Darn, this is going to suck! My ploy bunnies have all seemed to desert me! If anyone has any extra plot critters I'd love to borrow them…maybe it was the flamethrower Rurouni Saivan used on them….Don't kill me if this is bad…Please?

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Chapter 30--Rising Fears

Drizzt woke up feeling like a dragon had stepped on him, but despite the pain he was glad he'd woken up. He couldn't understand why his left hand hurt. He twisted his head around to try to look, but he couldn't see what was wrong.

"Oh, good, you're awake. I was afraid the sleep herb was to strong," Glenna said. "Do you feel nauseated at all?"

"No, but I'd like to know why my hand hurts," Drizzt said.

"I just had to cut off one of your fingers to get a bone for an experiment. It's nothing," Glenna said.

Drizzt gave her an incredulous look. "You cut off my finger and say it's nothing?! Are you insane?!!"

"I cast a spell that will regenerate it in time, so it's nothing to worry about," Glenna shrugged.

Drizzt couldn't believe this. She really thought it was all right to cut off his finger. He shuddered at the thought of what else she might do.

"We'll use the sleeping herbs to subdue you now that we know that it works. Uric will be here soon. He went to pick up a few things then we'll continue," Glenna said. She sat in a chair next to Drizzt and began stroking his hair casually, like she was petting a dog.

An hour passed then Uric entered the room with some bundles. "I have what you asked for," he said. He carried the bundles over to a table and put them down.

"Perfect," Glenna said. She stood up and joined him.

All to soon for Drizzt's taste they returned to his side. Glenna nodded to Uric and he seized Drizzt by the jaw and forced his mouth open painfully.

Drizzt felt Glenna push two hard things into the hinge of his jaw on both sides then Uric released him

Drizzt found that he couldn't close his mouth no matter how hard he tried.

"The wedges work. That was a clever idea, Uric. It will make things so much easier for us," Glenna said. "Now do it."

A strong hand was laid on his forehead, the other under the back of his neck, tilting his head back.

Glenna moved into his vision with another vial. "Relax and don't fight," she said. She poured the contents of the vial into his mouth.

The position his head was in caused the fluid to run to the back of his mouth. He had no choice, but to swallow or choke. The minute he did he was released then the pain hit. It felt like he was on fire from the inside. He gasped at the pain. It was horrible and consuming. Everything, but the pain was forgotten.

Glenna and Uric watched as casually. "All right, that's enough. Give him the antidote now.

A cool liquid was poured into his mouth and slowly the pain receded to bearable levels. This time Drizzt did feel nauseated. He had all he could do to keep from vomiting.

Glenna moved to his side and stroked his brow. "Relax, it's over for now. Let the antidote do it's job. You'll be all right soon," she cooed.

Drizzt heartily wished he could bite her fingers, but he couldn't move and he still couldn't close his mouth.

"Should I take the wedges out now, Glenna?" Uric asked.

"No, not yet. There are other things that he must drink, but first we must make more antidotes to counter them," Glenna said. She left Drizzt's side and went to the table.

Drizzt could hear a quill scratching on parchment. He waited in dread of what would happen next…

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Owww! That hurt! Made me wince and I wrote it! R/R please!!