Page 19 of The Searching Songbird

And then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. The room no longer felt like it was spinning, and everything went silent. Too silent.

Opening her eyes, she let out a startled gasp. What the – Where am I? She certainly wasn't sitting in the ship's mess hall anymore. Instead, she was in some sort of dank, windowless room. It was dark, and it smelled like... she wrinkled her nose. She didn't particularly want to think about that.

Turning her head, she spotted a thin stream of light coming from the bottom of a heavy, wooden door. She started to move toward it, but stopped with a jerk as something caught at her leg.

A thick, metal ring was clamped around her ankle, with a heavy, metal chain anchoring it to the wall. Her ankle burned as it rubbed against the metal ring, and she saw several red welts peeking out from beneath it.

As if she'd been trapped there for quite some time. But that was crazy. This was crazy.

Speaking of crazy, was it just her imagination, or was she naked? A cold chill crept over her as she ran her hands over her body, finding nothing but bare skin.

Don't panic. I'm sure there's a completely reasonable explanation for... what? Finding myself shackled inside some sort of cell without any clothes?

She wrapped her arms around her bare torso, clutching at her sides as she let out a shuddery breath. A lock of hair fell over her face, and she froze. Squinting in the dim light, she reached up to finger the silky strands.

Red, silky strands.

A closer examination of her lower half revealed what she should have noticed before – her legs were much too long to be her own, even if they were just as pale. Curved, black lines marked the side of her torso, and as she bent her head for a closer look, she realized they were in the shape of flames, licking their way up her side.

A mark of flames... dragon flames! I must be inside the dragon Shendri... but how? Suzu? Can you still hear me in here?

The silence that followed gave her her answer, and the earlier panic began to creep back in. It's just a dream, Lily, that's all. Just like before.

Loud footsteps sounded outside the door, and she curled in on herself, biting back a scream of terror as the door slowly opened a crack. An older woman with a long face that reminded her a little of a donkey poked her head into the room and looked down her crooked nose at her. Or whomever's body she was currently trapped in.

“Well?” the woman rasped, giving her a sour look. “Have you managed to learn some manners yet? Or do you still need a little help with that?” She took a step inside the room, and Lily spotted a vicious looking cane in the woman's hand.

“I... I don't understand...” Her voice sounded strange, deeper than usual, and she shook her head in confusion, all the while staring up at the woman with eyes the size of teacups. The woman let out a humorless chuckle as she lifted the cane she was holding and began smacking it against her hand.

“And what exactly don't you understand, hmm?”

The woman's eyes lit up with a crazed glint, and she raised the cane over her head. “Your place?” The cane swung down, striking Lily's upper arm with a sharp crack. Pain shot up her arm, and she caught her breath in a shocked gasp as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

The woman cackled, clearly pleased by her reaction. “The proper way to speak to your master?” Crack!

This time the cane struck down on the top of her shoulder, causing her to crumple to the floor. “How to please him?”

Crack! Across her shoulder blades.

She was sobbing now, with her face pressed against her thighs and every muscle braced for another blow.

“You've been acting high and mighty ever since you got here, like you're too good to get your hands dirty. Well, I've got news for you, girlie, you ain't nothing but a worthless whore. And not a very good one, at that, seeing as how quick your last master was to let you go.”

The woman chuckled, running her fingers down the length of the cane and flicking the droplets of blood that came off at Lily's head. “Oh, but don't you worry. I'll get you fixed up real good.” She turned and walked back out the door, tapping the end of the cane on the ground as she went.

“Sweet dreams,” she whispered, slamming the door closed behind her.

The door hit with a loud bang, and everything was spinning again. Static buzzed in her ears as the room disappeared, a blinding light forcing her to close her eyes. Her lungs seemed to seize up, and she struggled to catch her breath.

“Miss Lily, can you hear us? Wake up, please, wake up.”

Her eyes flew open, and she sucked in a noisy breath as the vice on her chest seemed to ease. Kenny looked down at her, a worried expression on his face. He let out sigh of relief when he noticed her looking back at him.

“Oh, Miss Lily, thank goodness. We were so worried, you have no idea. I mean, you jest passed out right there in the mess hall, with your face fallin' in your stew an' everythin'. We brought you back to your cabin, but then you started thrashin' around all crazy like and – ”

“Kenny.” Draven's face appeared behind Kenny's flustered one, and he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. “How about we give the lady a moment to breath before you give her the full rehash?”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Kenny shot her an apologetic grin. “I was jest so happy to see you awake, I guess I got carried away.” He slid backwards, standing up, and Lily realized she was lying on her bed. She tried to push herself up and something wet slid off her forehead into her lap. She looked down and picked up a wet towel, the same one she usually used to wash up with before bed.