"Miserable, I don't believe you've changed," thought Deria, who glanced sideways at Mart from time to time. She was one of the subordinates of the current Marquis Teraz Sevec, Mart's father, but after the real Mart groped her, she had aligned herself with a faction within the marquisate that supported Benjac Sevec, Mart's talented half-brother. That was one of the reasons why she looked at Mart with contempt.
••••
Mart gazed at the beautiful, luxurious buildings visible from the window until they reached the city gates, where the guards stopped the vehicle. This time, they were demons Mart had never seen before, but like the previous guards, they wore white uniforms with gold trim.
This time, the vehicle inspection was quick, somewhat formal, to verify that no slaves or indebted demons were leaving Zazel City.
"Thank you for your time, young sir. We hope you return," said the chief guard who conducted the inspection politely.
