Chapter 20

It felt like Tivon got more anxious with every visit he had. Besides the anxiety, he had been listening to his customers less and less. It seemed to him that every time he had a customer, he had to be doing something important later in the day. And tonight, he had to be ready.

»Are you even listening to me?«

Tivon snapped back to reality. The woman sitting in front of him seemed annoyed. »Oh, yes, I'm listening.«

The woman rolled her eyes. »Ugh. I know I got paid to be here, but still. I'm in a pleasure house and I can't do anything. Boring.«

He couldn't blame her. Elias probably had to pay her a lot. I hope Sabur gave him enough money.

»I'm sorry. It's just part of the job.« said Tivon.

»At least I get free wine.« Said the woman and took a sip from a cup.

That was true, every client could have as much wine as they wished. It wasn't the best wine, Tivon had better wine at home, but here they've used so much wine that they had to water it down.

»If you want, you can leave.«

She drank up the whole cup. »I will.«

She put the cup on the table and left. Tivon sighed.

He got up, cleaned the room, and went to his cell. I could at least try to get some sleep before the night. When he came to his cell there was a purple bracelet lying on the bed. At least some good news. He took the bracelet and changed the red one with it, he then fell on the bed. His body was heavy, eyes tired and before he knew it, he fell asleep.

It wasn't that kind of sleep where you wake up and feel like a new person. Tivon woke up even more tired than before he got in bed. A quick panic rose in him when he saw that the lights were low, and everyone was sleeping. He quickly exited his cell and looked at the clock on the wall above the schedule board.

One and a half in the morning. Good, I didn't oversleep. He quickly reached into the belt to see if his lockpicks were still there. He felt two metal picks between his fingers. Now we just wait. He sat down beside the slightly opened door and waited.

Elias was standing in the shadows, waiting for The Green Woman to come out. The church bell rang. Two in the morning.

Elias put on the hood, so nobody could recognize him. He looked to The Jade Paradise. The main street was busy with people, which was good. The more people that are here the better. The door of the pleasure house opened, and Luana came outside. She covered herself with a green scarf and walked down the street towards the harbour.

Elias moved from the shadows and mixed himself in the crowd. He pulled one of his spare knives out of the belt and moved to where the crowd was most busy. He passed someone and gently sliced his leg, just enough that the man could feel it. Elias dropped the knife and moved away with the crowd.

»Hey, you!« The man turned to the first man he could see. »Ya looking for a fight?!«

»I didn-«

Before he could say anything, the man punched him and before you knew it a brawl took place.

The easiest way to make a commotion is in Bradfordshire. Elias smiled and moved in the shadow of a street beside The Jade Paradise, where he watched the fight take place.

He didn't have to wait too long before the guards of the pleasure house burst out to stop the fight. As soon as they closed the door behind them, Elias moved to the door, his lockpicks in his hand. He locked the door behind them and moved away.

It's all on you now Tivon. Be quick.

Tivon was sitting by the door, ready for Luana to leave. He heard the church bells, so he moved behind the door and hid himself in the shadows.

The two jade boys came down the stairs and quietly disappeared into their cells. Tivon could hear The Green Woman lock the door behind her and then her walking down the hallway. He looked through the door and the guards took their positions by the door. Now is your turn, Elias.

He waited a couple of minutes and to his relief, he heard angry voices coming from outside. The guards looked at each other and then they opened the door to see what was going on outside. Tivon could just see the brawl taking place in the street, and then the door closed. Now or never.

He opened the door and went straight to Luana's office. He took out the lockpick and focused on the lock on the door. It took him a couple of minutes to finally hear a satisfying click.

The door opened and Tivon quickly went inside and closed the doors. First, he opened the closet on his right side. It was filled with dresses and scarves, so he moved to the drawers below. In it was just shoes. He then quickly opened the drawers on the left side of the closet. The first drawer was filled with beautiful knives with a green crystal on every one of them. Tivon swiftly closed it. He didn't want to know what they were meant for.

