Shades of Grey
Chapter 40: The Work Begins

ACAVIA— MAY 1843

The following morning, I awoke to two pairs of hands pulling me roughly upwards from the ground as a bucket of cold water was dumped over me.

The Treptik guard spat out a Treptik phrase in a voice even more gruff and inaudible that that of the sentry, telling me I was to be taken to my workstation.

The guard then spewed an insulting string of Treptik slurs, laughing as he threw me in line with a group of prisoners who appeared to be mining for gold and diamonds. Based on the sentry’s account, I was strong enough to work in the fields with the male slaves.

The Treptiks threw a pickaxe and a shovel at my feet and then returned to their posts, laughing as they went. I glared at them as I turned to the nearby men, staring at me with stolid eyes. They had clearly grown up in captivity. My heart soared: could these really be the lost Cambrians?

“Who are you?” asked one of the younger ones near my left. “How did you get captured by the Treptiks?”

I gulped and averted my eyes.

“Mistakenly.”

“How old are you?” asked one of the older ones.

“Eighteen.”

“What woman has the strength enough to work the diam—” the man was silenced by the harsh sting of an unexpected flagellation.

“WORK!” cried the guard, laughing hysterically.

I did my best to cover my sneer of annoyance and I slammed the axe against the hard ground, loosening the layers of rock and granite. It did give me pleasure, however, to see the several impressed looks I received from the other male slaves.

“Are you a soldier?” asked one of the nearby men, who looked to be around my age.

“You could say that.”

“How long have you trained?”

“Ten years, combat training five days a week for six hours a day,” I answered, continuing to hack away at the earth. “Feel free to calculate how much time that is.”

He ploughed some more, clearly impressed, and then looked up at me.

“My name is Lanek.” He extended his hand. I took it, shaking strongly.

“Hello, Lanek. My name is Grey.”

“Hello, Grey.”

We both laughed at the formalities and then it was my turn to feel the sharp sting of the Treptik whip against my back. It was such a surprise that I fell to the ground, shocked by the sudden blow. Lanek kindly helped me stand again as the Treptiks roared in laughter. I then felt Lanek’s rough and calloused fingers gently sweep their way down my side to the laceration.

“You’re bleeding,” he said solicitously.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.” I lifted my pickaxe and returned to work. “I’ve got a high pain tolerance.”

“Are you sure? It looks pretty swollen already,” he said, tracing the wound with his hand.

I smiled at Lanek, who seemed trustworthy, but after my last encounter with a man who seemed trustworthy, I learnt to be wary. Everyone had a dark side.

“Well, I bet I could tell you how dark his actually is,” I heard Forma quip telepathically, responding to my thoughts.

“Forma?! Where are you?” I asked, scoping the cave with my eyes, but keeping my head down.

“I’m behind you as a Treptik guard.”

“Are you the one who whipped me?”

“No. I did laugh at you though.”

I smiled. She was quite good at deception, although I could usually see her when she was in disguise and it had not registered with me that she was one of the guards.

“Will you be surveying the rest of the cave for me, since I’m stuck with the slaves?” I asked.

“Certainly. I heard rumors of a Treptik security briefing. Should prove to be most enlightening.”

I laughed at her sarcasm and returned to my work.

“Listen,” Lanek said lightly. “There is a gathering tonight in the slave quarters. Why don’t you join us?”

His eyes were genuine and kind. I decided to trust him.

“Alright. I will be there.”