Elizabeth refused to cry, least Marcus know the satisfaction of his power of her. Her mind frantically searched for a solution. There had to be a way to escape. She couldn't stay here, forced to live with a centaur and be his slave. This was absurd. Unreal. "Hello there." Called a soft voice. The older woman she'd seen earlier entered the longhouse carrying a tray of food. Her graying hair was left loose over shoulders and she wore a fine gown of green that looked expensive. Elizabeth wondered at the beauty of such a gown. Did they make their clothes here? In her village, it was rare to find a gown as beautiful as this woman's, even in the shops that sold ready-made ones. "You are Orcanus's mate?" The older woman, with her lined face and kind smile nodded. "My name is Jewel. Marcus tells m
