I tried my best! I've had writers block, so the chapter after this should be better

Dusty love forever x

And forgive me if you hate this chapter!

Xx RoRo xX

Chapter 2

'It's alright,' Meggie whispered. It was her turn to comfort Dustfinger now. The man was sobbing as she had never seen him sob before. They were in a cell, underneath the Manor. Dustfinger had held out upstairs, not ready to show his pain to Orpheus, but the second the door at the top of the huge staircase had closed, he dissolved into broken sobs.

There was an inch of water lining the floor of the cell, and they were bound to the walls using chains and iron hooks. The clasps were loose around Meggie's thin wrists, but blood ran from Dustfinger's as they sliced into his skin.

Meggie wrapped her arms, as best she could, around Dustfinger. At first he was stiff, but eventually he rested his head on her shoulder. She stroked his hair.

It was the softest hair she had ever felt - it was no wonder that the fairies always wanted some. It was sandy, with a red shimmer, she remembered, though of course she couldn't see it down there in the darkness.

'Sorry, there was nothing I could do,' she whispered.

'I know, it was hardly your fault,' Dustfinger sat up, but Meggie pulled him closer to her - if it was one thing she was good at, it was knowing when somebody needed love, a hug, or just a few kind words.

'I'll kill him,' she murmured - she'd never killed anybody before, but for this, she would do it.

'What now?' Dustfinger was still crying, and Meggie knew that Roxane's face was in his mind.

What now? The question stumped Meggie. Before, there had always been "they'll save us!" whether it was Mo, Elinor, Resa or Fenoglio. Who now? The Black Prince? But he didn't even know they were there. This was the worst situation to be in, and it was only for Dustfinger's sake that Meggie didn't dissolve into tears herself - she had to stay strong for him - he'd just had his heart broken, shattered, burnt once more.

'I'm supposed to be looking after you,' Dustfinger laughed.

'And now you're not,' Meggie held him in her arms, never wanting to let him go. The feeling scared her…could she…love him?

He rested his head into the hollow of her neck, and her heart beat faster. She could feel his breathing on her chest - warm as the fire he had once breathed. Eventually the tears stopped, and his breathing steadied. He was asleep.

Meggie tried to remember the last time he had slept. Every night she looked out of her window and saw him in the garden, desperately trying to speak to the flames - every night. At least a week since she had last seen him sleep.

Her hand continued to stroke Dustfinger's hair. She had never seemed to have a bond with Dustfinger, but he was all she had now. She was all he had. They had to be strong, fight through this together - and perhaps make the world a slightly less corrupted place while they were at it.

Xx

'Get up!' Orpheus's shout rang into the cell. Dustfinger flinched as he woke; Meggie wondered who he had been dreaming about. Fire? Roxane? Farid or Brianna? Gwin or Jink?

Meggie swallowed, wondering what to expect of the day.

'Rise and shine,' he clanged the bars louder than necessary as he opened the cell. Using a fiery torch to give light, he unlocked the cuffs chaining them to the wall, and dragged them to their feet. He blew out the torch instantly, perhaps worried that Dustfinger would use it.

'Where are we going?' Meggie demanded.

'SHUT IT!' Orpheus shouted, and Meggie raised her eyebrows.

Dustfinger stumbled on the stairs - he received a blow for that, despite the fact that it was Orpheus's own fault for his mistreatment.

Three soldiers were standing at the top of the stairs. One grabbed Meggie, the other two took Dustfinger between them. He gasped in pain as they wrenched his arms around his back, tying them with rope, so tight that the blood ran again from his already cut wrists.

They were acting as if he could run at all - in reality, just walking was difficult for him.

'Loosen the bonds, you foul night mares!' Meggie shouted in one of the guards' faces, before the one holding her dragged her back.

'Don't, Meggie,' Dustfinger muttered. He was much more back to his old self - she wondered whether she had merely dreamt of his tears.

