Hand of Fire (The Master of the Tane) (37 page)

             
Tam couldn’t help but smile at the silly look on his face and the relief that came with having him there with her. “Oh Dor,” she sighed, “I thought you were dead for sure.”

             
“Well, to be honest with you, so did I. But thanks to our friendly hosts, I am still here to cause what trouble I can.”

             
“How did you get here? I mean, what happened to you after I left?”

             
“Actually, I’m not quite sure for the most part. I was sitting by the ledge, where the rats were gathered, trying my best to get away from the heat. I must have dozed off for a while or something but I felt as if I was beginning to slip away. I moved back from the ledge, not wanting to fall in and feed the local inhabitants, and my mind began to get all fuzzy. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a cave full of trolls. At first I thought I was dreaming or hallucinating because I was so dehydrated. I figured that my mind was playing a trick on me and turning all the rats into trolls.” He trailed off for a moment, a sardonic grin playing across his face. 

“So,” Tam prodded, “then what happened?”

“Well, I figured it was best to act like I was still passed out until I could figure things out. I didn’t have more than a minute or two to watch before one of them came up to me and kicked me in the side. I wanted to return the favor but thought better of it at the time. The amazing thing was that he spoke our language; well, gurgled it would be a better description. He asked me a bunch of questions I can’t remember now but it doesn’t matter because I wouldn’t answer. Actually, couldn’t answer was more like it. I was so thirsty. My tongue felt like a huge cotton ball. When I tried to speak, nothing came out but a rasping sound. I guess he figured I was faking because every time I didn’t answer, I got a kick to the stomach.”

Tam brought her hand to her mouth.
“Oh Dor, how terrible.”

He looked at her for a brief moment, strangely happy that she felt sorry for him. “Yeah, well, anyway. It wasn’t long before I was almost passed out again. The rest is kind of fuzzy but
they brought me something to drink. I was so thirsty that at that moment I would have swallowed anything they put in my mouth. So I drank it down and instantly regretted it. It was awful.”

             
Tam smiled knowingly. “And it made your head spin and your limbs feel like dead weight?”

             
Dor smiled back. “So, I see that it’s something they give all their guests. They tried to give it to me again but I refused after that.” His face got suddenly serious scaring Tam with the intensity of his look. “Don’t drink it Tam. It’s poison. Had I been more aware the first time, I would have refused it then. When they brought it to me the second time, my Tane warned me that it was no good.”

Tam bit her lip.

Dor smiled at her trying to relieve some of the tension he suddenly saw in her face. “Plus, I figured that since I was still alive then there was a reason and if they wanted to keep me alive, then they would have to give me something else. That’s how I got my first set of marks.” He pointed to his back.

             
Tam looked at him in awe. She had never thought of it that way. She had thought about why she was still alive, but she had automatically figured it was just to fill their bellies at a later date. Then again, she didn’t think she could have taken the abuse Dor had. That she had suffered greatly, there was no doubt, but she knew that she had been on the edge many times. She shuddered to think what might have happened had she refused them. She quickly shrugged the thought away. The fact was, she didn’t want water anymore. She found herself craving the drink more and more. It almost made her angry when she thought about. How could he say that it was poison? She was still alive and was, in fact, feeling better than she had before. That must be coming from the drink. Sure, it had made her feel bad at first, but that was just because she wasn’t used to it. Now, it made her feel wonderful. Dor just didn’t realize what he was missing. And she was not about to tell him. After all, if he knew how great it made her feel then she might have to share it with him.

             
Dor continued on with his story but Tam only half listened since it was similar to her own, until he came to a part she thought she remembered. “I saw you for the first time in one of the large caves,” he said rubbing his chin. “You looked terrible, tied and dragged behind the troll in front of you. I was so happy to see you I jumped up and yelled your name. I thought you paused but I couldn’t be sure because I was immediately pulled down and whipped by the guards. That’s when I got my second set of stripes.”

             
Tam looked at him tenderly, suddenly feeling a strange closeness to him that she’d never felt before. Someone had called her after all. It seemed so long ago that she had nearly forgotten about it.

             
Dor continued. “I didn’t see you after that until today when we left the mountain. I was exhausted from the continual walking. It was all I could do just to put one foot in front of the other.” He looked down, as if ashamed of what he was saying. “The darkness and enclosure of the caves was really starting to threaten my sanity. When we came out of it today, I felt as if I had come alive again with the sky above me and the grass under my feet. I didn’t have much time to enjoy it though because almost the instant I left the cave there was a loud scream and the camp was thrown into a huge uproar.” He beamed at her. “I knew that there was only one person who could make so many people so crazy.”

Tam’s temper flared at his comment but then she realized that he was only trying to lighten a horrible situation. She gave him a mock angry look and punched him in the arm.

Dor chuckled. “I looked up and there you were, running for the trees like a mad woman. I tried to follow after you. In fact, I got a whole step in your direction before I was roped around the neck and got another thrashing. That was the third whipping. And the last,” he sneered, glancing at the large group of snoring trolls with a raging hatred that burned through eyes.

             
Tam looked down remembering what had made her do it and also feeling sorry that Dor had gotten hurt again because of her. She jerked her head up when Dor started laughing.

“You should have seen the look on some of the troll’s faces,” he said excitedly while trying to keep his voice down. “The whole camp burst into a great mass of confusion. Some of the trolls thought we were being attacked and started throwing their clubs around. It was a sight to be sure.”

