““Ours was the last vehicle in the caravan that night, except for a heavy, guarded ox-pulled provisions wagon that was even slower. Slow enough to have fallen far behind and out of sight. Which meant that there was nothing to stop me from trying to shove the Varini girl’s ugly insinuations back down her throat. I only had to reach her first. I wedged my left hand beneath the metal ring that circled my neck so I wouldn’t choke, and then I hauled on the slave chain with all my strength. I managed to gather just enough slack to connect to the side of the Varini girl’s head with the full force of my right fist. Her head snapped back. She fell heavily against her side of the cage with enough force to send the whole cart careening sideways.””
