Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [54]
"Krogynth?" asked Ryder.
Nazeem's eyes were wide as he looked down into the grog. "It's a type of moonshine," explained the Chultan.
"Made from a fermented green mold," expanded the jolly man.
"And you drink this?" asked Ryder.
Nazeem took a large quaff then smacked his lips, wiping off any leftover drips with the back of his hand. "Don't knock it until you try it. Krogynth is hard to make and even harder to come by if you don't know the recipe." He held his mug out to Ryder. "You may never again get the opportunity to try it."
"Well," said Ryder, reaching out to take the mug from his friend. He sniffed it. The green liquid smelled vaguely like licorice root. "Since you put it that way." He lifted the stone mug with both hands and took a sip.
Despite its mild scent, Krogynth had a rather abrasive flavor. "It tastes like currants mixed with earwax."
The jolly man let out a belly laugh. "Don't it though?" He dipped another mug into the bucket and offered it to Ryder.
He pointed to the Chultan. "Let him have it." He looked down into the huge mug in his hands. It was more than half full. "I'll just finish this one."
"Suit yourself," said the jolly man, giving the fresh vessel of Krogynth to Nazeem.
The Chultan lifted his mug. "To freedom," he said.
Ryder lifted his own. "To going home," he replied.
Then both men drank.
As Ryder lowered his mug from his face, he looked up at Giselle standing over him.
"Having a good time, I see." She knelt beside him.
Ryder swallowed his mouthful of the foul-tasting liquid. The first sip he'd taken was starting to hit his head. His muscles relaxed, and the aches in his bones seemed to ease some.
"Yes," he said. "I do believe we are."
Giselle smiled. She had the most beautiful brown eyes.
"Good." She grabbed hold of his arm. "Now let me take a look at those wounds of yours."
Ryder let her have his arm. He enjoyed the touch of her skin. "I thought you were going to have a healer come look at me."
She pushed back the edge of his tattered gray tunic. "That's what I'm doing."
"You're a cleric?"
Giselle ran her fingers along his arm, poking at the bruises. She hit one that hurt like the nine hells, and Ryder bit down on his lip to keep from shouting.
"Does this surprise you?" she asked.
As the pain subsided, Ryder lifted his mug, struggling a bit with only one hand, and took a big gulp of the green stuff. "No," he said after swallowing. "I guess nothing about you should surprise me anymore."
Finishing her examination, Giselle fished around inside of her pouch and pulled out a stoppered bottle with a waxy substance covering the top. "Well, I'm not," she said, laughing as Ryder's jaw dropped open. She shoved the bottle into his free hand. "Unless you count handing out healing potions."
Ryder put down his mug of Krogynth and opened the bottle. "You're full of surprises." Then he downed the contents. Immediately he could feel the magical warmth spread out through his body, reaching from his stomach and touching everything out to the tips of his fingers. He exhaled as he lowered the bottle from his lips. He felt whole again, the most exquisite sensation he'd experienced in recent memory.
"Thank you," he said, letting the bottle slip to the ground.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Ryder tested his joints, relishing the feeling of his body working the way it was supposed to without experiencing any pain. "I'll be ready to make the journey home tomorrow."
"Journey home?" asked Giselle.
Ryder turned to her. "I appreciate everything you have done for me," he said. "I owe you my freedom, and if I can ever repay that to you, I will do it gladly." He touched her hand. "But I must return to Duhlnarim." He looked away. "To my family."
Giselle pulled away from him. "I'm sorry, but you can't. You can't leave."
Ryder got to his feet. "What do you mean? Of course I can. Look." He did a little jig in front of the fire to prove that he was healthy. "See. I'm fine."
Giselle shook her head. "No, I mean I can't