"Thank God," whispered Nikolas, unable to hold back his tears. "Anna, please talk to me," he begged.
As Anna stretched her body out, she moved her arms toward her mouth. She quickly turned around and vomited seawater, as Nikolas carefully held her. Anna felt Nikolas's presence as he brought the canteen to her lips.
"Thank you, Niko," she murmured in a barely audible voice. "How long have I been ...," she trailed off.
"Just a while," replied Nikolas. "Try not to think about it now."
"All right, love," Anna whispered and closed her eyes.
Father Gregorios stroked his unruly long beard as he watched Anna and Nikolas. Their near nakedness aroused a sense of desire in the priest and he quickly grasped his prayer rope again.
"Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner," he repeated over and over like a chant.
The priest's dog sat watching and waiting for recognition. Father Gregorios rose and went over to pat Azor on the head in appreciation. In turn, the dog affectionately licked his master's face with his tongue.
The purring cat ran up and rubbed herself against Anna's outstretched leg. This sensation brought a delighted squeak from Anna. When Father Gregorios came to scoop the cat up, he noticed Anna's injured leg.
"My God, you have been hurt, my daughter," said the priest. "It looks infected."
"Yes, Father, we were attacked on the little island by an airplane," explained Nikolas.
"Probably German," the priest continued. "That means the invasion will follow soon."
Nikolas did not reply, looking out at the sea.
"We should be going soon," advised the Father.
"Yes, we definitely must move, we don't want a repeat performance," agreed Nikolas.
Nikolas lifted Anna and, at the priest's suggestion, placed her sidesaddle on the donkey. He bit his lips not to scream from the pain in his arm, which had not healed completely. The priest led the way, with Nikolas holding Anna in place on the saddle, and the dog and cat following behind. They proceeded up the narrow path along the shaded side of a creek, where crystal-clear water flowed slowly to the sea.
Father Gregorios stopped at an orange grove to pick two oranges, giving one to Anna and the other to Nikolas. When Anna's face broke into a grateful smile, the priest turned away, his face blushing. The group walked for about half an hour when they reached the source of the running creek.
Nikolas helped Anna off the saddle and set her next to the cool bubbling spring. Anna reached with her hand to bring the cold fresh water to her lips. Nikolas cupped his hands and took a satisfying drink. When Anna looked up, she was stunned by the natural beauty of the place. A sheer cliff rose straight up, higher than fifty meters.