42


    42


    "Today?!" Master Keinughed. "Ciara, you have been feverish and delirious for nearly two day cycles. Brothers, bring it more to drink and something


    to eat.”


    I sat in stunned silence as they bustled around getting me food and more water. I took what they gave me gratefully although my throat was really


    sore. I could not figure out what they were talking about.


    My most recent memories were shbulbs of nightmares: the deep dark ck, a slimy pink tentacle, and their irate faces floating over me. It took a


    while for the memories to solidify in my mind. As a rush, the timeline came back to me.


    My eyes went wide when I realized. I nearly choked on what I had been eating. It hadn''t been a bad dream. I had been in the ocean, way out in the


    ocean. Something had grabbed me. I had been pulled under and I had been drowning.


    Hurriedly I looked around and grabbed the closest man to me. He felt real. Master Evan felt like he always did, hard muscle and warm skin. He was


    looking at me curiously.


    Tears started to streak down my face when what Master Bane said made sense. They were going to ay a whip on me for what I had done. I retched


    and tried to keep the food and drink down. The root from before was presented to me and I took it.


    "Please Masters," I whispered, "how many times will yoush me?" I was really crying now.


    Master Christof wiped my face before he answered.


    "It depends on how honest you can be with us. If we are satisfied we may notsh you at all," he said cooly.


    My head bobbed up and down and theyughed at my gesture.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "How did you escape, Ciara?" Master Damien asked.


    I answered them with absolute honesty. I told them I liked to dive outside the cove to explore. Without missing a detail. I described the hole in the


    grate. They watched me stoically and I rambled on without thought.


    They heard about the current and agreed when I told them it had changed. As the ringed moon moved though its cycle in the sky, so did the current


    Everyone in the room was already aware of that.


    Master Damien calmly asked how long I had been going out in the ocean. Their faces didn''t change as I told them since the first day at the Keepers. I


    apologized profusely. They just ignored me.


    I asked hesitantly what the mark on my leg was.


    Master Evanughed, "You are like us now,” he said pointing to the mark on his shoulder.


    "Yes," I insisted, “I understand we both have tattoos, but where did minee from Masters?”


    "You were grabbed by a creature in


    the ocean, wereall it a fleint. It grabs


    it''s prey anciirags it down,


    consuming i once it gets to the


    bottom: I tis shocking you were not


    grabbed sooner. They are _


    everywhere outside the currents.


    Thé tentacle releases chemicals into


    it''s prey. In you those chemicals


    must mark the skin," Master Bane


    answered.


    NX


    "Evan has determined it is the same chemical the women use to mark us," Master Christof said absently.


    "Tell me, Ciara." Master Damienmanded. "How did you avoid the fleint before we arrived?"


    I told him I had felt them brushing my legs. They didn''t understood floating, so I exinedying still and t in the water.


    "How did you find me, Masters?" I asked.


    “You don''t listen, Ciara," Master Evan said, "I already warned you I have a sense for creatures I have tasted. I followed my sense to you. We heard


    the scream and saw your bubbles rise from the water. We went down to find you," he finished stroking my arm


    I thanked him, kissing his hand. They made me thank all of them individually, which I did


    "I breathed the water, Masters. How did you fix that?" I wondered out loud.


    "You screamed about worms in your sleep. We assumed it was the creature I put in your mouth. It went deep into you and pulled out the water,


    pumping in air. They are quite useful. The Fishers that took us to find you had one they allowed us to use,” Master Kein answered


    Master Damien picked me up and moved me into the showers indicating an end to my questions.


    "We haven''t been able to get you near water in two cycles, Ciara," he exined setting me on the floor.


    My leg hurt tog much to stand on, so


    he let me sitNster Evan helped


    him and they washed me head to ?


    toe. I fought when they tried to wash


    my rigt''leg, so the other men came


    and teld me as Master Evan-cleaned


    it. Fhe leg was SO sensitiveiit felt like


    th@y were washing me with needles.


    Once I was drytheyid me back in


    the bed. All the attention to my leg


    had made itthrob. I whimpered as ~


    they pulled a thin nket over it anid


    Masten Christof looked curiously-at


    me. He left the room and returned


    with the foul smelling goop-He puta


    géherous portion across iy chest.


    The effects of the stuff was nearly instantaneous. I rxed and watched the men crawl into bed around me. It didn''t take long for sleep to take me


    again.