Chapter 30

After that, they worked in silence, and when Nixx was not paying attention, Ayla slipped a plant into the stew. She prayed to Addanos that it would work.

When the stew was ready, Ayla put it in bowls. When Scar said she could eat, she put very little food for her. Even if she was famished, she knew she couldn't eat if she wanted to escape.

Ayla sat down with her bowl in her hands and waited for the others to eat. She held her breath as Scar took his first spoon of food.

"Don't eat the food!" Nixx said in a loud voice.

"What the – ?" Scar asked who had already swallowed.

Ayla's blood pounded in her ear. She was sure that they would hurt her. Bad.

"It seems that our little guest put some blue-dhatura in our food."

Scar threw his food on the ground, stood, grabbed Ayla's left arm, made her rise from her log, and lifted his hand to hit her. Ayla closed her eyes, preparing for the blow.

"We don't hit women," she heard Nixx saying.

When she felt no pain, Ayla opened her eyes.

Nixx had Scar's right wrist in his hand, stopping him from harming Ayla. Scar tried to free his arm, but Nixx put more pressure on his hold.

"We do not hit women!" Nixx said between gritted teeth.

"The little bitch tried to poison us! I ate from that food! Fuck! I could be dying!"

Nixx snorted, "Blue-dhatura won't kill you. It will only make you sleep like the dead for a few hours."

Scar looked at Ayla, "What were you planning? To get away?"

Ayla was too scared to respond.

"Let go of my hand, Nixx!" Scar said and tried to free his wrist.

"Not until you promise you won't harm her."

Scar said something under his breath.

"I can't hear you. Say it louder!" Nixx said.

"You bloody half-elf! I know you can hear me!"

"Say it out loud so I can be sure I am hearing you right!" Nixx replied.

"I promise! Now let go of me until I completely lose my temper!"

Nixx let go, and Scar grabbed Ayla with both his hands and shook her.

"Where did you get the plant from?" he asked in a very angry tone.

When Ayla said nothing, Scar ripped her cloak from her and threw it in the snow. He scanned her with his eyes, and when he saw the messenger back, he took it from her.

Scar gave the bag to Nixx, "Look and see what's inside."

Ayla's heart hurt when Scar took the messenger bag away from her.

"Give it back! It was a gift!" Ayla said, tears pricking in her eyes.

"A very expensive gift. And now it is mine. I am sure I can obtain a lot of money for it. If I am not mistaken, it is made from a swampshark hide."

Nixx opened the bag, looked inside, and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Scar asked.

"It looks like sweetheart over here is a little witch. Who would have thought?" Nixx said and laughed again.

"I am not a witch!" Ayla protested.

"I don't care if you are a witch or a demon, but I will show you that no one messes with me!" Scar said. "You are not going to eat today or tomorrow! And if you try any more tricks on me, I will hurt you! And not even Nixx will be able to stop me then!"

Scar made Ayla sit on a log, far from the fire. "You can't move from here, not until I say you can!"

She sat and watched as Scar threw all her precious plants and herbs into the fire and tied the bag to the saddle of his horse. Tears fell down her cheeks. The only gift she received in a very long, long time, and she had already lost it.

Ayla felt betrayed by Nixx. She saw him, but it was obvious he did not see her. She knew it was silly to feel betrayed by someone who kidnapped her and planned on selling her, but, she couldn't help feeling that way.

Minutes later, Ayla was already shivering with cold. Her cloak was still in the snow, where Scar threw it.

She sat on the log, shivering with cold while Nixx made another stew. She sat until they finished eating and Scar ordered her to clean the dishes.

Ayla trembled so hard with cold that the dishes kept falling from her hands when she tried to clean them with snow. Nixx kneeled next to her and started helping her. She ignored him.

"Don't help the witch!" Scar said.

"I am not helping her. I am making sure we still have dishes to eat from tomorrow."

Scar mumbled something that Ayla didn't understand but didn't try to stop Nixx again from helping her.

When Nixx and Ayla finished with the dishes, Scar had Ayla sit next to the fire on a wood platform and tied her hands and legs. "To make sure you don't do something stupid while I sleep," he said.

Ayla laid down and closed her eyes. All that had happened in the last two days had worn her out. She sent a prayer to Addanos and tried to sleep.

After a minute, she heard Scar talk to Nixx, "I am going to sleep. You are first to stand watch. Make sure the witch doesn't try to escape."

She was too tired to try anything. And she was also tied up, and she doubted she could escape even if she wanted.

Ayla fell asleep feeling hopeless. Tears were still falling down her cheeks.

Sometime later, someone shook her shoulder until she woke up.

"Sweetheart! Wake up!" Nixx whispered to her. He was sitting on his heels with his knees bet in front of Ayla.

"Leave me alone!" Ayla said in an irritated tone.

"Shh! We don't want to wake up Scar!"

Ayla closed her eyes, but she could feel Nixx watching her. She tried to ignore him, but he would not leave.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, "You will not go away, are you?"

Nixx pointed to a bowl next to his feet, "I made you something to eat."

"I don't want your food!"

"You have to eat, sweetheart. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

"No!"

"You are very stubborn!"

Ayla closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. Nixx waited a few more minutes but finally gave up and stood up, taking the bowl with him.

She opened her eyes, looked as Nixx threw the food, and proceeded to clean the bowl.

"I see you, Nixx, but you don't see me," she said.

If Nixx heard her, Ayla had no idea because he didn't react in any way.

When Nixx woke her up in the morning, Ayla found her cloak repaired next to her. She looked at Nixx but said nothing. He untied her, and Ayla put the cloak over her shoulders.

She sat in silence while Nixx and Scar ate their breakfast and then cleaned after them. And Ayla ignored them all the time.

When it was time to go, Ayla went next to Nixx's horse and waited for the half-elf.

Scar took out a rope and said to Ayla, "Today, you walk."