Chapter Ten: Darrows Gifts

The large man called himself Akiki. He visited Darrow daily, never answered any of his questions, and always ask right before he left if Darrow had anything to tell him.
The humming was always there now. For the short time he had been around Amber, the name had come to him in his sleep, the humming had been gone. He wondered about her. Was she safe? why had she left him in the camp? He trusted her now. Once she had touched his mind there was no way to distrust her. The connection had opened her up to him and enabled him to see things about her that he never could have known.She trusted him. From the day she met him she had trusted him and now years later she still had not let go of that trust.
There was something else, something about the gift she had given him as a child. The scorpion encased in hardened amber. He had sensed that it was more then a gift but she had hidden that part of her mind quickly. He fingered it now, hanging from his neck. He had never taken it off. Never thought to remove it. Its smooth surface felt cool and soothing against his skin. The same way Amber's touch had cooled and soothed the burning in his brain when the Gralec had attacked him. He turned the pendant over looking at the scorpions underside.
Then door opened.In came Akiki, his clothing stained as usual, his beard carefully spin to a point. "And how are we this morning, or is it evening? I always forget." he said laughing. "Today we are going to try something new.I am going to torture you." Akiki sighed. "I regret having to do this you know. But..." His face lite up "We do what we must to accomplish our goals!"
The humming started to increase.
"I think we should start by cutting off a finger. What do you think?" Akiki paused waiting for Darrows response, only continuing once it was clear that he had no intention of answering. " Ive always wanted to have a finger in a jar. When I was little all my friends had one. My parents thought I was to young to have something so gruesome in my room." He giggled his eyes going wider "Do you want to know what I did?" Akiki walked across the room.
Something about the look in his eye warned Darrow not to let him get any closer. Sliding from the sheets Darrow backed towards the fireplace.
Akiki frowned pausing. "I killed them...in their sleep."
Darrow was looking but there wasn't anything he could use to defend himself. Akiki lunged across the room something metal was in his hand.
The humming filled Darrows mind blinding him, he closed his eyes. His head was spinning. A sharp pain shot through his hand. Silence.