Voices saying angry things above her head. Hands pulling and poking at her. Leave me alone, she tried to say, but her voice was a husky rasp with no power to communicate. As she was sinking back into unconsciousness, a cascade of cold water crashed over her. Am I still in the river? Panicking, struggling to rise, she screamed, a hoarse croaking voice all she had. Coarse, male laughter sounded all around her. Am I hallucinating? Hands grabbed at her arms, bringing her to her feet, holding her upright as her legs buckled. She leaned over and vomited up a great gush of river water. Cursing, disgusted, the men let her fall to the sand while she retched. When there was no more water left in her stomach, Andi curled into a fetal position, protecting her aching guts. “Please, just leave me alone. Let me die in peace.” “The river spirits dropped you on our beach alive, outworlder bitch. Therefore, you’re to be used for our purposes.” The harshly exulting stranger spoke the Naranti dialect.
