Episode 38

"Victim?"

Scarlet's eyebrows drew together as she looked back at Moshu Shi, who was now staring at her. A look of realization overtook him, causing a nervous laugh to escape his lips.

"Scarlet...? I thought, for sure, those cannibals got you, but I see you managed to escape. You must be damned lucky."

"Lucky is one word for it," Helfeirch stated flatly. "See, some time ago, this guy made a deal with my people: safe passage guaranteed so long as he had something to offer us in place of his life."

'That bastard sold me out!'

Scarlet had already launched to her feet and was across the room in a blink of an eye.

Flinch only managed to dodge out of her way before she had Moshu shi by the neck, pinning him harshly against the wall.

"Lucky! Lucky?! Do you know what I had to go through because of you?! I was nearly thrown into a pit of magma!"

Moshu Shi could only try to gasp for air.

"Just how many women did you condemn to that hell hole?" Her grip tightened. "I think I'll kill you."

Her voice had taken on a haunting sort of calm, but just then, she felt something grab hold of her in an attempt to pry her from Moshu Shi. However, she did not budge, only turning her cold gaze to focus on the man's android friend, Andriw, who was posed and ready to hurl a fist at her.

"I'd stop right there, droid, if you want to stay functional," came the cold voice of Helfeirch, who now held one of his blades ready to sever his power.

The four stood locked in position, staring at one another, Moshu Shi's strangled breathing the only sound to be heard. Scarlet's cold gaze shifted from Andriw to meet Helfeirch's. Just then, she heard a voice from inside her mind.

---

"Just remember."

"Remember what?"

"Changes are coming... Remember who we are."

---

Having remembered the conversation she'd once had with herself in a dream, her grip on Moshu Shi loosened, causing him to collapse to the floor, heaving for breath.

Helfeirch never broke eye contact with her as he watched her blink the coldness from her stare, and she came back to herself.

Upon seeing Moshu Shi drop to the floor, Andriw instantly moved to help his human comrade. Scarlet simply stepped back from the two as her scales moved back to their pearl sheen. Moshu Shi shot a glare over at Flinch, who had been standing there quietly watching the scene unfold.

"Were you planning on stepping in at all?" Moshu Shi managed to ask through heaving breaths and coughs.

Flinch crossed his arms and shook his head. "Nope."

"So you were just going to let her kill me?!"

"Pretty much," Flinch answered blatantly. "I've known Scarlet longer, and frankly, I like her more. Besides, sounds like you deserved it."

Moshu Shi only scowled at Flinch before he directed his attention back to Scarlet, who was clearly still angry. "Look, Scarlet, it wasn't personal. I honestly thought we'd manage to make it through without being caught. You're fitter than most of the girls that I usually had with me. If it's any consolation, the arrangement I had is all but destroyed. Something big went down with his people, and now it's pure chaos down there."

Scarlet smiled a mirthless smile. "Oh, I know. I instigated it. But I hardly find that to be enough justice for what you've done. So, tell me, how many women did you sell?"

"I didn't sell-" Moshu Shi's words morphed into a scream as Scarlet's foot came hard down on his shin, producing a clear and unmistakable snap.

"Don't play word games with me. I'm not in the mood," Scarlet growled.

"I don't remember, I swear, I don't remember the exact number!"

Andriw stood to be a barrier between Scarlet and Moshu Shi. "Seventeen."

Scarlet could feel her body shaking as she struggled against her rage. She looked over her shoulder at Helfeirch. "And how many of those ended up happy?"

"I'm not sure happy is a word I would use. Maybe two or three ended up with decent mates. The rest?" He shook his head. "Not so much."

Scarlet remembered how Helfeirch had stated that some of the Bwbach men shared their women with other men. Her eyes fell on the android and man before her.

What was she to do with them, these parasites who'd basically lured women and sold them off, condemning them to what was a horrible existence? Did he even once feel remorse for what he'd done? Should his punishment not be equal?

His only saving grace was that she'd managed to meet Helfeirch due to his misdeeds.

Without warning, Scarlet thrust forward at the android. Any normal person wouldn't stand a chance against the machine, but Scarlet knew she was no longer normal. And she was much stronger than she was the last time she went up against a machine like this.

The wrestling match only lasted a few moments before Scarlet ripped out his power cell. Andriw collapsed to the floor with a thud that shook the whole room. Moshu Shi could only stare at the scene before him in shock as Scarlet knelt in front of him.

"You know, I've decided that I'm not going to kill you after all. How lucky you are. You're going to be just as lucky as all those women you sold."

Scarlet watched as the shock eroded into complete horror-filled fear. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Don't worry, I'm going to bestow upon you the same courtesy as you bestowed upon your victims," Scarlet stated before standing.