Mara lay on her pallet with her arms behind her head, staring at the dirty ceiling. I ought to sleep she kept thinking. I'll need all my strength to keep that Raken from getting up to something. There's- what?, 5? 10?- of them and just me.
Still a slow smile spread over her face none of them are exactly bursting with brainpower, and you need more than brute strength to get round me! The only one who's any kind of an opponent is Raken. Mara felt a grudging respect for him, although she didn't like him one bit. Who needs to like him? He's my best chance of getting money. And revenge...
She turned on her side, determined to rest anyway. Her breathing began to slow into a rhythm and thought was drifting away from her when she was jerked awake by a hand on her shoulder.
"My but you are a pretty one" said a low, rumbling voice behind her. It's not like Raken to bring us home...amusements"
Mara sat up slowly. This man was very big, and her knife was just out of arm's reach. Fool! she berated herself. Slack brained, addlepated...
On the outside she made herself smile at the man.
"Amusements?" she asked softly "Yes, you may find it amusing..."
In a moment she reached towards him and took his own knife from his belt. With a swift movement she held it to his arm, slashing where he aimed to go for another knife hidden somewhere. She cut his palm, so he couldn't hold one, and only then did she slowly move the knife to his throat.
Still smiling she asked "Was that amusing? I am sure your friends would find it so. Bested by a woman"
Her face changed and she pushed him away."
Her face changed and she growled "Get used to it!"
As she stood there watching the big man walk away, Mara was interrupted by a slow hand clap behind her. Turning she saw raken.
"Very good little Missy" he said, with the smile that didn't seem to leave his face and gave no indication of what he felt.
"Do you want a turn?" she growled. Stay calm! she told herself furiously. He likes to wind you up. That's his amusement
"When do we leave?" she asked in a flat voice, the best attempt at calmness she could find. She didn't need rest, she needed action!
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“Sylphs of the forest,” I whispered. “Spirits of oak, beech and ash. Dryads of Rowan and hazel, hear us. You who have guided and guarded our every footstep, you who have sheltered our growth, we honour you."
the Forbidden Link
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