Run! She ordered herself as she fought her way through the thick tangles of vines. He was closing in on her. She heard footsteps behind her and her throat ached with the urge to scream.
Finally she saw the lights of the treehouse. Looking up she saw her friends out on the terrace, a feeling of safety washed over her. Her mouth opened but no sound would come out. Again and again she tried to yell for help as she looked fearfully over her shoulder. She prayed that Roxton would sense her presence and look down at her but he continued talking to Challenger, unaware of the danger she was in. One last thought echoed through her mind as hands pulled her back into the dark landscape, "I'm as good as dead."
Marguerite fought her way out of the nightmare and gasped for air. Covered in sweat, she looked around disoriented. Where am I? Recovering somewhat, she remembered the reoccurring dream. She had had it every night since she returned to the treehouse.
Shaken more than she cared to admit, she got out of bed to get a glass of water. What I really need is something to relax me, she thought as she sipped on her drink. Thinking that the bath she had skipped earlier that day was just what the doctor ordered, she considered waking Roxton up so she didn't have to go out into the night alone. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself, it's only a few minutes away and you'll have your gun. Besides, a moonlight swim with that infuriating man would be anything but relaxing.
Having made up her mind, she gathered her things and set out for her destination.
***** *****
Drying herself off, she reveled in how much better she felt. Slipping into her clean clothes, she looked up at the night sky and wondered again what the hell had happened to her. I miss the sound of my voice even if the others don't, she thought ruefully.
It was hard to explain but these last couple of weeks she had begun to feel that she didn't really exist. Her interaction with the others had been minimal and without hearing her own voice, she had her doubts as to whether she was even really there. She was more of a moving picture than a person, lovely to look at but lacking substance.
Sighing, she gathered up her things and made her way back to the treehouse. She hadn't gone too far when she heard a twig break behind her. Spinning around, her eyes strained to make out what had caused the noise. After several minutes, she decided she must have just imagined it and continued on her way home.
By the time she reached the halfway point between the pond and the treehouse, she was certain she was being followed. From the sound of it, it is just one person, she calculated in her head. She started picking up her pace and within a minute broke into a dead run.
Sweat was pouring down her face and her lungs were burning from fatigue. Run! She ordered herself as she fought her way through the thick tangles of vines. He was closing in on her. She heard footsteps behind her and her throat ached with the urge to scream.
Finally, she saw the lights of the treehouse. Looking up she saw her friends out on the terrace, a feeling of safety washed over her. Her mouth opened but no sound would come out. Again and again she tried to yell for help as she looked fearfully over her shoulder. She prayed that Roxton would sense her presence and look down at her but he continued talking to Challenger, unaware of the danger she was in. One last thought echoed through her mind as hands pulled her back into the dark landscape. I'm as good as dead.
***** *****
"I'm sure she just went down to the pond," Challenger assured the concerned young man.
"In the middle of the night? All alone? Not even Marguerite is that stupid," he said in frustration. Please don't let her have been that stupid! He had woken up for no apparent reason and felt an overwhelming urge to check on Marguerite. When he entered her empty room, he had immediately grabbed his rifle and was on his way out to look for her when Challenger woke up.
He gazed out into the night from the terrace and cursed Marguerite over and over again. Of all the selfish, stupid things!
Despite Roxton's obvious anger at the situation, Challenger could see the undercurrent of fear threatening to choke his friend. Grabbing his own rifle, he took a minute to write the others a note and then went to help search for Marguerite.
***** *****
It was too dark to make out her abductor's face but what she could see terrified her. She sensed the knife he held at her back and silently cursed her own stupidity. She heard someone crying softly next to her. Since she doubted it was her captor (although she had every intention of making his cry before he killed her), she assumed the tears were coming from another prisoner. If the whimpering voice was anything to go by, the other captive was no more than a child.
Gellus, the man who had the fate of the young heiress in his tattooed hands, was still congratulating himself on his excellent find. He hadn't been looking for any more slaves but when he stumbled across her on the path he seized the opportunity to increase his holdings. He thought the gods were truly smiling down on him. She was a beautiful woman even though an unnatural silence surrounded her. The more he was with her, the more her total lack of speech unnerved him.
"Woman, what is your name?"
Even if Marguerite could have spoken, she wouldn't have out of spite. She simply kept walking with her eyes facing forward, making sure to break as many branches and stomp down as many weeds as possible along the way. She was sure Roxton would come looking for her when he discovered she wasn't in her room. Although she knew he could track her without any extra help she reasoned with an inward smile, No point in making it any harder on him than it has to be.
She felt something hard hit the side of her face and she fell to the ground in pain. Stars danced before her eyes as her attacker brought his face so close to hers that they were almost nose to nose. Fighting off the darkness that was threatening to pull her in, she focused on the ugly face before her. In the dim light she could barely make out beady gray eyes, sagging cheeks and thin lips. He was almost completely bald except for a few grizzly strands that were sticking up here and there.
"When I ask you a question you will answer it woman!"
