She wasn’t sure how far Nefta’s protection extended, or how much it could be relied upon. Even if Ecanus didn’t discipline her directly, he might demand that Nefta do it. Or he might simply do as he pleased without care for the consequences. There was no one to stop him here, and no one to turn to. He could kill them and deal with the political aftermath later if he was so inclined, and sanctions from Nefta wouldn’t do Jana any good if they were posthumously administered.
There was nothing else for Peter to do but drink. He put the canteen to his lips and began to chug, pausing to wipe his lips and steel himself for the rest. He finished it to the last drop, and then handed it off to the little boy. He looked relieved. His stomach was full, and he was ready to be a servant again.
“Thank you, sir,” said Peter. “I’m sure I won’t be thirsty for a while.”
“Boy,” said Ecanus, calling to the child as he was rushing back to the refreshment station. “Bring him another. He looks positively parched.”
Now Peter began to turn pale, as it all sank in. The little boy dutifully ran back, holding up a fresh canteen to Peter and then quickly retreating to a safe distance. He held up the canteen and took a few tentative sips, probing to see if Ecanus would tire of the game and let him stop.
“Go on,” said Ecanus. “Finish it.” His eyes darted back and forth between Peter and Jana, imbibing their fear and their pain.
In the end, all Peter could think of was to try to please him as best he could. He drank frantically, enthusiastically, trying to prove his fealty to Ecanus by following his instructions with fervor. He drank every drop, and then bowed his head and tried his best to seem remorseful for his prior insubordination.
“Thank you, sir,” said Peter.
“More,” said Ecanus, snapping at the little boy again. “Bring us a jug this time.” Again the boy rushed to the refreshments station, and he returned holding a large jug, meant for serving a group. Peter’s eyes popped. He was full, and was starting to feel sick. He wasn’t sure whether he could finish another. The canteens had been filled to the brim, and there were many, many more were these had come from. But he had to try. He opened the jug, and began to drink. Midway through, he was losing his momentum. He paused, his stomach bulging. He bent over to rest, took a few more sips, and then took another break.
“Keep going,” said Ecanus, and so Peter did. He finished the jug, and looked again to Ecanus in defeat.
“More,” said Ecanus.
“Please,” said Peter. “I’m so, so sorry for my behavior. Please. I was a fool. I’ll never do it again. Please.”
“You’ll drink another, or I’ll turn my attentions to her,” said Ecanus. Jana shuddered. She’d done nothing to draw his wrath, but that hardly mattered. Ecanus knew weakness when he saw it, and he’d latched upon Peter’s weakness for her. Ecanus moved closer to her, flicking his wings about and brushing his blackened feathers against her face. She jumped back; she couldn’t help it. The sight of him made her skin crawl. He licked his chapped lips, running the tip of his tongue across them, and grabbed Jana by the nape of her neck. Then he turned to Peter, smiling, and waited.
This time, Peter motioned for the boy himself. He was brought another jug, and he drank. His belly was distended, and Jana could see the bloating underneath his clothes. Water was running down his cheeks, but he kept going. Ecanus cackled, holding Jana’s head firmly and aiming it at Peter so that she had no choice but to watch. His breath wafted over her, a putrid smell that made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. She watched helplessly as Peter collapsed to the floor and started choking on the water, his gag reflex kicking in. Ecanus just laughed, finally releasing her only to begin clapping with glee at his hateful handiwork.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
H olt hesitated. He was a lawman at heart, and
There was nothing else for Peter to do but drink. He put the canteen to his lips and began to chug, pausing to wipe his lips and steel himself for the rest. He finished it to the last drop, and then handed it off to the little boy. He looked relieved. His stomach was full, and he was ready to be a servant again.
“Thank you, sir,” said Peter. “I’m sure I won’t be thirsty for a while.”
“Boy,” said Ecanus, calling to the child as he was rushing back to the refreshment station. “Bring him another. He looks positively parched.”
Now Peter began to turn pale, as it all sank in. The little boy dutifully ran back, holding up a fresh canteen to Peter and then quickly retreating to a safe distance. He held up the canteen and took a few tentative sips, probing to see if Ecanus would tire of the game and let him stop.
“Go on,” said Ecanus. “Finish it.” His eyes darted back and forth between Peter and Jana, imbibing their fear and their pain.
In the end, all Peter could think of was to try to please him as best he could. He drank frantically, enthusiastically, trying to prove his fealty to Ecanus by following his instructions with fervor. He drank every drop, and then bowed his head and tried his best to seem remorseful for his prior insubordination.
“Thank you, sir,” said Peter.
“More,” said Ecanus, snapping at the little boy again. “Bring us a jug this time.” Again the boy rushed to the refreshments station, and he returned holding a large jug, meant for serving a group. Peter’s eyes popped. He was full, and was starting to feel sick. He wasn’t sure whether he could finish another. The canteens had been filled to the brim, and there were many, many more were these had come from. But he had to try. He opened the jug, and began to drink. Midway through, he was losing his momentum. He paused, his stomach bulging. He bent over to rest, took a few more sips, and then took another break.
“Keep going,” said Ecanus, and so Peter did. He finished the jug, and looked again to Ecanus in defeat.
“More,” said Ecanus.
“Please,” said Peter. “I’m so, so sorry for my behavior. Please. I was a fool. I’ll never do it again. Please.”
“You’ll drink another, or I’ll turn my attentions to her,” said Ecanus. Jana shuddered. She’d done nothing to draw his wrath, but that hardly mattered. Ecanus knew weakness when he saw it, and he’d latched upon Peter’s weakness for her. Ecanus moved closer to her, flicking his wings about and brushing his blackened feathers against her face. She jumped back; she couldn’t help it. The sight of him made her skin crawl. He licked his chapped lips, running the tip of his tongue across them, and grabbed Jana by the nape of her neck. Then he turned to Peter, smiling, and waited.
This time, Peter motioned for the boy himself. He was brought another jug, and he drank. His belly was distended, and Jana could see the bloating underneath his clothes. Water was running down his cheeks, but he kept going. Ecanus cackled, holding Jana’s head firmly and aiming it at Peter so that she had no choice but to watch. His breath wafted over her, a putrid smell that made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. She watched helplessly as Peter collapsed to the floor and started choking on the water, his gag reflex kicking in. Ecanus just laughed, finally releasing her only to begin clapping with glee at his hateful handiwork.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
H olt hesitated. He was a lawman at heart, and
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