Chapter 1:
Cery watched her carefully. She lay perfectly still on the bed, and slept soundlessly. Serene and angelic. Almost. The past few weeks hadn't served her well at all, moving from place to place each day, avoiding the Guild at all costs. I should never have encouraged her to try more magic.. Now they were in a cold room filled with simple furniture. He knew it wasn't safe being in here with her, but he had brought her to this misery. Since using magic for the first time Sonea had grown more and more frustrated and scared. Even more so now she kept burning things. She had little control over it all and Cery was scared that the letter she had received was telling the truth...
Each day her magic will become increasingly harder to stop and it will become more dangerous. Soon the magic will consume her and everything around her, unless you bring her to us. She will die otherwise.
"Cery?" Came a small voice. Cery looked up to find Sonea awakening and sitting upright.
"Did you sleep any better tonight?"
"A little."
"The magicians are searching far from here today." He smiled reassuringly. Sonea smiled back gently and climbed out of bed.
"Maybe today we can stay here all day." A knock on the door made them both jump, and Cery warily checked the hole to see who was there. As he opened the door, Faren came in holding a cloak and a small bundle.
"I've brought you some cleaner clothes." Faren said handing Sonea the bundle. "If they have seen what you are wearing, they'll be looking for that."
"Are we moving again?"
"You didn't-" Faren sighed. "Of course you didn't.. But yes we are, you accidentally used magic again."
"Again?" Sonea cried. "But I didn't do anything!" Suddenly the bed creaked, and collapsed down in pieces. Sonea hurried away, surprised at how powerful the magic was.
"Quickly then." Faren said opening the door. Cery scurried out first, followed by Sonea, then Faren directed them to their new location.
"I don't see what the use is of us being here when we know the girl is on the other side of the city." Fergun whined.
"Because they'll have people watching us, and believe she is safer and they won't look so carefully at the magicians over near them." Dannyl told him again.
"We- What was that?" Fergun frowned.
"She is on the move again, close to us."
"Do we try and go after her?"
"I'm not sure... But her presence is wavering." Dannyl glanced about for other magicians. "I think the others have left already. We are the only ones left." He stifled a groan. Of all the people to be stuck with it had to be Fergun... However I bet he isn't thinking the same. The poor guy is besotted with me. Dannyl thought back to the night Fergun had appeared in his rooms.
"Fergun?" Dannyl said opening the door. He smelt strongly of wine and bol, and was swaying about in the corridor.
"Ah Dannyl, fancy seeing you here."
"This is my room."
"So it is. So it is. May I come in?"
"Err.. Sure?"
Fergun drunkenly stumbled into Dannyl's rooms, narrowly avoiding knocking over countless numbers of glass phials and general oddities. "Please be careful." Dannyl hissed at him.
"I'm sorry, I have had a bit of wine."
"Just a bit?"
"But I brought some for you!" He said taking out a bottle of Anuren from his pocket and giving it to him.
"Thank you." He said placing the empty bottle on a table.
"You are very welcome!" He grinned at him, falling forwards.
"Maybe you should sit down!" Dannyl said guiding him to a chair. He quickly took everything of worth far away from Fergun and offered him sumi. Fergun had happily made himself comfy in Dannyl's favourite chair and had fallen asleep in an instant.
"Fergun?" Dannyl said shaking him. "Fergun?" He sleepily awoke to find Dannyl staring at him.
"You are very pretty." He said smiling. "I like your eyes." Dannyl retreated away, scared of Fergun. "Don't run away Dannyl!" He cried. "I just want to be your friend." Suddenly he burst out into tears. Sighing, Dannyl went back over to Fergun and sat on the arm of the chair.
"It's ok. I am you friend." He soothed. "Maybe you should return to your rooms.."
"But I don't want to be alone."
Dannyl awkwardly patted his shoulder. "You won't be if you go to sleep."
"But I have no-one. Kerrin left me to hang round Elben all the time." He sobbed. Dannyl was unsure what to do. He was too kind to just boot Fergun out the door – which he really wanted to do, and it was highly awkward comforting him, especially after all the years of being enemies. "I'm sure it'll be ok." Dannyl eventually said.
"Yes. Maybe you are right." Fergun said sniffling. "Thank you." He stood up wobbly, and supported himself on Dannyl's shoulder. Before he could realise, Fergun leant forward and kissed him on the lips. In shock, Dannyl backed away, slipped off the chair and fell onto the floor. "Fergun?" He yelped, and hastily stood up. Fergun had turned bright red and his mouth was flapping about babbling apologies and excuses. Drunkenly Fergun staggered out of Dannyl's rooms. However the next morning Fergun had returned and begged him not to say anything to anyone. And thus since had been nice to him.
"We should wait until she stays still." Dannyl concluded, "we don't know the tunnels and we would just end up lost if they ran."
"Good plan." Fergun smiled at him. "Shall we go back to the Guild?"
"Sure."