Defiance flashing in her eyes, she spat in his face. His only answer was a powerful slap. The ornate ring he wore on his right hand connected harshly with her cheekbone and sliced it open. Feeling blood flowing down her face, Marguerite surged to her feet and used her body as a battering ram against the man's stomach. They landed in a tangled heap.
Seeing this as her chance to escape, she unraveled herself from her captor and starting running back in the direction of the treehouse. She soon heard his footsteps behind her again and knew that she couldn't possibly outrun him. Realizing he hadn't bothered to check her for weapons, she reached in the waistband of her pants and pulled out her gun. Standing her ground, she waited for him to break through the bushes. I only have one shot at this, she thought. Her hands were tied and one of her eyes was swollen due to the blow he had delivered just a few short moments ago making it nearly impossible to steady her hands and take aim.
His form entered her line of vision with an enraged roar. She took a deep breath and fired.
***** *****
The sound of the shot echoed through the night air and reached the explorers as they studied the ground near the pond. Although from this great of a distance it was barely above a whisper, Roxton heard the sound of the bullet exiting the chamber and the squawking of birds that had been roused from their nests.
"Did you hear that?"
Challenger noticed the alert look on Roxton's face and tried to figure out what the hunter was talking about. "What do you think you heard?"
"A gunshot. It came from that way," he said, pointing in the direction he believed the sound had come from.
"You don't think it was Marguerite do you?"
"Who else could it have been? She's in trouble, we have to hurry!"
"John, I know you're worried but it's the middle of the night. We have to wait until morn—"
"It will be too late by then!" He interrupted in an angry voice.
Seeing the determination on Roxton's face, Challenger said, "We have to at least stop by the treehouse and wake the others." When Roxton still appeared unconvinced he added, "I also need some supplies in case she has been hurt."
"All right, but let's be quick about it."
***** *****
Who is this woman of silence, Gellus thought. Her shot had missed him by a scant few inches and she had paid dearly for her unfortunate aim. He had let his rage rule him as he hit her again and again. He stopped after a few minutes when it dawned on him that she hadn't screamed . . . or pleaded with him for mercy. Although it was impossible to tell for certain in the darkness, he didn't think she had even cried. His suspicious nature taking over, he made the decision to sell this woman to the next person he came across. There is something wrong with her . . .
Not a tear had fallen during the savage attack. It was her own fault that she was in this situation and she could not afford the luxury of crying until she got herself out of it. The day was just beginning and Marguerite hoped it would bring another chance for escape. She had no idea where she was now, having been too lost in her pain over the last few hours to pay attention to their path.
They had stopped to rest for a few minutes while the man ate. Marguerite looked over at the person beside her and estimated his age to be around four. He studied her through wide innocent eyes. Finally he said in his native tongue, "My name is Skrel, don't worry my Papa will be here to save us soon."
Marguerite gave the little boy a gentle smile and wondered how long he had been the barbaric man's captive. He was much too skinny for a boy his age and he looked as though he had endured his share of beatings at the hands of Gellus. His eyes took up most of his tiny face and the hope she saw shimmering in their depths was enough to break her heart.
An overwhelming urge to protect the child rushed through her and she promised the boy silently, I'm going to get us out of here.
***** *****
"Over here," Veronica yelled when she found Marguerite's gun in the weeds. "They've been gone from here for two or three hours."
Terror like nothing he had never experienced rushed through Roxton, making him feel dizzy. They had been tracking her all night. He had felt pride flood over him when he realized that she was marking her trail as best she could. Please God let her be alive . . .
He had confidence in Marguerite's ability to talk her way out of anything, sometimes at the expense of her friends, but she still hadn't regained her voice. Seeing her pistol lying silently on the ground and the traces of blood on the surrounding plants, he swore that he would find her if it took him the rest of his life.
Malone put a reassuring hand on Roxton's broad shoulder and said, "Then there's no time to waste."
***** *****
Gellus was pushing them at a breakneck pace. He was now certain the woman was a witch and he wanted to get rid of her as soon as he possibly could . . . afraid that the longer she was around him, the easier it would be for her to cast her spell.
Marguerite had almost fainted several times. The combination of the afternoon heat, fatigue, hunger, and pain were taking a toll on her body and she didn't know how much longer she could keep up with her abductor. Looking over at Skrel, she noticed his shallow cheeks were flushed from exertion. Knowing she might very well be inviting another beating, she abruptly stopped.
Gellus swung around and asked, "What are you doing?"
Pointing to the child, she made a gesture like she was drinking something. Skrel looked at her with his glowing eyes and nodded his head in agreement.
"Oh so you want water do you," the man taunted as he loomed threateningly over the boy. Marguerite saw him raise his hand to strike Skrel at approximately the same moment she heard her friends approaching through the woods. Helplessly she saw the man's fist hit the young child's face with enough force to break his fragile jaw.
Gellus heard the group also and pulled his knife to attack the new arrivals as he ran in their direction. Fury at being trapped buried his reason and, knowing he wouldn't be able to fight off so many, he blindly looked for an outlet for his anger. Seeing the huddled form of the boy, he made his way over to purge his wrath.
