Forged in Frost and Fire (Book 1 in the Chronicles of Kings trilogy)

Chapter Three

"Don't," I said, turning back to look at him. "I won't give up my dignity like that." I knew that the women, prostitutes, had no choice. Most of them were more desperate than I was, a lot more, if they felt the need to give up their bodies for money. But they were the scum of the earth in this town. If one was a prostitute, they could pretty much give up every ounce of respect as a human being they had.

"I'm just saying." Martin gave me a slow, toothy grin and I swallowed down the urge to vomit. I probably would have spewed all over him if I had anything in my stomach to vomit up. My hands clenched at my sides, nails biting into my skin. Cold flared under my skin and I had the urge to slam my hands against the border between us and tug and tug until I ripped it from the wall.

"Miss Gellert, if you have no other requests, then I must ask you to leave." He rested his chin on the back of his hands and the gesture made a low growl form in the back of my throat. How dare he.

"Go to fucking hell, Martin." I did slam my fist against the metal. It made the border rattle loudly, and the other Employment Officers in their little cubicles glance over at me. I gave them all the finger before turning away sharply. I let my shoulder shove into the man who had coughed at me before and he stumbled slightly. Take that, asshole.

I bounded out of the depressing building and into the chill air outside. Once I was outside, the adrenaline faded out of my body and I wheezed, bracing my hands on my knees. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten. I was always so, so hungry nowadays. But I couldn't buy anything. Tellie had promised me that she'd send back money every month, but I had only received three payments in the five months she'd been away. I had been rationing that money but I had only a few coins left. My body had felt the toll. I had lost any softness to me, now I was all bony elbows and sharp edges. My cheeks were hollow, my wrists so thin they looked like they could snap in a strong wind. I had written to Tellie about it but she hadn't gotten back to me. I tried not to let my worry eat away at me, the hunger was a stronger worry though, it kept the anxiety away.

People milling around the Employment building eyed me, some gave me sympathetic looks, others gave me a disgusted look, eyeing me wheeze. I would have given them the finger too if I had the energy. I slowly uncurled from my position and braced my hands on my hips. I could do this. I just had to walk home.

I shuffled onward, bracing myself against the cold wind. It was supposed to be spring here, the temperatures were supposed to be warming up. But instead...it was getting colder. There had been about a ten degree drop since winter, and while everyone was groaning about it, no one had an explanation. Some of the town officials sent word to the people in the central cities but they hadn't responded.

I walked by a group of kids playing some sort of game and my heart reached out to them. What I wouldn't give to live like that again. To be young and carefree. To have a mother and father to take care of me. It would have been bliss.

"Hey, sweet thing. Why don't you try a smile?"someone called. I felt my cheeks heat and my breath stop in my throat. I was in a somewhat deserted part of the town, in a place where it was mostly empty buildings, rotting and caving in on themselves. There was a warehouse near here, tall and looming and unused for years. Maybe I could run there and-

"Hey! Did you hear me, girl?" The voice came closer now and I turned to see a man leaning against the wall of a crumbling building. He had a bottle in his hand, half covered by a brown bag. A lousy job of concealing alcohol. He looked scruffy, dirty, his beard was long and untrimmed, and his clothes were riddled with holes and lazy patches to cover those holes.

I ignored the man and continued walking. I was taking the shortcut home, considering I didn't have the strength to go the long way. I hopped over what looked like a shoe and saw a rats tail scurry inside. Looks like the rats had found a home, it was probably in better shape than mine was.