice and sounding slightly menacing. "They told you what you would be and you accepted it. It doesn't sound to me as though it was a real choice."
I was startled by the statement and stared blankly at him. Thom just continued to speak, "You cannot make someone family, Rachel. Family between men and women is a choice. I don't think you ever had the option of choosing another family. You were told where you belonged. This is no different from slavery."
The man's words cut deep for some reason. Probably because there was a measure of truth in them. It wasn't Like I had been offered the choice of Damien's family, it was just the only option.
"Drink, Ruth," Thom said, "it is still a Long ride to our destination."
It took a several tries for Rose to finally Lift the canteen to her lips and take a tentative sip, then a couple of gulps. She Looked amazed as she handed me back the container. This had been a first on this planet for her.
My friend and I rode hand in hand, silently for the most part. I wasn't sure what to say. Freedom from Nu-reeh had been such an overriding goal, I hadn't stopped to think what problems may lie ahead.
It never had occurred to me that my men would be judged harshly by their peers.
The air was bitingly cold on my face when Light suddenly shone ahead of us. We passed out our narrow passage into a Larger cave. There appeared to be a flat, black lake with a large circular island in the middle. A series of big camp fires lit the island and surrounding area. In the dim Light I could see small openings all around the lake. It was like a hub with spokes running off from it.
On the beach were several transports Like ours. I saw men milling around passing in and out of the Light.
"We lost this bet, Brother," one of the men on my transport laughed. "They beat us."
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Our transport came to rest next to another and settled down the with a slight crunch on the ground. Men were everywhere. The noisy engine cut off and men approached us talking happily to their friends. Looking to the side, the other
transport that had been traveling
behind us also came to rest on the beach. I could see the Lump that was Fuji laying very still. The content is on Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
Men approached and one leapt onto the other transport to examine my friend.
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"You bound a freed slave? Cousins,
what were you thinking!?", the man's voice asked angry and incredulous. The content is on Novelxo.org! Read the latest chapter there!
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Rose and I rushed toward the voice
and Fuji. She lay listlessly on the transport as the man pulled off her bindings. The man undoing the ropes cursed our rescuers severely for their
incompetence. His hands on Fuji were gentle as he removed the ropes, though. He seemed intent not to harm her. The content is on Novelxo.org! Read the latest chapter there!