Belly of the Beast Warren Thomas (e novels for free .txt) 📖

            “I’m sorry, Raven,” Tane whispered as she settled back into her blankets. “It’s good to know you aren’t really dead.”

            She sat straight up, staring at him in shock and fear.

            Chuckling, Quinn said, “That’s the first time I think I’ve seen her so alarmed about anything. Teach me how to do that, Tane.”

            “You’re not as funny as you think, Quinn,” she said, laying back down and turning her back on them.

            When Tane started to lie back down, Quinn stopped him.

            “It’s almost time for your watch, my friend,” Quinn said. Tane was shocked, for it was the first time the half-elf had called any one of them friend. “I’ll wait for you outside. Dress warm, for a cold wind is blowing in from the south.”

            Tane nodded and started pulling on his boots. They were all sleeping in their tunic and trousers, in case they were attacked during the night. Halfway through tying the second boot, he realized what Quinn had said. How could he dress warmly? He only had the clothes on his back. Then he spotted the pile of cloaks by the door.

            “At least the supply sergeant isn’t completely incompetent,” he muttered as he picked one out and threw it across his shoulders.

            Ducking through the waist-high door, he was slapped full in the face by frigid wind. Quinn was kneeling over a small fire shielded by their hut. Tane could see each hut had its own guard and small fire on the downwind side. The sky overhead was a starless charcoal gray. A brisk wind was whipping the treetops about, and dropping down often enough to make life miserable for the men and women on guard.

            “Things seem to be going our way,” Tane said as he knelt beside Quinn. “Nothing like a cold autumn storm to fight in.”

            Quinn slanted him a bemused look that reminded him of Raven in its eloquence, which reminded him of his nightmare. He shivered.

            “I take the watch,” Tane said.

            “I stand relieved,” Quinn said, but made no move to leave. He stared into the flames a moment longer before saying, “Tell me, Tane, was it the same nightmare?”

            “No. It was worse.”

            “Good. Raven and Joelle agree that having the same nightmare is prophetic. Since it is a different nightmare, there isn’t anything to fear.”

            Icy fingers tickled Tane’s spine, and took a firm hold of his heart. No one had said anything about his nightmares being prophetic before, though both Raven and Joelle had seemed concerned by the fact they were all the same. And in truth, it really wasn’t a different nightmare, but at a different point in time than the previous ones.

            “Are you all right, Tane,” Quinn said.

            “Yes. Why?”

            “You’re sweating, that’s why,” Quinn said. “And you look ill.”

            “I wasn’t entirely truthful about my nightmare. It is the same nightmare, but further along in time,” he said. Very quickly, Tane described the dream. “So you see, if it is prophesy, then Raven will die and maybe the rest of us as well.”

            Quinn was ashen-faced. “Raven dead?”

            “And the rest of us, too, I think.”

            Quinn stared into the flames with a haunted look, absently rubbing the stubble on his face. Tane felt just as gloomy, wishing he hadn’t burdened the half-elf with his dream. Not knowing would probably be better. And there wasn’t anything to prove his nightmares were prophecy.

            “Very disturbing,” Quinn said at length. “I suggest you take Joelle aside and tell her what you told me. It might be best not to tell Raven of your prophecy.”

            “It’s just a nightmare, not a prophecy,” Tane protested.

            “Let Joelle decide that,” he said, standing. “I better bed down now. I’ve been in enough battles to know the benefit of starting out well-rested.”

            “Pleasant dreams,” Tane said.

Chapter 24

            Morning came early. The dim light showed them the cloudbank hadn’t stopped for the night, and stood towering over them. Everyone, save Raven, looked as grim as the morning sky.

            “You’re not going to eat all your food, lover?” Raven asked Quinn, her plate already cleaned even before Tane could be served.

            “Keep your greedy Ashtarite eyes off my food,” Quinn said, starting to shovel the soup down. “And don’t call me ‘lover.’”

            Raven looked stricken. “Is that any way to treat a woman about to meet her doom?”

            Quinn, Tane, and Joelle froze in place. Tane had shared Quinn’s concerns about his latest nightmare with Joelle when he woke her for last watch. She had agreed that it might be prophetic, but only time would tell. But she disagreed with Quinn concerning telling Raven. She claimed that knowledge of one’s fate helped to avoid it. But Tane hadn’t had a chance to tell Raven what he had dreamed.

            “Is it something I said?” Raven said. Then she laughed. “I overheard Tane and Joelle discussing my fate, if you will.” She gave Quinn a scathing look. “Not tell me, indeed! I’m no child, needing protection of the wicked world. Do that again, Quinn, and I’ll cut off your manhood, or elfhood, or whatever you call it.”

            Quinn grimaced. “How can anyone as sweet looking as you have such a foul mouth?”

            “I’ve been a pirate since escaping slavery,” she said, grinning roguishly. “My pirate friends have been a bad influence on me.”

            “A pirate?” Tane said, intrigued.

            “Don’t ask,” Joelle said. “She’ll just bore us with another of her tall tales.”

            “Bore! Are you saying I’m boring?” Raven cried, coming to her feet. Tane and Quinn shared a grin, seeing she wasn’t the least bit offended. “And what do you mean with that ‘tall tales’ rot? Everything I’ve said is the God’s-truth!” Suddenly becoming haughty, she said, “You’re just jealous because I’ve had a more interesting life than you.”

            “Being trained as a Silk Slave by a paddle-wielding dominatrix isn’t my idea of an interesting life,” Joelle countered just as