Free Accidental Sorceress (Hardstorm Saga Book 2) by Dana Marton

head. Could she hear? Did she recognize me?
    Oh great mother, think of the forest. Think of the wind in the trees. Think of the water of the creek. Oh great mother, think of sleep.
    Her eyes found mine. The tiger blinked once, slowly. She stood still now, did not try to swipe at the men through the bars.
    Oh great mother, think of the forest. Think of the wind in the trees. Think of the water of the creek. Oh great mother, think of sleep.
    She lay down with a great heaving sigh, which nearly unbalanced the crate, but the men steadied it again, grunting under the weight. All the while, she was looking at me.
    Some of the men caught her gaze and glanced toward me with fear, others with speculation. I paid them no mind.
    Oh great mother, think of the forest. Think of the wind in the trees. Think of the water of the creek. Oh great mother, think of sleep.
    And the tiger closed her eyes.
    More people were watching now, wondering why all that roaring suddenly stopped. As more and more eyes turned in my direction, Batumar tugged me away.
    I followed with reluctance, consoling myself with the thought that I would see the tiger again on our ship.
    “What happens in the fighting cages of Naresh?” I asked Batumar.
    “Whatever pleases the Queen of Naresh. Female warriors fight each other, bears, lions, and tigers. The gladiator cages of Naresh draw men from the far corners of the world. They fill the cages with a mixture of fighters and beasts, and the fight goes on until only one warrior remains. The women fight naked, with a single double-edged blade. It is considered a great attraction.”
    I could not imagine such a place.
    I did not wish for the tiger to go to the fighting cages. But neither did I want her to remain on Rabeen, this rock in the middle of the sea. I could see no escape for her here. I consoled myself with the thought that we had a long journey to the mainland. I would think of something before we reached the port of Ishaf.
    We meandered back toward our ship, taking a different path through the warren of passageways. Shaking another coin out of his boot, Batumar purchased a blanket made out of camel hair to increase the comfort of our cabin. I tied it around me like a second cloak. The blanket smelled like the camel had, but it did block the wind.
    Then we bought dried fruit, smoked sausages, and more cheese, and flat, hard bread that would have to be sawed to bits and soaked in water before we could eat it.
    “I would spend the last of our coin on pickled eggs,” Batumar said, and I nodded in agreement.
    We had passed by those earlier. Sealed tight in their earthenware jars, the lid made of metal, that would be one food the rats could not attack. Pickled eggs might save us yet if we lost everything else.
    The beggar children did not bother with us again, as a new ship had come to port, but a little girl sitting aside by some sacks of wheat grabbed my ankle as we passed.
    “Food, blessed mistress. A bit of food please, or a little coin,” she begged in a singsong voice laden with pain. Dark circles of suffering framed her eyes. She winced as she shifted.
    Batumar reached into our food sack and came up with a chunk of cheese, which the girl grabbed greedily.
    She was moving her arm with difficulty. And she could not move her boney little legs at all. As her clothes shifted, her scars became apparent. She was deformed from having been badly burned.
    While Batumar inspected a bag of oats, I reached my hands out to her without thinking. I would have naught to do on our long journey but lie on top of a pile of potatoes. I would have time to recover.
    She startled but did not pull away.
    I could feel her damaged skin and the muscles that had been destroyed beneath. Then I felt for the good skin and good muscles of my own body, and I sent my healing spirit into her. I gasped as her pain flooded me, but held on until she was fully healed.
    Her gaunt face cleared and her emerald eyes flew wide with astonishment, even as