The dimly lit auction hall buzzed with murmurs of aristocrats and merchants, their greed palpable as they eyed the lineup of "prizes" being paraded across the stage. Cassian stood near the back, arms crossed and jaw tight, his curiosity laced with disgust. He hadn’t intended to enter the auction—it was the whispers of something “unique” being sold that drew him. He wanted to see just how low humanity could stoop.

The auctioneer bellowed, “And next, a rare specimen! Straight from the northern wilds!”

Cassian’s breath hitched when she was led onto the stage.

The woman was stunning in an unearthly way. Her fiery red hair cascaded in waves down her back, threaded with twigs and autumn leaves as though nature itself had claimed her. Freckles dusted her pale cheeks like constellations, her foxlike ears swiveling nervously as the crowd erupted in gasps. She wore a tattered, once-ornate dress of forest green and gold, its intricate embroidery suggesting a life of grace now reduced to this.

But it was the tail that caught Cassian’s eye. A bushy, flame-colored fox tail swayed behind her, betraying her panic. It bristled, twitching with each shout from the crowd, as if trying to hide her vulnerability. She gripped her bound hands tightly, trembling but standing tall despite the fear radiating from her golden, darting eyes.

Cassian’s heart clenched. She wasn’t property—she was terrified.

“Bidding starts at 500 gold!”

The offers came like a storm, each bidder shouting louder than the last. Cassian’s fists curled as he saw her flinch at every booming voice, her tail tucking slightly behind her legs. He didn’t think, didn’t weigh the consequences.

“Five thousand,” he called, his voice slicing through the chaos like a blade.

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to him. The auctioneer gawked, stammering, “F-Five thousand? Going once… going twice…”

“Sold!”

Cassian exhaled, steadying himself as he met the woman’s gaze. Relief and confusion flickered in her eyes. Her tail twitched cautiously.