Excruciating pain dragged Zeb out of the darkness. He wanted to return to the blissful state of unconsciousness that preceded the pain, but there was no escape. So he opened his eyes. He lay on something soft and warm in a tiny hut. The walls looked like they were made out of earth. A fire burned in the center of the hut and smoke rose up and through the hole in the roof.

Zeb tried to sit up, but couldn't get any of his muscles to cooperate. He tried speaking and managed a ...