She bit her lip - wondering whether to pursue the matter. Dustfinger winced in pain as the guards pushed him forwards.

'Is the Adderhead meeting us in Ombra castle?' the guard nodded in reply to Orpheus's question.

Meggie's blood ran cold - could words, nothing but words, really protect them from the wrath of the Adderhead?

Xx

'Enter,' the voice spat.

Orpheus pushed open the door, bowing low the second he entered. The first guard pushed Meggie in in front of him, and the second two threw Dustfinger forwards. At a glare from Orpheus, Meggie bowed.

'Fire-Dancer,' Meggie's heart thudded against her ribs as the Adderhead addressed Dustfinger. 'You dare not to bow to me?'

'I bow out of respect, my lord, and I do not respect you.'

'Bring him forwards,' the Adderhead smiled. Since that damn bookbinder had found a way to cure the book, he had been healthy as ever - and still resolutely immortal.

The two guards dragged Dustfinger forwards, and kicked him into a kneeling position in front of the Adderhead.

'You are very brave, I like you,' he narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the man before him. 'Not afraid to say what you feel - I admire that in a man.'

'Thanks,' Dustfinger swallowed.

'Ahem,' Orpheus cleared his throat, 'if his lordship might like to return to the matter at hand…'

'I assume you want gold for these…' The Adderhead glared at Orpheus.

'On the contrary, my lord, I wanted to…keep, these two…I thought…a lifetime of slavery…could…perhaps, be more torturous, and more useful, than death?'

'I agree, but these two…hmm.'

'I will read - I mean, find you anything you wish, if you'll grant me these two.'

'Very well, but if they escape…if anything happens, I will have you flayed alive!'

'Of course, my lord, of course,' Orpheus bowed again as he walked from the room. Meggie followed as the guards pushed her, but Dustfinger remained kneeling. Her eyes fixed on him, and she stopped dead.

'Walk,' the guard grunted, pushing her.

'But Du-'

The guard slammed into her back. She stumbled forwards onto the floor, hitting it with an impact that echoed around the hall. Dustfinger looked up, glancing at her with worried eyes.

'Look at the floor,' she heard the Adder hiss.

Dustfinger obeyed. Meggie saw Orpheus stop.

'You wish to stay with Milk Face?'

'No, my lord,' Dustfinger whispered. His voice shook.

'You would be welcome here, your performances would excite my soldiers.'

'I…I cannot leave Meggie,' he so wanted to say yes - it would be worth being beaten by the Adderhead, to be permitted to speak with fire again. Dustfinger had to force his answer.

The Adder snorted. 'Then she will come too.'

'See here, my dear lord!' Orpheus pushed past Meggie and hurried across the hall.

'OFF WITH YOU!' The Adder shouted, and Orpheus quailed. He turned on his heel, shot Dustfinger a look of death, and scurried away.

'Guards?' The Adder called, and they started forwards. 'Take the girl and the fire dancer to the dungeons.'

'P-please…' Dustfinger whispered.

'On second thoughts, take them to the tower.'

'Of course, my lord,' two soldiers escorted the prisoners upstairs, while another dragged Orpheus away.

'The. Words. Didn't. Work.' He snarled, astounded.

'They can't, you've screwed this story up too much now. It's taken a life of its own, Orpheus, and it won't stay in its master's arms forever! You've created a monster, fiend, and believe me you'll wish you hadn't!' Dustfinger hissed, before they were pushed out of sight.

'On the count of three,' Meggie whispered, so quietly that only Dustfinger heard. 'Run.'

'Meggie, I can't - '

'One…'

'Are you insane!'

'Two…'

'Meggie, you stupid - '

'THREE!' She shouted, spinning around and knocking one of the soldiers down the stairs. Dustfinger hit the other, slightly stunned, and they both clattered down the stairs after the guards.

Kisses from Dusty for all reviewers!

'RUN!' Meggie screamed as they reached the main hall. And they did, right out into the courtyard, where they met their saviour…