Page 43 of Potions & Pints
Tan watched as Sinifris cast an eye around their group. “You’re all welcome to stay too, as long as you like. The only condition is that you must contribute to our tribe.”
The way the chieftain said it gave Tan a bad feeling. “What do you have in mind?” the elf asked, but Chieftain Sinifris simply smiled.
“Oh, I’m sure my advisors and I will think of something.”
Tan couldn’t help but frown. This was a dangerous deal and he knew it — his time as a pirate had taught him that lesson well. He never agreed to something without knowing the terms and he told the chieftain as much.
“With all due respect, Chieftain, I think we’d rather know in advance what kind of contribution you expect of us. If you can’t tell us before we agree, then we can’t agree,” Tan told him as diplomatically as he could muster.
Sinifris just smiled serenely. “I understand. Then I suppose you’ll be wanting to leave right away for Gamlin Ait?” The chieftain extended a hand in the direction of the island.
“No, thank you!” cried Garu suddenly.
“We’re happy right here,” added Ogen.
“Whenever you think of something, you just let us know,” chimed Sori.
The chieftain raised an eyebrow at Tan, waiting for his decision. He didn’t have to wait long. The mention of Gamlin Ait had Tan reconsidering his policy almost immediately.
“As my companions said,” Tan added, smiling his most charming smile. “I’m sure we can work something out. I do believe we’ll be much happier here in your lovely kingdom than on the Manisles. In fact, I can already feel that the saltwater is doing wonders for my skin.”
“Better than a spider or a cannibal anyway,” he muttered under his breath.
The chieftain looked at him for a moment and Tan was afraid he’d heard that last part and didn’t take kindly to it. But instead, the water elf smiled.
“Good!” Sinifris suddenly bellowed. “You are welcome to make Laeve Taesi your home. And I’ll be sure to tell you when the time comes to contribute to the community.”
The chieftain just kept smiling and Tan, out of some kind of awkwardness, bowed a little. He immediately felt it foolish but the chieftain appeared to approve.
“Then, if you don’t mind Chieftain Sinifris, I’d like to see Vir,” he finally managed, once it was clear the chieftain wasn’t going to say anything else.
He was itching to see the orc and although Sinifris cast another strange look over Tan and the crew, he nodded slowly.
“Of course, of course,” the chieftain kindly. “Cheruck! Take this young man to see the healer.”
“Yes, Chieftain,” came the water elf’s voice and soon Tan found himself winding back through a labyrinth of hallways and out again into the wide blue ocean.
As he went, Tan couldn’t help but wonder at the chieftain’s strange behavior. Sinifris had, of course, been nice to him and the crew, but it was only after a menacing tirade against Pili. And in Tan’s experience, that wasn’t necessarily a good sign.
All doubts melted away as Cheruck led him to the entrance of the healer’s cave. He was about to see Vir again and something in his chest ached, hoping the orc was okay. He didn’t even try to push it away this time.
21
Cheruck left Tan at a wall of seaweed and it took him a second to realize the healing cave was, in fact, hidden behind the mass of green. Slimy fronds tangled in his fingers and hair, thwarting his efforts to step through delicately. He didn’t want to disturb Vir, but the way he ended up bursting through to the other side made that almost impossible.
The cave was dark, illuminated only by a few phosphorescent jellyfish bobbing listlessly at the ceiling, along with the filtered green light from behind the seaweed curtain. It took a moment for Tan’s eyes to adjust.
What he saw once they did though, almost made him cry out. A woman had been emerging from behind another curtain of weeds and as she’d looked up at his clumsy entrance, they’d locked eyes. Tan stood silently for a moment, before finally uttering a name he never thought he’d be able to say again.
“Dania?”
His sister’s name sounded almost foreign on his tongue now, but he would recognize the long sandy blonde hair, high cheekbones and bright blue eyes anywhere.
“Tan?” she replied, incredulous. The sound of his name almost came out like a laugh and they both rushed forward in the same instant, embracing each other in a warm tight hug.
“I thought you were dead,” Tan choked out as he held her.
She laughed again, squeezing him tighter. “I thoughtyouwere dead!”
