Everything Begins

Chapter 41

Sophyra’s naked body was propped up against a tree, and Frank could see ropes securing her to it. Her head was canted at a strange angle, and blood covered her. A piece of paper was stuck to the tree above her head:

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO SLAVES THAT RUN

“! Sophyra!” Frank covered the distance to her in a few steps, and he instantly saw that her throat had been cut so deeply that she was almost decapitated. He dropped to his knees and reached for her, but he did not know what to do. Finally, he carefully undid the ropes that held her to the tree with hands that shook violently, and then he sat on the ground and cradled her closely to himself. He started rocking back and forth as tears streamed down his face.

“No, no, no, no, no,” he muttered, desperately clutching her to his chest. “Please, Yisu, not her, please, please, please.”

He was still there, muttering to himself and rocking her in his arms, when Dinton and Tero came back. He heard them return, but he could not make himself ca