Tears of Heaven - Cover Reveal Tomorrow

“No?” Aeschylus asked the small crowd.  “No more?  She may not have much, but they say that hard women birth hard sons.  Sons that will tend your goods, and fight in coming wars.  No, none?  Come, come good men.”

Twenty-five shekels was a months’ pay for some of these men, it was two months for others.  No one was going to risk that much money on a girl so skinny and proud.  It would take too much time and effort for her to learn her place and act the proper slave.

“None,” Aeschylus said, and paused.  “None.  None.  The deal is done!”

He raised up his hands, dropped them both to point at Dami and then pointed to a table where Aeschylus’ moneychanger sat.  Dami gave a slight bow of his head, and began to move through the men who still looked up to the slaver’s block.  Aeschylus motioned, and a Nubian, easily a head taller and a stone heavier than Dami, came forward and took the girl by the chains.

Dami approached the table. The man sitting there looked up.

“Twenty-five shekels,” the man said, as he began to tally.  “It’s another shekel if you want her robed, and another three if you want to keep the chains.”

He looked up at Dami, as the Nubian brought the girl toward them, still naked and glistening in the sun.  The moneychanger leaned forward and motioned Dami to come closer.

“This one,” he said.  “I suggest you keep the chains.  I’ll give you a good price for them.  They were made for her special.”

Tears of HeavenCover
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