The drawer below was filled with contracts. Tivon quickly went through them, but they were all the same. On it was written; This contract is provided as an agreement which defines the relationship and interaction between an individual and one other individual the Master. This agreement cannot be broken, the only way to break it is if one of the individuals dies or if the contract is destroyed. He put the papers back. I will need to get my contract before I get out of here. I don't want her to claim me forever. He closed both drawers, annoyed that he still hadn't found anything.

He looked towards the table. There was a drawer beneath it. He sat down on the chair and opened it. There was a stack of paperwork on it. Tivon took them out and read through them.

On the 12th day of April, ten boys were sold to The Jade Paradise for 300 peiges, from Norton. Tivon looked at another paper.

On the twenty-third day of November, twelve boys were sold to The Jade Paradise for 350 peiges, from Harnsey. Tivon's heart started racing. He moved through the papers.

Three boys sold for 100 peiges. Thirteen boys sold. 200 peiges. From Orkney. From Longdale.

Sold. Sold. Sold.

Tivon came to the last paper. On it was written. Over a hundred boys sold to The Jade Paradise for 8000 peiges, from The Rose Sparrow.

Tivon dropped the papers. The room started spinning and Tivon felt like he would pass out. They've all been sold as slaves. They were forced to become slaves.

In the corner of an eye, Tivon spotted something. He moved the papers on the table and what he saw made his heart stop. There was a map of Krens. There were marks of jade rock scattered around the countries. She has pleasure houses all over Krens.

Tivon started shaking and breathing heavily. He suddenly jumped when he heard the church bell ring. I need to get out of here.

He quickly scattered the papers on the desk and headed towards the doors. He carefully opened them and peeked through to see if the guards had already come back.

There was nobody there, so Tivon got through the door, closed it, and locked it with his metal picks. As he was doing that the door at the end of the hallway started opening. Tivon heard a click and ran to the doors leading to the cells. He made it just in time.

Tivon took a big breath. He was still shaking. He slowly got to his cell and lay down in his bed. I need to get out of here. I need to see Elias. He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. Stop thinking about it and just sleep, you'll figure it out tomorrow.

But he couldn't. He could hear every single sound outside the cell. He could hear the cries and sobs. He understood them now. They were the cries of the sold slaves.

After a brutal night of not sleeping Tivon headed straight outside, unbothered to look at the schedule board if he had any visits in the morning. There was one in half an hour, but he didn't care. He needed to see him.

Elias was waiting for him at the same spot. Before he could say anything to Tivon, Tivon grabbed his hand and pulled him further into the dark alleyway.

»Don't tell me you got caught-«

Tivon hastily turned around. He was talking fast, his voice full of panic. »They are slaves! They aren't here voluntarily. They've been sold to a pleasure house.«

»What?«

»The Green Woman has these houses all over Krens. And what's even worse, The Rose Sparrows sold most of the boys.«

Elias put his mask off. »Tivon what are you talking about?«

Tivon was screaming frantically. »Those boys are slaves Elias.«

Elias grabbed his shoulder. »Hey, hey. Calm down Tiv. Breathe.«

»How can I calm down Elias? T-they were sold into this... This horrible place. And I'm stuck here too!«

»I'll get you out of here. We'll do it now-«

Tivon looked him directly in the eyes. »What about the job?«

»Screw the job and that stupid necklace, you're not staying here anymore.«

»But we're so close.« Tivon wasn't sure why he was saying all these things. He wanted to go as far away as he could from this place, yet they were so close to getting the necklace.

»Tivon are you even listening to yourself? « Elias was still holding him.

He wasn't sure. »Yes.« He breathed in and out. »We're close to getting that necklace. I'll manage for a couple of days.«

»Are you sure?«

Tivon smiled and nodded. »I'll have to go back, I have a visit.«

He wanted to go, but Elias was still holding him. »If you want to get out... Tell me. I'm serious Tivon. You just need to say it.«

Tivon nodded. He turned around and headed back towards The Jade Paradise.

Why did I say that? He looked up to the pleasure house. Why don't I just run till I can? He wanted to take the next step, but someone grabbed him by his arm.

»Oh, so this is where ya have been shary.« A wave of shivers went through Tivon's body when he heard Pit's voice. »It suits ya.«