Let him pretend, too, I was of no interest to him! I had given the lie to that, and before others, to their amusement. I was not his. He could not own me, he could not buy me! How cleverly I had subjected him to the honey of my vengeance. I had then taken my leave of him, leaving him behind me, humiliated, furious, helpless in his bonds. We were soon to trek, and I was to bear my burden. He had arranged, bound, the monster, to have himself placed behind me, and I knew then, to my great uneasiness, I would be under his constant surveillance. So I must walk before him, bearing my burden, keenly aware he was there, unable to see him, and walk as I must, as what I was, a slave. But the trek was arrested by mutiny within the band, and in the course of this mutiny, intruders from the coast had located the camp. Shortly thereafter he and Master Axel, who were apparently in some way in league with the intruders, had been freed, and I had trembled in terror. Soon I had seen his eyes, those of he whom I hated, upon me, and as those of a displeased master on a slave. Had I ever been so aware of my half-nudity and the light metal circle fastened about my neck? I knew then that I must escape as soon as possible, at any risk. With a blow he could break my neck. His strength might pull the limbs from my body. My opportunity soon occurred, unexpectedly, with the attack on Genserich and the loosing of the sleen on the ill-fated assailant.
I paused amongst the trees, listening, looking back. There was no sign of pursuit.
I continued on.
I had escaped.
Chapter Forty-Five
“No!” said Axel. “Let her go!”
“No!” I said. “She cannot be far. Use Tiomines!”
“He is not ready for another hunt,” he said, “not for Ahn. Too, the kill is recent. He remembers the blood. It will be difficult to restrain him, for perhaps a day. I do not know. He would now be as likely to kill and eat the slave, as hold her for us.”
“Keep him leashed!” I said.
“I cannot hold him if he rushes upon her,” he said.
“We two together,” I said.
“We might be unable to do so,” he said. “Too, frustrated, he might turn upon us and rend us.”
“I will risk it,” I said.
“I will not,” he said.
“Axel!” I said.
“If Tiomines were leashed,” said Axel, “and all went well, she might keep ahead of us for two or more days.”
“She does not have such a start,” I said.
“It is not clear we could even give Tiomines a usable scent,” he said. “He might follow the wrong slave.”
Tula and Mila had left with Genserich’s band, and Darla, Tuza, Emerald, and Hiza, were on their way to the coast.
“We could then revise the hunt,” I said.
“We do not even know where to search for scent,” said Axel. “We do not even know what direction she went.”
“The attempt is to be made,” I said.
“Do you not understand?” he said. “We must get back. Indeed, the ship may have left by now.”
“Not yet,” I said.
“You do not know that,” he said.
“No,” I said.
“It will take days to reach Shipcamp,” he said. “We must leave immediately.”
“The slave!” I said.
“Forget her,” he said. “The forest will claim her. You left with me. Return with me. We will report on the capture of the spies.”
“Go on, without me,” I said.
“I do not choose to do so,” he said.
“What does it matter?” I asked.
“Tyrtaios would not be pleased,” he said.
“Go without me,” I said.
Behold, his blade was half drawn from the sheath. I stepped back, and mine was free of its housing.
“I could set the sleen on you,” he said.
“I know little of sleen,” I said, “but I do not think that would be practical. We have been as fellows, for days, close to Tiomines, our scents mingled. We have both fed him. Such a command would do little more than confuse him.”
“You know more of sleen than I had supposed,” he said.
He thrust his partially drawn blade back in the sheath, resignedly. I then returned mine, as well, to its housing.
“I have no wish to kill you,” he said.
“Nor I you,” I said, “friend.”
“It seems I have lost you in the forest,” he said.
“Do you think Tyrtaios will believe that?” I asked.