There was no reason to argue the suggestion, so Tain simply nodded and joined Risdin in setting things up. While Risdin put two of the pallets in the third room and then took the others into the first room, Tain put the food she’d carried down into the middle area. She glanced into the men’s alcove to see that both of them were lying down again with their cups of coffee, then she and Risdin went back upstairs for the rest of the things that could betray their presence.
The metal container the cooking was done on went down first, with both Tain and Risdin holding the container’s wooden handles. There were still live coals in it so they had to be careful, not to mention the fact that the thing was heavy. Once that was done, though, the rest went much more quickly. Tain had Risdin, who knew what was where, empty the wall space and the cabinets and bring the stuff to the top of the stairs while she herself carted things down.
No more than ten minutes later Risdin was ready to help with taking things down, but first Tain had her make sure there was absolutely nothing left to show they’d been in the room. Risdin spent another couple of minutes brushing away charcoal dust and crumbs and closing all of the cabinets really tight, and then she took the candle and came onto the landing of the stairs. Another moment saw the hidden door closed and secured, and then she and Tain carried down what was left of the supplies.
“Half of me wants to watch to see what happens across the street,” Risdin said as she and Tain put down the last of their burdens in the cooking room. “The other half, though, doesn’t want to know anything about it. That slaver will be furious when he finds out about the men being gone, and I hate to think what he’ll do to his women. And by the way, I’ve decided to make you something to eat before we go to bed. It finally came to me that you haven’t had a single bite all day.”
Tain’s first urge was to tell Risdin not to bother with making her anything, but then she remembered that she did have to build up her strength after having so little real food for so long. She’d been able to do everything necessary tonight, but right now she felt empty and in need of recharging.
“I appreciate the offer, Risdin, and I accept it gladly,” Tain said after only the smallest hesitation as she sat down on the stone floor. “As far as watching what goes on across the street, though, I have a feeling I’m much better off not seeing it. I’d hate to ruin things by losing my temper and going after that slimy man, thereby letting everyone know the men had help in getting away. If the slaver thinks his prisoners got themselves free he’ll be knocked off balance, and that’s the way we want him. Off balance.”
“And frightened,” Risdin said, giving all her attention to the fresh charcoal she’d put in the metal container. “He deserves to be frightened, to feel what he makes so many others feel, and I only wish I could be the one to make him feel like that.”
The woman’s words were so fierce that Tain could almost feel the pain and hatred that lay behind them. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but it did give her an idea.
“Maybe something can be arranged,” Tain said, knowing she sounded thoughtful. “I’ll keep the possibility in mind while we wait to see how things turn out. Personally I would have just killed the man, but that would let him off too easily, wouldn’t it.”
Risdin flashed her such a delighted and grateful look that Tain filed the idea away for future use. Giving the slaver a taste of what he gave so easily to others would be the best poetic justice imaginable, but it might not prove to be possible. If circumstances forced his death he would die, but if not…
The meal Risdin produced was quick and hot, and Tain actually bolted it down when she was handed the plate. The food not only warmed her insides but added a rush of the strength Tain needed, and afterward she sipped her rewarmed coffee feeling full and satisfied. Risdin kept her company while she ate, sipping from a cup of coffee of her own, and then the two cleaned up from the meal. The clean-up didn’t take long, and then they went to their alcove and lay down on pallets. The lamps and candles were left lit, to keep the underground darkness from becoming overwhelming.
Risdin fell asleep quickly, but Tain wasn’t that lucky. She tossed around a short while, then decided to give up for the moment and got out from under her blanket. Her vest and “skirt” were folded neatly next to the pallet, but it only took a moment’s worth of thought to leave the garments where they lay. Being completely naked was better than being “decorated,” a position she hadn’t changed her mind about.
Stepping out into the corridor let her hear soft snoring coming from the alcove where the men had been left. Tain’s first thought had been to make herself a bit more coffee, and although it was still a good idea she decided to take a look at the men first.
Tain hadn’t checked on the men before lying down because she’d felt they were badly in need of some privacy, but the disturbance she’d seen in Killen’s eyes still bothered her. She needed the man to be at his best when they went after Gordi and a good night’s sleep should bring him back closer to normal, but that wasn’t Tain’s only concern. What had happened to Killen certainly wasn’t her fault, but for some reason she felt really bad about it…
Stopping at the opening to the alcove showed Tain that it was Tandro who was doing the snoring. The native was so deeply asleep that Tain could see and feel it, obviously in a state that was closer to unconsciousness than sleep. It was a reaction to what he’d gone through, of course, a way the body sometimes used when even the mind needed time to heal.
But Killen wasn’t even close to being in the same condition. The man lay face down on his pallet, his eyes open and his gaze resting on her. His light hair looked tousled, matching the almost-wounded look in those gray eyes, and Tain couldn’t keep herself from moving closer and crouching down.
“Is something wrong?” she asked very softly, although she probably could have shouted without waking Tandro. “You really ought to be asleep.”
“I agree, but sleep seems to be avoiding me,” Killen responded in a murmur. “What are you doing wandering around?”
“I was about to make more coffee, which usually helps me sleep,” Tain said, privately shocked that she had to close her hand into a fist to keep it from reaching out and stroking Killen’s shoulder and arm. “It’s cool enough down here that I seem to need something to warm me up.”
“Yes, I can tell that you’re cold,” Killen said in a very … neutral way, his glance having touched her hardened nipples. “Are you sure it’s coffee you want and not an excuse to indulge in a little … exercise of ownership?”
“What are you talking about?” Tain asked, honestly having no idea what he meant. “What can ownership have to do with anything?”
“Don’t worry, Tain, you don’t have to lie to cover the fact that you’re only human,” Killen said in a weary voice, the look in his eyes sad now.
“You’re in control of me just the way I was in control of you, and that’s a very … overwhelming thing when it really hits you. The sudden understanding makes you want to exercise that control in the most basic way possible, the most intimate way. The feeling is irresistible in the beginning and won’t start to bother you until the novelty wears off, so there’s no reason not to indulge yourself.”
Killen no longer looked directly at Tain, which might have been a very good thing. She had to fight really hard to keep her face from showing what she now felt, which was an incredible mixture of … she wasn’t completely sure what it was a mixture of. What she did know for an iron-hard fact was that Killen had misinterpreted her reactions.