“You’re refraining fromretaliating because you haven’t the wit, not out of considerationfor me.”
Cadmus smiled fully this time.“The woman I remember emerges. You know perfectly well you wereparalyzed with fright, till the moment I gave you my promise not tomake you a slave.”
“Up to the moment you stoppedtrying to control me with your psychic powers, you mean.”
“I may decide to use them againif you prove difficult.”
“You won’t find it possiblethis time.”
“Are you daring me to try?”His words were menacing.
Toemeka longed to defy him, butknew it would be vanity to think that she wasn’t still in danger.She was still recovering physically and he wielded strong psychicpowers.
“I’m waiting for youranswer,” he said.
“I’m not challenging you.”
“Good. I hear you didn’t eatanything today.”
“No, I’m fasting.”
He leaned closer. “Fastingisn’t advantageous to your recovery. You need to eat somethingbefore going to bed.”
“No, thank you.”
“Then you’re going right tobed. You haven’t the energy to be up.”
She gasped as Cadmus scooped herup and set her on the bed.
“I’m tired of being in bed.”
“Then maybe you shouldreconsider eating something.” He noticed the drawing of Amarettaand picked it up. He looked thoughtfully at the slave then back atthe picture.
“Put that down,” Toemekasaid, annoyed he’d seen it. “It’s mine.”
“You have a gift for seeinginside a person and for showing emotion on paper. It didn’t occurto me that a slave felt so deeply.”
“Slaves are people. You’d dowell to treat them as such.”
“It is a finely detaileddrawing. I didn’t know you were an artist.”
“There’s much you don’tknow about me.”
“And much I’d like to learn.All will be a pleasure.” He set the picture on the bedside tableand kissed her.
Infuriated, she tried to slaphim, but he caught her wrist.
“You have a short memory. Lasttime you hit me, you paid dearly for it.”
“Slave, leave your mistress,”he said to Amaretta. “I don’t want her coercing you into helpingher back out of bed.” The slave girl ran from the room.
Alone with Cadmus, Toemeka feltmore vulnerable. Her situation was perilous; she couldn’t afford toanger him.
“Tonight I’ll leave youalone, but soon I’ll expect you to start pleasing me.”
Once he was gone, she drew in abreathe, not realizing she’d been holding it. She had to find a wayto escape.
6
Devil’s Eye
Toemeka sat propped up in bed,supported with several pillows. After fasting the day before, she washungry and eagerly eyed the plate of crepes Amaretta set before her.She picked up her fork, breathing in the delicious aroma. Just as shewas about to take a bite, an uneasy feeling came over her. Focusinginwardly, she felt a distinct nudge not to eat the crepes. She placeda small piece on her tongue. It tasted all right at first, but thenthere was a bitter aftertaste. She spit it out, convinced the foodwas drugged.
Disheartened, she set the tray onthe bedside table. Thefood must have been drugged all along, shethought. That must be what contributed to her lethargy, depression,and an inability to tune-in to the Eternal Life Stream. Her stomachgrowled. She wished there was something on the tray she could be surewasn’t laced with drugs.
By evening, Toemeka was famished,but just as determined not to eat any drugged food. She drew severalquick sketches of Amaretta in various poses and began another whenCadmus strode in. His brow was furrowed and his large features lookeddark and foreboding.
“I’m told you refuse to eatagain! Why?” he demanded.
Toemeka swallowed uneasily, notwanting to say anything that would trigger his anger. “My food’sbeen drugged.”
His expression darkened. “Whatnonsense is this? I haven’t been drugging your food.”
She drew back from his anger.“Someone did,” she said softly.
“You’re paranoid. How long doyou intend to keep starving yourself?”
“I’m not trying to bedifficult. I just don’t want to eat tainted food.”
He snorted. “What would youeat?”
“A piece of fruit, but only ifit hasn’t been tampered with.”
“I don’t know why I’mwilling to put up with your childish behavior.”
He turned to Amaretta. “Slave,to please her majesty get some fruit.” Amaretta rushed from theroom.
“She has a name. It’sAmaretta. Please use it when you address her.”
A flash of anger crossed hiseyes. “Don’t push me, Toemeka. There’s a limit to my patience.What makes you think the food is drugged?”
“When I stopped eating it, Ifelt less despondent and could think more clearly.”
“I haven’t drugged your food.Why would I?”
She looked away from hisdemanding expression, hesitant to reply.
“I asked you a question.”
Toemeka faced him. “You kept medrugged on the way here and for three days afterwards.”
“Not by drugging your food. Ihave no reason to hide it if I wish to drug you.”
Toemeka tried to keep her handsteady as she handed him a dinner roll from the tray near her bed.“Taste this. You can taste the drug.”
Cadmus took a bite and frowned.“It does have a bitter aftertaste, but I didn’t order your fooddrugged.”
“Eat the whole meal and thentell me how you feel.”
“No one here would dare drugyou without my orders!” He stopped abruptly and his face darkenedlike a thundercloud rolling across the sky. “Except Seetva.”
“Seetva!” Toemeka’s heartconstricted. “The sorceress from Haklute?”
“Yes.”
“She’s here?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I’llcheck into this matter immediately.” He stormed out of the room.
Amaretta returned with large redberries with points on the sides of them like stars.
“What are those? Toemeka asked,staring at them suspiciously.
“They’re called ambole,”Amaretta said. “I picked them myself. They’re grownhydroponically right on Cadmus’ estate. They’re quite good.”She picked one up and took a bite. “It tastes fine to me. You’dbetter eat them or Cadmus will be even angrier.”
Toemeka bit into one and thesucculent taste exploded in her mouth. “They are good.” Shefinished it, then ate the rest of them. Her hunger quenched, Toemekaslid her feet over the edge of the bed. “I’m tired of being inbed. Can you find something to wear?”
Amaretta brought over a sheernegligee. “You’ll look lovely in this.”
“That’s worse than thisnightgown. Can you find a pair of slacks and a top?”
“There aren’t any, but thisis pretty and will feel nice against your skin.”
“Find me a plain dress.”
Amaretta rummaged through theclosets and returned with an amber-colored dress. Too low cut forToemeka’s taste, but at least the fabric wasn’t sheer. Amarettahelped her put it on and then assisted her
