Chapter 17
Uri groaned. He had seen Casina sneak away and was thankful the guard hadn't noticed right away. But within minutes, he had gone after her, thrashing through the dark morass like a wild animal in his anger at her having escaped.
Uri hoped Casina kept the guard guessing and that she hadn't gone far. He knew Jeiel and his troops would arrive soon and didn't want to have to go looking for her. He wanted her returned to TrCasinaar where this time he knew the Kaanig would keep her safe and secure for awhile.
A soft whisper behind him intruded into his thoughts, and he stiffened. Although he wasn't tied as before, the place was crawling with natives who weren't about to let their meal escape them. The fact that Casina had returned to help him surprised him. Her one chance to rid herself of her enemy, and she had chosen to help him instead.
Because of the guards present, he merely cocked an ear in her direction, to let her know he had heard her.
"Can you back away?" she hissed.
He glanced at the two men beside him then around the village, observing that no one was paying particular attention to him just then. Since he had been so docile already, they probably felt they had no reason to mistrust him. So he took a small step back, trying not to bring attention to himself. Then he took another...and another. Until he was only inches from the web of growth behind him.
"Hurry," she pleaded. "Don't let them see you."
Then, just as he was about to go completely under cover, he was spotted. A cry rang out, and soon half the compound was after him. He turned and bolted through the forest, snagging Casina's hand on the way through.
But they didn't get far.
A dart from a blow gun caught Casina in the neck, and down she went. As she did, Uri halted and knelt down to pick up her unconscious form. But he wasn't fast enough and soon felt the sharp sting of a dart burying itself in his own neck. Furious, he yanked it out, just as the Melosantos came upon them. But he was stronger than Casina and well able to ward off the effects of the poison. He glared at the natives as he righted himself.
Several warriors grabbed him and forced him back to the village, while another hoisted Casina up and over his shoulder. Disgusted with himself, at his poor handling of the situation, Uri allowed them their way, wishing Casina hadn't chosen that moment to become heroic.
* * * *
Casina was deposited none-too-gently beside the boiling cauldron. Uri masked his rage at this but decided to wait and see what the natives intended to do next. At least they hadn't killed her already. Regardless, he would have prevented that anyways.
He watched as the chief walked over to her and shoved her with his sandaled foot by way of disappointment. Then he turned to glare at Uri, who pretended indifference. A few words soon brought two men forward to grab his arms, as if that was all that was necessary to hold him in place.
Uri was only vaguely familiar with the Melosantan dialect, but he knew the natives were dumbfounded by the fact that their darts had had no effect on him. This indicated to them that he was something special and needed to be handled more carefully in future. As it was, it seemed the chief was now reconsidering eating him.
"What's wrong?" he asked in Kathian. "Lose your appetite?"
The chief frowned in disgust and turned away, unable, apparently, to decipher his language. Although it was clear by his demeanor that Uri's tone was enough to challenge him.
More commands were thrown about as the chief waddled off, and his men were quick to hustle Uri off to the same hut Casina had been held in earlier. He didn't resist, but he kept his eyes on Casina, wondering now her fate.
He saw someone lift her and follow them toward the hut, just before he was taken inside. Only this time, Casina was taken into the chief's hut, which thoroughly disturbed him. Groaning at this unexpected turn of events, he knew it was his turn now to rescue her. Maka! he cursed silently. Jeiel, where the blazes are you?