              Tam smiled weakly. She was glad that Dor had been too busy watching those around him to understand the cries of warning that had been flying from her lips. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want Dor to know how close she had come to losing herself completely.

             
Dor’s face beamed in the firelight, as he looked at Tam in a way that made her feel a bit uncomfortable. “I’m sure glad we’re together again,” he finally said.

             
Tam felt her face getting warm and thanked the Mother that it was now dark so Dor wouldn’t be able to see the blush she was sure had gathered on her cheeks. She too was glad for his companionship again and for the relief it was to know he was still alive but at the same time, without knowing why, she felt a strange kind of jealousy towards him.

“So,” Dor went on keeping his voice light. “How did you fall in with such a pleasant group?”

              Tam hesitated for a brief moment, and then repeated back to Dor all she could remember of her own ordeal. She talked briefly of the fears she had of being eaten and how exhausted she had felt but when it came to the part of the dark one she moved on without mentioning it as if to even think of him would bring him back. She figured Dor must not have seen him since he made no mention of it in his story. So, why worry him? She also passed over the part about the black drink thinking it unnecessary, since he already knew about it, and not wanting him to catch on how much she longed for it now. It was hers, after all, and he had no business taking it from her. When she finally reached the part of screaming towards the woods she just passed it off as an attempt to escape.

             
Dor laughed. “Well, the next time we get a chance to escape, it might be better to keep it a little quieter.”

             
Tam forced a smile, suddenly feeling a strange resentment towards him for talking as if they would actually try to escape.
I can’t run away,
she thought.
Who will bring me my drink
?

             
Dor interrupted her thoughts when he started asking her questions about the last few days. Tam felt a little perturbed at him for asking but put him off easily by telling him she didn’t remember or she was too tired to pay attention. The joy she had first felt at seeing her friend alive had now completely disappeared being replaced by jealous thoughts that bombarded her mercilessly convincing her that he was a threat to her drink supply.

             
“Do you know where they’re taking us or why?” Dor asked, robbing her of her precious thoughts of her next drink.

             
“How should I know?” she snapped.

             
Dor jumped at her tone. “Kinpa’s bones. I’m sorry, I was just asking.”
Still the same Tam it would seem,
he thought.

             
Tam pressed down her annoyance with visible effort. “I mean...I haven’t heard a thing. I guess I’m just tired.”

             
Dor looked at her as if not believing a word she was saying. “I suppose you must be. Maybe we should try to get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”

             
“Good idea,” she said quickly. “Who knows what we’ll have to face tomorrow.”

             
“Ah, right,” Dor said turning gently onto his side. “Good night.”

             
Tam didn’t sleep. She just lay quietly thinking while listening to Dor’s steady breathing. She was glad he was alive, she guessed, as long as he stayed away from her drinks. She was a little confused, at first, by her sudden feelings of distrust and disliking towards him. She felt that such strong resentment was somewhat out of place, but she quickly brushed it off with thoughts of the morning meal and her drink. It was hers and he wasn’t going to get any of it.

             
Both were awakened by a kick to the ribs and then a bowl of mush was placed before them. Dor ate slowly, more from necessity than any liking of taste. Tam, on the other hand, gulped hers down ferociously anticipating what would come after.

             
“Haven’t they been feeding you?” he asked, suddenly concerned for her welfare.

             
Tam gave him a fierce look as the need for her drink began to work on her senses. Wiping some gruel from her chin she noticed his bowl was still almost full and realized she had eaten hers in one quick swallow. She forced a smile trying to maintain control of herself for just a while longer until her much needed drink came. “I, I...,” she stuttered searching for the right thing to say to relieve any suspicions. “I eat it fast so...so I can’t taste it,” she finished in a hurry.

             
Dor watched her, unsure about her strange behavior.

             
Tam could feel his eyes boring into her and it made her want to lash out at him. Her hands shook as she wrestled to control herself for just a few moments longer. Where was her drink anyway, it should have been there by now. Finally, she snapped her head up and glared at him. “What are you looking at? I told you I don’t like the taste, what more do you want?”

             
“Nothing,” Dor said quickly. “I just wondered if you weren’t still hungry and wanted the rest of mine.”

             
“I can last quite nicely on my own, thank you,” she returned with an edge to her voice. “When are you going to finally accept me for what I am—a grown Chufa woman. I can take care of myself you know.”

             
Dor noticed her eyes as they darted about like a spooked doe and how she wrung her hands as if trying to rid them of their skin.
What’s going on with her? It must be the strain of being held captive and not knowing what will happen to us next
.
He tried to ignore the tinge of anger he felt at how viciously she was reacting towards him.

             
One of the guards approached carrying two mugs. Tam quickly sat up as if ready to jump out of her skin. The cups were passed out and Tam quickly grabbed hers and started gulping the liquid down. After a couple of swallows she suddenly stopped and spit the liquid out in a spray. “This is water!” she screamed, a red glow igniting in her eyes.

             
Dor stared at her in shocked disbelief. “What’s the matter with that?”

             
Tam looked at him hard, her eyes pulling down into slits sending almost visible darts into his soul. “You have it don’t you?” she hissed. “Give it to me Dor. Give it to me right now.”

             
Dor couldn’t believe what he was seeing. What had they done to her to make her this way?