Page 38 of Agor the Merciless
“First, we need to make you comfortable,” Zana said. She grabbed a folded blanket from a nearby shelf. “This will keep you warm.”
Before Zoe could protest, Zana wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. The weight of it surprised her, giving her something real to focus on instead of what her mind kept creating – memories mixed with hallucinations.
“I don’t want this,” Zoe said, but her hands gripped the edges of the blanket, pulling it tighter.
She realized she was referring to her situation more than the blanket and the food being offered, and the help that she keptrefusing with her stupid mouth but accepting with all her being. Her knees weak, she slid to the floor and curled within herself.
Hestra sat on the floor next to her and reached for her hand. “Give me your palm.”
“Why?” Zoe asked.
“In my family, we do this for sick children. Pressure points in your hand connect to the rest of your body. It helps with any pain.”
“I’m not a child,” Zoe said.
“No,” Hestra agreed. “You are the captain’s mate who’s fighting a curse stronger than most orcs could bear. Now give me your hand.”
Something in Hestra’s tone broke through Zoe’s resistance, and she extended her trembling hand. Hestra took it between both of hers, her green skin in contrast with Zoe’s pale flesh. Her thumbs pressed into Zoe’s palm, moving in circles. The pressure hurt at first, then began to ease some of the tension radiating up her arm.
“This is stupid,” Zoe said, but didn’t pull her hand away.
“If stupid works, then we do stupid,” Hestra replied with a smile.
Pira busied herself with the pot, stirring its contents before pouring some into a cup.
“Drink this,” she said, holding the cup out to Zoe. “It’s a broth I made. It helps the body stay strong when the mind wants to quit.”
“What’s in it?” The smell was intense, possibly of herbs mixed with animal fat.
“Just drink,” Pira said, suspiciously not giving her a straight answer.
Zoe turned her head away. “I told you, I don’t want anything.”
Pira sighed and looked at Zana, who nodded. In a swift movement, Zana was behind Zoe, her strong hands holding hershoulders through the blanket. Hestra kept hold of her hand when Zoe yelped and tried to pull away, and Pira brought the cup to Zoe’s lips.
“Drink,” Pira said, her voice firm. “The captain said to keep you strong, so that’s what we’re doing.”
“You can’t force me to…” Pira tipped the cup as she spoke, sending a stream of liquid into her mouth. Zoe sputtered but swallowed, her face twisting from the taste. “That’s disgusting,” she gasped when she could speak again.
“Good medicine always tastes bad,” Pira said cheerfully, refilling the cup. “Finish it all. Doctor’s orders.”
“You’re not a doctor,” Zoe pointed out with a roll of her eyes. On second thought, the broth wasn’t too bad.
“Drink the rest, or we do this the hard way again.”
Jesus, these women weren’t joking! Zoe glared at her but took the cup with her free hand. She sipped the broth slowly, focusing on the warmth and taste of the brew. Hestra’s massage was pleasant enough, and Zoe’s mind calmed down a little.
“There,” Pira said when Zoe finished the cup. “Was that so hard?”
“Yes,” Zoe said with a playful smile. Then, she sighed. “Thank you. But you don’t have to stay. You have better things to do than babysit me. I’m feeling better, anyway.”
“We’ll stay,” said Zana simply.
Grol and Tarn were clanging about in the garage, keeping their distance. At some point, Tarn pushed a stool toward Zoe and said something about the hard floor. As if the stool wasn’t hard, but Zoe accepted it without comment. An hour passed in relative silence, the orc females exchanging few words, and the father and son putting the tools away for the night. Stars appeared in the sky, and Zoe closed her eyes as she swayed on the wooden stool, her back pressed against the workbench. The blanket kept her warm, and the broth had filled her stomach andeased some of the pain and tension. Hestra was still on the floor, working on her other hand.
“It’s late,” Zana said, looking at the sky stretching beyond the open garage door. “You need sleep.”
Zoe nodded but didn’t move. The thought of walking back to the cave, to the room she shared with Agor, made her stomach tighten.
