Esyrias could sense where he was even before he opened his eyes. A trickle of water ran down the wall behind him, and someone, probably a guard, sat across from him. Esyrias felt the man start as his eyelids fluttered. They opened to see the man’s face broken into a somewhat mocking smile. “Hello, my little friend,” the guard said, “and how do you meet the world this morning?” Esyrias contained himself. If he killed the fool now, he might interfere with any negotiations between the bandits and his family.