Marguerite watched in horror as the man made his way to Skrel. He's going to kill him, her mind screamed. Without thinking she bridged the distance between them and shielded the boy's body with her own.
She heard Roxton yell in the distance and felt a brief flash of pain and then nothing . . .
***** *****
"NO!" Roxton shouted as he charged the large man that had just stabbed his Marguerite. Gellus barely had time to react. He raised his bloody knife and ran towards Roxton. However, Roxton didn't have a chance to even touch him because Challenger fired one shot and the man fell to the ground dead.
He immediately ran to Marguerite's lifeless body and gently cradled her in his arms. His blood boiled when he saw the various bruises and cuts that covered her lovely face. He softly caressed her battered body as the other explorers joined him. Looking up at Challenger with pleading eyes, he ordered, "You have to save her Challenger!"
Watching the scene from a distance, Malone looked around for the little boy. He was almost positive he had seen a tiny body next to Marguerite's when they finally found her. Pushing his thoughts aside, he focused again on the young woman bleeding all over the jungle floor. I must have just imagined it . . .
***** *****
"Marguerite . . ."
She opened her eyes and was blinded by the brightest light she had ever seen. She tried to focus on the face that was floating above hers but she found it very difficult. "Am I in heaven?"
A look of astonishment settled on her face when she realized she had just spoken for the first time in two weeks. She heard a gentle laugh and saw the Skrel's face transform into that of the old woman who had stumbled into their camp. What was her name? Aria, I think.
"No, not heaven child."
"Where then?" Briefly she wondered if she was in hell but immediately dismissed the idea. It's much too peaceful here, she thought with a sigh.
"That's not important . . ."
"Maybe not to you," she answered sarcastically. Definitely not heaven either, my back is killing me! "You're the reason I lost my voice, aren't you?"
The old woman nodded her head. "You finally did something worthy of getting it back."
"You're lucky I'm injured . . ." Marguerite threatened weakly.
"I hope you've learned your lesson, young woman."
"Yes, don't risk your life for spooky little boys because it hurts like hell."
"Sounds like you could use another round . . ."
Marguerite shuddered causing her whole body to ache and said, "No, I've had quite enough for one day!"
The woman changed forms again into a beautiful young blonde. "I'll be watching you."
"Wonderful, just what I need," she muttered before slipping into darkness again, "a guardian angel with an ax to grind."
***** *****
"Marguerite . . .darling please wake up. I don't know what I'll do without you . . . I need you, please don't leave me . . ."
She opened her eyes and saw the thatched roof of the treehouse above her. She shifted a little and Roxton's face came into view. "I'm trying to rest here. Can't you ever leave me alone, I've been stabbed for God's sake . . ." she said softly.
He gave a whoop of joy and yelled, "She's awake and she's back to her normal sweet self!"
The others filed into the room and surrounded her bed. "How are you feeling my dear?" Challenger asked as he examined her various bruises and scrapes.
"Peachy, there's nothing I like better than to be beaten within an inch of my life, stabbed in the back, and threatened by a fairy with a grudge."
The others looked at her in confusion and Veronica said, "A fairy?"
Seeing the disbelief on their faces, she explained what had happened to her voice. She could tell by the expressions that they thought she was delusional.
"I think we need to let her get some rest," Challenger suggested. He went into the living room, immediately followed by the others.
"What do you make of her story, Challenger?" Malone inquired.
"Just a dream she had while she was unconscious I'm sure Malone."
"Then how did she get her voice back?"
He thought for a minute and said, "Probably the trauma of being stabbed."
Although it was a reasonable explanation, Malone wasn't convinced. He knew he had seen a little boy even though the others didn't report seeing anyone else there. Stranger things have happened on the plateau, he thought but he didn't comment. Instead he asked, "Who wants first watch?"
"Don't worry about that," Roxton said. "I'll stay with her all night." He bid them goodnight, ignoring the knowing smiles on their faces.
He entered her room and sat on her bed. Her eyes fluttered open and she teased him, "I thought I told you to leave me alone."
"Not a chance," he assured her.
Thinking she could embarrass him and break the odd spell that had enveloped them, she asked, "So what was it you were saying when I came to?"
Looking into her beautiful eyes he answered truthfully and without hesitation, "Only that I need you and I'd be lost without you."
Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know what to say. She longed to tell him all the reasons they could never be together but she also wanted to tell him that she needed him too. Seeing the conflict on her face, he leaned over and kissed her tenderly, careful not to touch any of her many bruises. He wanted to hear that she loved him but he could wait . . . she is alive now and that is more than enough at the moment.
She looked at him in alarm as he settled into the bed next to her. "What do you think you're doing, Roxton?"
"We had a deal. I made dinner, now you have to live up to your end of the bargain." Seeing her expression, he reflectively added, "Of course, if you'd rather . . . my laundry has been piling up."
"Why you little—"
He laughed and silenced her by pulling her struggling form into his arms. This will do for now, he thought happily as he held her and they fell asleep in each other's arms.