Time Of Traitors

11

When Cres woke up, a suffocating heat spread through his body. His head was splitting as if battle horns were being blown into the ears on both sides, and only the Senches and his wives knew when it would end, if it would end at all. Opening his eyelids with difficulty, Kres lay in one position for a long time, getting used to the hot twilight and to new sensations - there was not an inch of cold earth under him, and the hiss of the forest was not audible. Somewhere nearby, a door creaked, grunts and joyful fuss were heard. The smell was fierce.

The white morning dawned slowly. A dim light gradually penetrated under the low ceiling of this foul-smelling lair. Heavy skins on the log walls, fragrant bundles of herbs and decorations of feathers and down. Cres felt fresh straw under him, raised himself a little, and before another red-hot needle twisted him, he still managed to make out a cradle and a smoldering hearth, and people sleeping side by side right on the floor.

“Woke up… woke u