Free Paying the Price by Julia P. Lynde Page A

ago. "What happened?"
    "You got knocked out. I dragged you to shore." I gave her a summary.
    "You could have let me drown."
    "I could. I didn't. I will be heading north."
    She looked at me sadly. "Do you still have the satchel?"
    I thumped my chest. "Yes."
    "Please give it to me."
    I pulled it out of my tunic and handed the satchel to her. She looked it over. I hadn't disturbed it, but it had been in the water a long time. I had no idea if it had remained water tight. She looked at it dubiously.
    "Not my fault," I told her. "You told me to jump."
    "My head hurts," she said.
    "Welcome to my world," I told her. I gave her a drink of water.
    She sat quietly for a while. Then she turned to me. "I'm sorry."
    "I don't blame you for the shipwreck. Tendaria is that way." I pointed south. "Norinia is that way." I pointed north. "If you'll remove this collar and amulet, I will be on my way as soon as I can figure out how to build a boat. If you ask nicely, I'll help you build one, too. I just want one jug of the water."
    "Meorie, I am sorry."
    "You're not going to let me go."
    "I'm sorry."
    "You owe me. I saved your life. I could have let you drown, but I didn't. The collar would have released me. I was bound to you, not to anyone else. I would be free now."
    "I know. I'm sorry."
    I stared at her. "You are an honorless, evil bitch. I hope your soul rots."
    I left her there on the beach and stormed off, finding a spot as far away as the collar would allow, then sat down with my back to her.
    I watched as she organized the remaining men to collect everything they could from the wreckage. Miraculously, my chest of clothes was found. I imagined everything in it was ruined, but Dareena walked over to sit next to me.
    "Unless you have an order I am to follow, leave me alone."
    "I wouldn't have guessed it," she said. "But the contents of your chest are dry. You can have dry clothes if you want them."
    I didn't answer her. She sat quietly next to me, then she reached out to stroke me, but I moved away from her as fast as I could. She got up and left me alone.
    One of the men stopped by after a while and offered me water. I ignored him.
    Some of the men swam out to what was left of the wreck. They came back pushing a large clump of stuff, all tied together into some sort of raft. I didn't pay attention to whatever they had.
    Of the ship's boats there was no sign. I didn't know if they had been used earlier, destroyed in the wreckage, or taken by some of the men. There were no boats, no ship, and nothing but mangrove swap and ocean in sight.
    I didn't see how, but they got a fire going, and some of the men figured out how to catch fish. Dareena walked over and sat down. She had two plates and the mug with a few swallows of water. I wondered how salty the fish was and how long the water would last.
    She tried to hand me one of the plates, but I ignored her.
    "If you make me order you, I will also start to treat you as a puppet again. If you cooperate, I will offer you as much dignity as I can."
    I ignored her.
    "Damn it, Meorie!"
    "What do you want from me? Do you expect me to be cheerful? Well, at least when you stab me, you stab me in the front. For that I should be cheerful and cooperative? Is that even remotely a reasonable expectation?"
    "Eat your fish, drink your share of the water, and I am going to show you the treaty."
    It was an order. I ate the fish sullenly and drank half the water. I glared at her the entire time.
    I was still thirsty. I imagined it was going to get a lot worse.
    She ate her fish and finished the water. Then she stood up and said, "Follow."
    I again had no choice. I followed her back to camp. She hadn't told me to bring my plate, so I left it on the sand. She turned around and noticed my empty hands. She looked pained. "Bring the plate with you," she said. I went back and got it.
    She drew me back to the camp and ordered me to sit. I sat. She handed the plates and mug to someone then pulled the satchel out from inside