Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

couldn’t utilize his Gift as a zombie. “Keep her close and out of danger. If the swordsmith shows any sign of rebelliousness, I’ll kill his friends before his eyes and then use her as a hostage to ensure his continued cooperation.”

Chapter 60

            Tane woke to find Quinn feeding the fire. He lay half-asleep, watching with little interest as the half-elf quickly built the fire up and warmed the hut. But then Quinn looked straight at Tane from across the flames, shocking Tane into a sitting position.

            “Your eyes!” Tane said, recalling how they had glowed in the escape tunnel. Quinn stared at him, face blank. “They glow like a wolf’s eyes.”

            “Of course. My father was full-blooded elf,” Quinn said. No emotion at all. Nothing more than absolutely necessary. “It is time you ate and went to work.”

            His outburst had awakened the others. Everyone sat up and looked at the fire.

            Undeterred, Tane said, “Do all elves have eyes that glow in the dark?”

            Quinn gave him a blank look of a long moment, then shrugged. “I assume so. I haven’t met many elves since half-elves are even more unpopular among elves than they are among humans. But you are incorrect. My eyes don’t glow, but merely reflect the available light back.”

            “But – ”

            “Enough talk. Eat,” Raven said. She sniffed loudly to clear her nose. “If you are not hungry, then it is time to work.”

            Angry, Tane snapped, “Wipe your nose and shut up!”

            To his surprise, Raven rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. She said nothing else, but gestured at the food.

            Well I’ll be, she obeyed me, he thought. I wonder if they all will just as quickly.

            Covertly touching the hidden dagger blade to ensure he hadn’t lost it, Tane moved over to the fire. There was a small covered pot sitting at the edge of the fire. A stack of wooden bowls sat nearby. Lifting the lid, he found the pot full of a thin vegetable soup.

            “Where did this come from?”

            “It was brought a few minutes ago,” Quinn said. Picking up a bowl, he filled it with the steaming fare. “Here. Eat.”

            Suddenly feeling famished, Tane greedily took the bowl and began shoveling the soup into his mouth with two fingers. Once he started, the others took bowls and served themselves. They ate just as quickly.

            Tane cursed himself for a coward as he finished his bowl. The others seemed eager to finish, too. Probably because of him, he decided. They had to guard him, and wanted to finish all the breakfast before he forced them to go outside. But all he could think of was what he was about to do to a friend. What he had to do, for all their sakes.

            Can I really stab Joelle? he wondered. What if her magic isn’t strong enough to save her? I’ll be a murderer then.

            Armin stood and pointed at the door. “Go to work.”

            “Now,” Quinn said.

            “Now,” Joelle said, pointing at the door.

            Raven just stood and pointed, held mute by his command.

            No, he couldn’t allow them to continue like that, no matter what the consequences. In Joelle’s place, he would want to be put out of his misery. Better dead than a mindless zombie slave.

            “You’re right,” Tane said, rising slowly to his feet and looking around. He needed a reason to keep Joelle back, while sending the others away. He needed time. “Quinn, go out and start working on the bellows. I want the fire raging hot by the time I get there. Raven, you go with him and feed the fire as needed.”

            Quinn and Raven started out the door. Armin stayed put, watching Tane. Joelle still knelt in her blankets, also watching Tane. It gave Tane an idea.

            “Armin, go wait for me and Joelle outside the door,” he said. “It’ll take a while for the fire to be ready, so I’m going to enjoy a tumble with Joelle. And I want to do it without the rest of you watching. So go, so I can get it started and over with.”

            Armin looked out the door. His expression never changed.

            “It is almost light enough to work,” Armin said. “Wait until tonight.”

            “No,” Tane said. “The priest said I could use the women, so I’m going to use Joelle. Besides, I’ll be finished before the sun is fully up.”

            Armin hesitated a heartbeat, then moved out of the hut.

            Tane heaved a sigh of relief once the warrior was gone. Turning, he found Joelle half out of her clothes.

            “What are you doing?” he said, heart pounding.

            She stopped undressing and looked up at him in confusion. It was the first time he had seen anything even resembling emotion on any of their faces since their capture. And he thought it was beautiful.

            “You said you wanted to have sex with me,” she said. “Did I misunderstand, master?”

            “Don’t call me master,” he snapped. “And yes, I do want to...I mean...I....Oh, never mind.” Gods, what was he going to do now. How could he distract her long enough to inflict the necessary wound. “Uh, kneel...I mean, get on all fours and face that way. No! Stand up and face that way.”

            She obeyed every command immediately, though gave him a look close to exasperation as she stood up. Tane felt his face burning red hot. Gods, what she must be thinking? he thought. Well, if she can think. But the experience was still the most humiliating of his life.

            Not giving himself anymore time to think about it, Tane pulled the dagger and stepped close. He could feel the heat off her bare body as his hand snaked around her to hold her still for the thrust. Then he thrust the blade into her back and up into the diaphragm. Or at least he prayed he did. If he missed, she’d be screaming any moment now.