Isla ate her biscuit then took a long drink from Tam’s water flask. She wiped her mouth, recapped it and passed it back to him. Sitting on a fallen tree in the direct sun warmed her skin. She wondered about the colder temperatures higher in the mountains. Keiron had vaguely explained the directions to the other two, saying their destination lay about three days away. Their payment awaited them there. She thought about the compensation Tam might receive for delivering her. Certainly it couldn’t be measured in gold coins.
The dwarf looked up from his seated position on the ground next to the log and held up an apple.
Isla took the fruit. Lately she seemed hungry all the time. She doubted it could be blamed on a growing spell like Liam claimed. Sighing, she let her mind wander and images of her best friend came to her. Did Liam know she had been captured?
Tam coughed on a piece of apple, and she watched him struggle to clear his throat. He appeared stronger but was incapable of strenuous work.
“Be a shame to make it this far to choke to death on yer food.” Keiron smirked.
Isla knew Tam’s recovery baffled the scoundrel. When the dwarf had wakened the day after the arrow attack and began his usual routine, the hauflin stared in astonishment. It felt as if she had won a mini-battle against the wretched man who called himself her das.
Tam grunted, cleared his throat and took another bite. He glanced up at her. She sensed he knew she had performed the miracle to keep him alive, but he wouldn’t dare say anything. Isla looked away and into the distance of the trees on the adjacent highland. She sat far from home, but the scenery reminded her of the Pogwa Mountains. If only these were those peaks, she’d sneak away and find Beathas’ cottage.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the gnome slip into the bushes. She wished an evil creature would grab him and squeeze the life out of him. Everything about him—from eating canned worms to his terrifying ritual—sickened her. Tam had said a disease or parasite had infected Reese, radically altering him from his normal gnome state. He could be cured by death only.
Isla finished the apple and threw the core in front of her—one more piece of evidence for her das to find if he still followed. Keiron packed away his food sack, indicating they’d leave soon.
“Isla.” The hauflin pulled the strap through the buckle. “If yew gotta go, go now.”
Scanning the area, she looked for a place to find privacy. She didn’t want to go anywhere near where Reese had entered the trees, so instead she walked further up the trail and ducked behind the trees. Opening her pouch, she pulled another page from her book. She closed her eyes and thought of her das. As all the times before, she gripped the page and wished it to find his hand. She kissed it and went to shove it into her pocket but stopped. Pulling the pencil from the pouch, she scribbled a note on it.