Read Online Under My Skin by Shawntelle Madison - Free Book Online
Authors: Shawntelle Madison
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“Welcome, esteemed Guild members to our 203 rd annual celebration!” His voice echoed through the great hall and suppressed the cheers from the crowd.
With the audience sufficiently hushed, he continued. “I’m pleased to bring our Water Bearers forward so that they may carry the waters of truth for our beloved Guild. May they leave us with light and love.”
The bright lights dimmed, with only a single spotlight on the golden chair. From my vantage point in the third row, I squinted to see the audience. The Water Bearers around me shifted, pointed, and whispered regarding the ornate chair. What would happen? Who would go first?
Valentin glanced at the individual faces in the front row, a compu-tablet in hand. “Eva Donahue, come forward, child.”
From the first row, Eva strode toward Valentin, who gestured for her to sit. The white spotlight hit the shiny stones on her hair, creating an angelic glow. I swallowed from how breathtaking she was.
“May I introduce our first Water Bearer available for sale. Eva Donahue, item number 23674A on your compu-tablets. Based on prebids, we open the auction at 7,500 credits.”
The audience remained silent for a moment, and then the lights from several balconies lit up like starlight. Each one had its own distinct color.
“Look at that!” Zoe whispered.
From protector over the Water Bearers to salesman, Valentin’s voice took on the guise of a man who held many auctions before. “I have 8,500 from booth 12C, 12,000 credits from 5A...” On and on his voice went. The number rose higher and higher as the lights from the balconies blinked and flickered like fireflies dancing around a bonfire.
The auctioneer slowed down as the number climbed toward 30,000 credits. The number boggled me to silence as the Water Bearers around me buzzed from hearing such things.
“There’s no way someone would pay that much for her. Can you believe it?” a girl behind me said.
“I’ve heard them say Eva is special,” another said.
Zoe snorted at my side. “I find that hard to believe.”
The bidding finally ended at 45,000 credits, a number my village didn’t produce during a year, according to our accounting books. We were lucky most years to generate half of that in canned fish sales to the northern cities. And yet Eva was worth that much? For what reason?
“Why would they pay so much?” I whispered to Zoe.
She shrugged. “Beats me. I wish I knew, though. ‘Cause paying that much for a handmaid is pure foolishness.”
“Item 23674A, sold to Constantine Fortuna in booth 5A!” The crowd erupted into applause as an older Water Bearer led Eva away. From the pleased look on Eva’s face, she couldn’t wait to see the rich Guild member who had bought her.
Next up was a girl I didn’t know. Compared to the excitement around Eva, the girl—known as Item 23798B, didn’t generate as many bids. Matter of fact, Valentin had to encourage bidding. “C’mon now, folks. We have a perfectly good Water Bearer here. She’ll serve her purpose just fine. I’m looking for a thousand credits.”
With only five bids placed, the girl was sold for a meager 1,200 credits.
And just like that, the Water Bearers around me began to disappear as Valentin called more and more to the golden seat. As each person left, my heart began to race from thinking, Would I be next? Could I run away now if I tried? Had I missed my chance already?
My gaze flicked to Zoe. Each person who’d left hadn’t come back. They disappeared into the darkness off the side of the stage. Would her sponsor buy both of us?
When Valentin called Zoe’s name, my heart dropped. My hand, with a will of its own, continued to clutch hers when she tried to leave.
“It’s okay,” she whispered softly. Her palm briefly warmed my cheek. “Between the two of us, you’re actually the stronger one, cousin. Everything will be all right from now on.”
But as I watched Zoe go, I didn’t feel that way. Not as Valentin opened
With the audience sufficiently hushed, he continued. “I’m pleased to bring our Water Bearers forward so that they may carry the waters of truth for our beloved Guild. May they leave us with light and love.”
The bright lights dimmed, with only a single spotlight on the golden chair. From my vantage point in the third row, I squinted to see the audience. The Water Bearers around me shifted, pointed, and whispered regarding the ornate chair. What would happen? Who would go first?
Valentin glanced at the individual faces in the front row, a compu-tablet in hand. “Eva Donahue, come forward, child.”
From the first row, Eva strode toward Valentin, who gestured for her to sit. The white spotlight hit the shiny stones on her hair, creating an angelic glow. I swallowed from how breathtaking she was.
“May I introduce our first Water Bearer available for sale. Eva Donahue, item number 23674A on your compu-tablets. Based on prebids, we open the auction at 7,500 credits.”
The audience remained silent for a moment, and then the lights from several balconies lit up like starlight. Each one had its own distinct color.
“Look at that!” Zoe whispered.
From protector over the Water Bearers to salesman, Valentin’s voice took on the guise of a man who held many auctions before. “I have 8,500 from booth 12C, 12,000 credits from 5A...” On and on his voice went. The number rose higher and higher as the lights from the balconies blinked and flickered like fireflies dancing around a bonfire.
The auctioneer slowed down as the number climbed toward 30,000 credits. The number boggled me to silence as the Water Bearers around me buzzed from hearing such things.
“There’s no way someone would pay that much for her. Can you believe it?” a girl behind me said.
“I’ve heard them say Eva is special,” another said.
Zoe snorted at my side. “I find that hard to believe.”
The bidding finally ended at 45,000 credits, a number my village didn’t produce during a year, according to our accounting books. We were lucky most years to generate half of that in canned fish sales to the northern cities. And yet Eva was worth that much? For what reason?
“Why would they pay so much?” I whispered to Zoe.
She shrugged. “Beats me. I wish I knew, though. ‘Cause paying that much for a handmaid is pure foolishness.”
“Item 23674A, sold to Constantine Fortuna in booth 5A!” The crowd erupted into applause as an older Water Bearer led Eva away. From the pleased look on Eva’s face, she couldn’t wait to see the rich Guild member who had bought her.
Next up was a girl I didn’t know. Compared to the excitement around Eva, the girl—known as Item 23798B, didn’t generate as many bids. Matter of fact, Valentin had to encourage bidding. “C’mon now, folks. We have a perfectly good Water Bearer here. She’ll serve her purpose just fine. I’m looking for a thousand credits.”
With only five bids placed, the girl was sold for a meager 1,200 credits.
And just like that, the Water Bearers around me began to disappear as Valentin called more and more to the golden seat. As each person left, my heart began to race from thinking, Would I be next? Could I run away now if I tried? Had I missed my chance already?
My gaze flicked to Zoe. Each person who’d left hadn’t come back. They disappeared into the darkness off the side of the stage. Would her sponsor buy both of us?
When Valentin called Zoe’s name, my heart dropped. My hand, with a will of its own, continued to clutch hers when she tried to leave.
“It’s okay,” she whispered softly. Her palm briefly warmed my cheek. “Between the two of us, you’re actually the stronger one, cousin. Everything will be all right from now on.”
But as I watched Zoe go, I didn’t feel that way. Not as Valentin opened
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