For a moment, I thought he might hit me, making me prepare to scream for help and cause a scene. But instead, he exhaled sharply.

“Very well,” he said through gritted teeth. “I shall replace your shackles with a spell. You’ll be free to move as you please. Yet all of it will be known to me. It will be even worse than wearing some heavy metal bands. How's that sound?"

"Magic?" I mumbled, leaning forward.

"I take it you concede," he waved a dismissive hand. "And yes, Magic. Meaning if you so much as try anything, I will find and kill you. Understand?”

"Yeah..." I said, half afraid, half confused by his constant need to be aggressive.

“Consider it done,” he spat, as though the words tasted foul in his mouth. “My debt is paid, and I owe you nothing more." He sneered at me, his satisfaction barely concealed. "I’ll cast the spell tonight. It will bind you until the day I die, so look forward to that," he added with a vicious grin as he got up to leave.

I sat there, contemplating the absurdity of being shackled by magic instead of iron when another thought struck me.

"And shoes," I said, my voice cutting through the stillness as he began to walk away.

Blert froze mid-step, then turned to glare at me. "I said one reward."

"Shoes," I repeated, tone firm. "It is a simple request," I replied, not bothering to hide the exasperation in my voice.

"... Fine."

I smiled sweetly, fully aware of how much it irked him. "Thank yu."

Blert grumbled something unintelligible as he stormed out of the carriage, slamming the door so hard it rattled on its hinges, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

If there was one thing I’d learned in my godforsaken life, it was that I needed to fight tooth and nail for every scrap of kindness, every bit of happiness—and, in this case, a pair of shoes.

~

A dozen minutes went by while I patiently waited in the carriage. Suddently, the door creaked open a crack. And before I could react, a pair of shoes flew through the gap, landing with a thud at my feet.

My face gathered into a confused frown.

I glanced at the glass, glimpsing Blert's silhouette outside. His face was a mixture of irritation and something else—embarrassment. His eyes flicked to the shoes and then back to me, as if daring me to say something. Before I could, he turned sharply on his heels and bellowed, “Holison! Get over here!”

His voice was harsh, a cover for whatever discomfort he felt. With that, he stalked away, leaving me staring at the worn-out shoe pair now lying on the carriage floor. I grinned.

The door opened wider, letting in Penelope Ashdown's personal maid, who inherited the confused expression now.

"It's happened..." I muttered. I would have leaned into some sarcastic remark and made fun of the situation to make myself feel less... shitty. But tears were rushing to my eyes the more I took in their sight. A pair two sizes too big for my feet. I reached for the shoes. The leather rough against my fingers, and the soles worn thin. But I was grinning from ear to ear.

My breath hitched as I thought of no longer feeling the sharp sting of gravel cuts, or the constant chill of the earth seeping into my bones. This was goodbye to jagged stones biting into my skin and icy coldness creeping up through my legs.

My smile stretched wider, eyes glinting with the innocence of a child under a sea of stars.

I giggled as I slipped them on, my feet swimming in the too-large space. Yet somehow, the relief was immediate.

As I adjusted the shoes, trying to make them fit as best as I could, Alice continued to watch me, her silence heavy with suspicion. Finally, she broke it.

“Where did these come from, my lady?” she asked, her voice faintly laced with curiosity.

I looked up. “I'm an oppowtunist vitch, that's where,” I replied, letting out small giggles as I stretched my feet. "Oh, you guys thay Wench, I fowgot."

Penelope Ashdown's feet were a pale porcelain color; her skin was smooth, her ankle slender, and the whole had a pinkish hue that remained despite the dirt and dryness caused by poor hygiene. I had thought it a waste for such a pretty and delicate body to remain in such a rough state until now. But worry not, wherever you are, Other Penelope. I will build you back up. I'll take such good care of us that you'll regret leaving your body to me.

This brought up a question that only now dawned on me.

Where has she gone, the real Ashdown prisoner?

Alice’s gaze didn’t waver. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“Must you employ such unseemly language, my lady?”

“I am no lady, not anymore. I am a pwisoner of the empire. I might as vell play my part, no?" I said, turning my attention back to the shoes and fiddling with the laces.

"At least this one accepts reality," she mumbled, her gaze sharpening for just a moment before she turned to leave. "I shall be attending to my duties now, Lady Penelope."

I nodded and leaned back in the chair, my grin slowly fading as I watched Alice make her way out.

Alice was either too shrewd or too observant for my liking. I couldn't tell which, but I had an inkling she would be a troublesome partner to pick.

Furthermore, I reckon she must carry a great deal of hatred towards me already, since she is essentially going to prison because of Ashdown's misdeeds.

But it's Ashdown that led her here. Not me.

I sat there for a while, the worn-down shoes clinging to my feet feeling like a small victory. It wasn't much, but out here, where the horizon was clear and the world seemed so deceptively simple, it felt like I had gained a little more room to breathe.