Ethan sighed in relief. “Mama’s awake. So’s Daddy.”

Jesse didn’t really understand, but she knew her brother wasn’t so taut with fear anymore. She put her thumb in her mouth and began to suck loudly. She was hungry, and thirsty too, but it looked like neither appetite were likely to be satisfied in the near future. “Mama,” she mumbled.

Then Ethan jerked, his eyes widening. “Daddy.”

---

“Give me a hand, Burkett,” Cody said, leaning down and getting his hands under Mal’s arms, and between them they dragged Mal to his feet. “Come on,” he added. “You’ve got an appointment to keep.”

“I think my diary’s pretty full,” Mal said, his muscles complaining from being in the same position for so long. “But I think I can fit you in next Tuesday, if you wanna come back.”

“Do you always crack inappropriate jokes at times like this?” Prater asked.

“It’s one of my more endearing traits.” Mal glanced at Freya, seeing so much worry in her face that he didn’t need to read it in his mind. “Ain’t that so, honey?”

“Along with leaving your socks on the table,” she agreed, her voice hardly quavering at all.

“Niska thought the same,” Mal went on. “Not about the socks, of course, but my surprising wit. Although he had a more direct approach. He just wanted to kill me.”

“I’m not surprised,” Prater said. “Get him into the infirmary,” he added to Cody.

The young man nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll cut that wit out of you,” he promised. “I have a few tricks of my own, if the boss runs out. And I just know I can get you to talk.” He grinned, his youthful features open and happy, almost as if he was discussing who he was going to take to the local dance, and not about torturing someone. “Although it’s much more fun if you don’t. At least for a while.”

“ Chur ni duh ,” Mal said pleasantly in return.

Cody jabbed his fist into Mal’s belly, and he slid to his knees, unable to breathe.

“Stop!” Freya shouted, her voice drowned among the others protesting.

Prater fired his gun into