’‘Good, the address you used was the airbnb apartment?Right?’ I nodded, I was feeling a little dizzy and tired, I still had 4 hours before my fl...ght, maybe a quick nap will be ok? ‘I still have your laptop, phone, passport and wallet too?’, I nodded again. ‘Yes master and I do need those back soon!’‘Stand up slave’. I stood up immediately, not even thinking about it, it was now an automatic impulse to do as he said. ‘Take off your clothes for me’, I dropped my shorts, t-shirt and boxers. ‘play. The fishermen and traders and sailors would be mulling around the docks early, even in the worsening weather, but dawn was still hours away yet. The only people about were the beggars and paupers who preferred the waterfront district to the crowded press of the more tightly clustered poor quarters, and the drunkards who had been tossed out of the bars and taverns along the docks to sleep off their stupor in the cold. Of the few guards who should have been patrolling the piers and waterfront. ‘Thank you,’ said the beetle-boy, politely, then fetched a big, brown, package, and carried it to the butterfly. ‘Is everything in here?’ asked the butterfly. Valo narrowed his eyes. The purple-winged woman had led them to believe that she had been acting out of charity. He had even given her a bow of the highest quality to repay her kindness. ‘It’s all there,’ said the crone. ‘Thank you for your help. We will be fine now.’ The butterfly looked like she was trying to think up an excuse to stay. ‘Varin, where will we go?’ Anika choked on a quiet sob, desperate to protect her pride in front of her friend. ‘They are not coming back, are they?’ Her throat constricted beneath the soft fabric of her cloak at the thought she had been dismissing since Sibbe had revealed herself to be more than the monster she usually was. Varin felt his heart skip a beat, he needed Anika to stay positive, he did not think he could cope with her anguish, every tear already tore at him savagely, demanding blood.