The faint blue light of an Observer appeared beside AX.

  “Today, a Selium slave was purchased by the butcher of Bona Vista,” the Observer reported. “She was tied up and locked in a cell. We believe she will be slaughtered at dawn.”

  I sat up in bed, anger swelling in my chest. Tariel grabbed my arm tightly.

  “Do we have until dawn?” I asked, pulling Tariel close and holding her firmly.

  “She is naked and exposed. Tonight will be very cold, even for a Selium.”

  “We can bring her without anyone noticing. In one second she would be here,” AX said.

  “No!” I replied, before even thinking.

  “What is that expression?” Jazzia laughed.

  “Why are you laughing?” I asked.

  “The expression you made was hilarious.”

  “It was despair, Jazzia.”

  “Despair? Why?”

  “If I bring her alone, she will become mine… and I don’t want another wife,” I explained.

  I pulled Anastácia’s naked body against my chest and hugged my two wives tightly.

  “I am very happy with the two wives I have. I know the Sekvens acted so that love in us would evolve in an accelerated way, and I know it is a sincere, true love. I don’t want anything to ruin this.”

  “When they told me I would spend eternity with a human, I read many books, from many eras,” Jazzia commented. “Some spoke of the human man’s fascination with possessing several females.”

  “You… eternity with me? When I didn’t even know… They already arranged a mother for me… AX, are you my father?”

  “That was funny,” AX replied.

  I hid my face in my hands, trying not to imagine how far all this could take me.

  “Jazzia, a man’s heart can desire many women, but that is instinct. I am not a Sekvens. I am not made only of good instincts. I have limits. I am happy with my family, but if I have many wives and children, I won’t be able to give attention to all of them. My love is not infinite. That’s why I need to restrain myself.”

  “That’s good!” Tariel said, sulking. “I already share you with Anastácia. If you have many wives, we’ll be lonely.”

  “It’s the opposite of the Sekvens… and of us as well,” AX commented.

  “A sad fact,” I replied. “Humans can feel loneliness even when surrounded by millions of people.”

  “It doesn’t seem like a fact,” Jazzia concluded. “It seems like a burden.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “Enough talk… let’s rescue all the slaves now.”

  “Now?” Anastácia was startled.

  “Anastácia, you and Tariel get ready. I want them to see you. I don’t think the Selium will trust me, but seeing you both—so different from the humans and Selium they know—may help. The Observers will take them, if necessary.”

  The trip lasted only a few seconds, but this time the sensation was agonizing. AX phased in front of the cage where the Selium was being held.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Gagged and with her hands tied behind her back, her body shuddered with cold. I wondered if that was intentional: dead by morning, there would be no blood at all. She opened her eyes… and all I saw was sadness and hopelessness. I held myself back.

  “AX, we need something to warm her.”

  “Unforgivable,” AX complained. “None of us thought of that. There are three Observers here. I’ll get a blanket.”

  “At least I remembered the backpack,” I muttered, forcing a smile.

  The place was dark and deserted. Everything I could see existed only under the Observer’s faint light. I didn’t want to draw attention.

  “Hi… I’m here to help you,” I said softly. “I won’t let them hurt you. But I need you to stay quiet.”

  She nodded.

  The iron lock would be hard to break, but the Observer solved the problem: the entire door simply disappeared. She flinched.

  “Calm down,” I asked. “It’s all right. We are from very far away. I’m going to remove the gag and untie you. Don’t speak loudly. Don’t run. Okay?”

  “Yes,” she answered, when I removed the gag.

  “Put this on,” AX said, making the blanket appear in my hands.

  When I tried to place it over her, the Selium recoiled. Even so, I advanced carefully and covered her.

  “Your venom doesn’t harm me. Now come with me.”

  I was already moving in the direction AX indicated, where the other slaves were, when a question tore through my chest.

  “Are you going to eat me?”

  I stopped, turned around, and hugged her.

  “No. No human will harm you. You are under our protection.”

  The hug seemed to frighten her even more.

  “What is your name?”

  “Nissi.”

  I continued on, holding her hand.

  We crossed part of a silent city. I saw only shadows of buildings and a few windows lit by fireplaces. Fortunately, we encountered no one.

  The place where the slaves were kept was large, made of wooden logs and thick bars. Inside, they slept around a bonfire. They wore rags and shackles on their ankles. And like Nissi, none of them had hair.

  “AX, can you muffle the sound in this place? I don’t want anyone to hear.”

  “Done. The lock has been removed.”

  I entered, bringing Nissi by the hand.

  Seeing those people sleeping on the ground, I froze. I tried to understand what I was feeling when AX spoke.

  “What is it, Willian?”

  “I think I’m afraid. If I save them, I will be responsible for each of them. I will have to make them happy. That’s frightening for an ordinary man.”

  “I don’t believe the Sekvens would have chosen you if you were an ordinary human,” AX replied curtly. “Free them all, take your wives, and let’s go.”

  My hand was squeezed tightly.

  “AX is provoking me, Nissi. He knows I wouldn’t be able to leave them,” I explained.

  Under the bonfire’s light, I saw the marks: lash wounds, open sores on lips and ankles. I took the regenerator from my backpack.

  “Let me take care of this.”

  I applied the cream to her lips and then to her ankles. Nissi remained motionless. A human touching and caring for her wounds must have been unimaginable.

  “I take pleasure in caring for people and seeing them smile,” I said, gently touching her face.

  “Do you consider me a person?”

  “You and I are not different. You deserve attention, safety, love. Don’t let the monsters who did this to you consume your soul. Believe that you can be loved. And you will be.”

  “A human saying that… it’s unreal.”

  “I’ve been hearing that word a lot lately,” I smiled.

  When I turned around, I was startled. They were all awake.

  “AX, why didn’t you warn me?”

  “You were focused. And they woke up even before we came in. You don’t think those big ears are just for decoration, do you?”

  “I’m going to free all of you. Now.”

  “Do you expect us to believe that? You’ll steal us to—”

  “You’re right,” I interrupted. “I am stealing. Only a human can do that. My friend here would not.”

  “He will assume responsibility,” AX confirmed.

  Their looks were filled with disbelief.

  “You think we’ll believe you just because you said we are people?” another Selium asked, adjusting the shackle over an open wound.

  “AX, remove these chains.”

  As the chains vanished, murmurs spread. I approached the injured Selium, knelt down, and applied the regenerator.

  “I am immune to the venom. But I understand that trusting a strange human is asking a lot. What if I introduce my wives?”

  She frowned. I handed her the jar.

  “Apply it to the wounds. The relief is immediate. Isn’t it, Nissi?”

  “My mouth has already healed!” she said, touching her lips.

  “AX, bring my wives.”

  I touched my chest. I spoke of them as if we had been together for decades. And, in a way, we had. The Sekvens carve love into our hearts: we feel decades and a first time at the same time.

  The crackle of burning wood announced the arrival of Tariel and Anastácia. There was a commotion. Some hid, others crouched.

  They were beautiful, wearing embroidered dresses and blankets protecting them from the cold.

  Tariel nestled into my arms, followed by Anastácia.

  “Why are you afraid?” I asked.

  “I don’t know…” Tariel replied.

  “The past still hurts. So let’s fight it by offering them what you received. Let’s find love in their hearts.”

  Anastácia smiled and removed her hood.

  “It’s not cold here.”

  “We’ll help,” Tariel said. “But Willian is mine… and Anastácia’s.”

  “Jazzia is going to scold you when she comes back,” AX commented, amused.

  Tariel let go of my arm and removed her hood.

  That was when the silence changed.