Free Shiver by Yolanda Sfetsos

person on her mother’s staff had been bought or traded—all slaves.
    Lian glanced at the silver collar secured around Vera’s neck. Everyone living in this house had one of these chokers with the tiny, green light. Well, everyone except for family, and Meiling had other ways of keeping them trapped.
    “It’s too dangerous to go down there right now,” Vera said with a stern shake of her head. “Your mother will probably be there.”
    “I have to—”
    “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
    “Please, Vera. He’s innocent, just like everyone else we’ve saved. We have to find out what happened, and how he got here. We have to free him before Meiling gets a chance to hurt him.”
    Vera looked thoughtful for a few moments, before finally nodding. “Okay. But we have to be quick.”
    Lian threw her arms around Vera and hugged her tight. “Thank you.”
    They ducked into the empty corridor and Vera led the way. None of the guards loitered around, so it wasn’t hard to take the back stairs down to the main level and veer down the stairs leading to the cells below.
    The sound of voices stopped Vera in her tracks, and Lian smacked into her.
    “Sorry.” She couldn’t wait to catch a glimpse of the stranger; her heart was already racing. What if it was him? What would she do when she saw him? How would he react? Had he dreamed about her too?
    “Open this door and wait inside, okay?”
    Lian unlocked it using her index finger and stepped into the cell.
    Vera turned back to face her. “I’ll find out what’s going on. Come over as soon as the others leave, take a quick look and leave. Okay?” Lian nodded, but Vera didn’t move. “I’m serious. You have to be quick and then run back to your room before anyone sees you. I’ll meet you there so we can formulate a plan. If he needs our help.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I know.”
    As soon as Vera left, Lian kept the door open a crack, enough to peek around the corner. She waited, unable to tamp down her impatience as the murmur of voices continued.
    Was it really worth it? The risk they were taking might not pay off. Maybe she’d find herself staring into an empty cell. No, Mya said they’d captured a male and Lian knew it was him. She could still see him in her mind—the fierce shine in his eyes when he’d locked his gaze with hers.
    “You better go and get Boss right away, both of you!” Vera called as her voice got closer and louder.
    “She’s already been advised.”
    “Well, she’s not here yet, is she? So go on, hurry up and get her!”
    Lian shut the door farther just as two guards rushed past so quickly neither of them noticed her. Without wasting another second, she ran for the other cell.
    “Hurry, they won’t be gone for long,” Vera said. “It worked out better than I thought. I was positive I would have to go with them.”
    Lian smiled. “Thanks.”
    “Unlock the door and be quick. I’ll keep watch.”
    She stuck her left index finger into the port. The click echoed around them, but she didn’t waste any time stepping inside.
    Lian took small steps toward the prisoner kneeling in the middle of the cell. Both his wrists were cuffed with chains, holding him steady on either side. A cup of water sat out of his reach. He looked unconscious, with his face lowered.
      Her heart sped up. “Who are you?” she whispered, knowing he wouldn’t respond. She moved closer, intending to touch his head, arm or shoulder—any part of him that would confirm he was real. She reached for him. When her fingertips connected with the coarse stubble, he twitched.
    The man raised his head and those intense dark eyes met hers. At first they seemed filled with confusion and anger, but slowly melted into something else—curiosity.
    It’s him. It’s really him!
    Lian took a step back, not in fear but in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to wake up. “Who are you?” she repeated.
    “More importantly, who are you? ” He looked around the darkened, roofless