Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers Read Online Free

happened.'
     
'But . . . those things . . . what . . . what were they?'
     
'They were the Gograth – sworn enemies of the people of this village. As far as the Jilith are concerned, anybody who the Gograth attack are friends of theirs. That's one of the reasons why they helped us.'
     
Sebastian gestured for more water and Cornelius helped him to take a couple of mouthfuls before setting it aside again.
     
'There was a woman . . .' said Sebastian. 'I believe she saved my life.'
     
'That's Keera,' said Cornelius, smiling. 'Trust you to notice her ! Maybe you're not in such bad shape after all.'
     
Sebastian attempted a smile, but it must have looked more like a grimace, because Cornelius stood up as if to leave.
     
'Perhaps I should let you rest,' he said. 'You're still very weak.'
     
I've done enough sleeping,' protested Sebastian. 'How long have I been lying here, anyway?'
     
'Four days and four nights,' Cornelius told him. 'We really thought you wouldn't make it through the first night. The arrowhead was buried deep in your chest and it was hard to dig it out. Keera insisted on bringing Danthus, the tribe's medicine man, to tend to the wound . . .'
     
'The man with the white beard?' Sebastian touched the wound on his chest gingerly. 'I remember. I woke for a moment when he was . . . pulling the arrowhead out.'
     
Cornelius shook his head. 'I must say I had my doubts about his approach to medicine. He made up a poultice from wildflowers and mud and packed that into the wound. But' – he peered at Sebastian's chest – 'I have to say, it does look like it's improving.'
     
'Tell me about Keera,' said Sebastian.
     
Cornelius chuckled. 'Why do you want to know about her?' he asked.
     
'I told you. She saved my life.'
     
'Well, she's a pretty important person in the village,' Cornelius said. 'Her father, Maccan, is the big chief here. He wasn't so keen on having us in the village at first, but Keera talked him round.'
     
'She was touching my face,' murmured Sebastian. He could feel sleep tugging at him again, his eyelids growing heavy, and though he struggled to fight it off, he was rapidly losing the battle. 'She was . . . staring at me . . .'
     
'That's not so surprising,' Cornelius told him. 'You see, she claims to know who you are.'
     
'Hmm?' Even so close to sleep, Sebastian registered how strange this remark was. 'But . . . how could she? I've never been here before . . . and she . . . presumably, has never . . .'
     
Cornelius patted him on the shoulder. 'Stop fighting it,' he advised. 'We'll talk again later, when you've rested a bit more.'
     
'Rest . . . yes . . .' Even as he was sinking into sleep, a thought occurred to Sebastian. 'Max!' he whispered. 'I haven't asked about Max. Is he all right?' 'Max is . . . worried.'
     
'A-about me?'
     
'Well, yes, of course . . . but it's not just that. You see, amongst the Jilith, buffalope meat is considered a real delicacy. He is convinced that everywhere he goes, the people of the tribe are sharpening their knives and salivating.'
     
If he had possessed more strength, Sebastian would have laughed at this. But he could hold out no longer. His fingers lost their precarious grip on consciousness and he fell, slowly, tumbling over and over into a deep dark void that seemed to have no end . . .
     
 
     
He woke again and felt much stronger this time. He was aware of a raging hunger within him; and as if in answer to that, a figure stepped in through the open doorway of the hut carrying what could only be a bowl of food. The woman came to kneel beside the bed and he saw that it was the one called Keera. She looked at him for a moment with those dark brown eyes and smiled.
     
'You are hungry?' she asked him.
     
He nodded.
     
'This will make you stronger,' she assured him. She dipped a rough wooden spoon into the bowl and lifted it to his lips. It was some kind of thick, meaty soup. He took a gulp of it and was aware of it trickling down into his insides,