Celina's journey didn't stop with one slave house.
For the next two months, she became like a ghost in the underworld. Rumours whispered among slave traders, a curse on the lips of crooked nobles. If there's one thing nobles feared, it's a curse. Curses could wipe all of their bloodline without a trace. Cities burned after Celina's short visit.
She rode through thick forests, cutting through the desert heat, infiltrated caravans disguised as a merchant's daughter, joined a travelling circus to cross borders without suspicion, and even snuck into a noble's estate as a servant just to scout their hidden prison under the wine cellar.
Each slave house had its own defences. Some relied on runes etched into the walls, others had powerful hired mages guarding the cells. Some were well-hidden, others displayed their captives like trophies at black-market auctions.
