Darkness enveloped her, weighed her down. Her eyelids felt leaden. Her limbs refused to respond. Where am I?

The warm body next to her shifted. Sam?

Searing pain threatened to split her skull as she forced her eyes open. Unfamiliar, bleary shapes greeted her. Memories flooded her mind. Sam had been led away. Caleb had been deep in a conversation as she approached. Snippets reached her ears through the commotion on the docks.

"Sell. Fair price."

"How much?"

Caleb shaking his head. "Not nearly enough."

Dani backed away in shock. Not Sam. He couldn't sell Sam.

Her foot slipped on the edge, She reached for a sailor but the man evaded her grasping fingers.

Cold, dark water enveloped her, enfolding her in it's depths, refusing to let go. Her lungs burned. Her billowing skirts moved with the gentle current, like seaweed dancing with the waves. She gasped for breath as her face broke the surface. An incredible force dragged at her skirts, forcing her under the water, deeper and deeper.

She fought against the unseen monster. Her eyes widened as a huge, scaly tail came into view, quickly replaced by bubbles as she was whipped around, over and over and over.

Pain exploded in her head. Then darkness. Blessed, comforting darkness.

She reached out a hand to the body next to her. Her fingertips brushed the smooth skin. She scrambled backward, brushing up against a cold wall. She shrieked and tried to moved further from the man.

The man tumbled off the bed and disappeared into the darkness.

"Dani, it's ok. Everything's ok." He scrambled to his feet and stood in front of her, arms extended.

"Sam!"

"Sam is safe. So are you."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Caleb. Remember?" He sat on the edge of the narrow bed and held her in his arms. "Everything is fine."

She wanted to fight, but her strength failed her even as his soothing voice calmed her. She sank into his embrace.

"You hit your head pretty hard. You need to rest."

She winced as her head settled against his shoulder.

"Here's a shirt," another voice mumbled in the darkness.

She tensed.

"Dani, it's only Jeremy. You're safe. Help me get this on you."

Like a child, she obediently slipped into the nightshirt.

"Do you need a drink? Water? Tea? Broth?"

"Water, please."

"Just a sip." He held the cup to her lips. "That's it."

The cool water trickled into her mouth and down her parched throat. She whimpered as Caleb took the cup away.

"Not too much too fast. Throwing up with your headache wouldn't be good."

He wrapped her in his arms then settled back on the bed, pulling the still-warm covers over them.

"Sleep, Dani. You're safe. No one's gonna hurt you."

She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her aching eyes.

"She ok?"

"Yeah. She's fine."

"Nothing like a scream in the dark to get the old ticker pumping."

His arms tightened around her. "Yeah."