Liam pushed through the busy festival streets, the noise of music and laughing crowds pressing in from all sides.
The slave girls stuck close behind him, their eyes wide with fear and a little hope.
They looked exhausted, still wearing the simple clothes from their captivity, but they kept moving.
Beatrix and Pyra took the front, using their size and steady presence to clear a path through the packed bodies.
Beatrix would bump shoulders with anyone who got too close, muttering quick excuses.
While Pyra flashed a sharp smile that made people step aside without even realizing why.
At the back, Olivia and Cyra watched everything. Olivia scanned the faces around them.
Her hand was never far from her side, while Cyra kept glancing over her shoulder, ready for any sign of trouble.
Liam wiped sweat from his brow and glanced back again.
The girls were still there, safe for now. This had to be the right move.
