Chapter 3:
(which is really chapter 4)
Will's condition and mood were worsening by the hour. The spell, aside from weakening her hold on the Heart, was making her feel extremely sick. She'd fallen asleep about a minute after Cedric had put her in the cell. Or about as easily as you can sleep with your arms tied so you look like you're stretching in the morning by black vines that are somewhat thorny. If she shifted too far to either side, a thorn would dig into her arm. Needless to say, it wasn't very comfortable. Will heard a sound and opened an eye, barely. Both eyes opened fully when she saw that Phobos was in the cell. Oh, no. Please don't let them be caught. Please, no. She hoped her desperation didn't show.
"What are you doing here?" the redhead asked. The prince studied her for a second.
"You'll be pleased to know your friends evaded my guards," Phobos said. Will closed her eyes for a couple seconds and exhaled softly. At least her friends were alright. She hoped they weren't being chased all the way back to the portal. When Will opened her eyes again, she had to bite back a yelp. Phobos stood directly in front of her. He placed one hand over her heart. Will suppressed a shudder.
"You won't last much longer," Phobos said, drawing his hand back. Though she hated to admit it, Will knew he was right. She'd felt herself getting weaker and weaker, and the Heart's pulse had also been weakening. Without warning, Phobos reached out and gripped her shoulder gently.
"Why don't you just give in?" he asked in his trademark gentle, silky tone. "You're losing the fight." Both his hands moved up to cup Will's face when she tried to look away from him. Though his hold was gentle and light, the Guardian leader's bindings effectively kept her from turning her head. "It would be less painful if you gave up now." Phobos' voice was nearly a whisper. Will closed her eyes tightly to avoid gazing into his.
"Look at me," Phobos commanded, quiet yet firm. Against her wishes, Will's eyes opened. Her hold on the Heart weakened still more, and Will began to panic. I can't give it up, I can't, I can't, she kept telling herself. No good. Her panic increased.
"Don't be afraid," Phobos murmured as though she were a small child, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. Will knew he was partially hypnotizing her, trying to coax her into giving up the Heart more quickly. And, the redhead duly noted, it was working. As she tried to keep a clear head, she couldn't focus on keeping the Heart in her body.
"No," she whispered. She was surprised at how pathetic and weak she sounded. "I can't."
"Dear little Guardian," Phobos said, "you do not have a choice."
xxXXxx
"Okay, that went well," Cornelia said, pacing around the basement of the Silver Dragon.
"Well, at least now we know he's not keeping Will in the dungeon," Hay Lin said, somewhat weakly.
"What are we supposed to tell her mom?" Irma asked anxiously. "She's on a business trip right now, I know, but...,"
"If we don't get Will back in the next three days, we're in trouble," Taranee said.
"Then we'll have to keep looking until we find her," Caleb said.
"That could take forever! Phobos may not even be keeping her in the castle! Meridian isn't exactly a tiny place!" Cornelia exclaimed in frustration.
"Corny does have a point. Meridian's not a small world after all," Irma muttered, propping her elbow on a crate of tomatoes and resting her chin in her hand. Hay Lin and Taranee grinned a bit at the water guardian's joke, even if it admittedly wasn't her best.
"Oh, you may not have to search the entirety of Meridian."
Everyone jumped. Blunk, who had been sitting on the steps eating the remains of an apple turnover, fell into the trash can and ended up with the sticky pastry filling all over his face. Yan Lin walked down the steps with her usual casual demeanor.
"You Guardians are connected to the Heart. Not as strongly as Will is, of course, but the thread is there just the same. You must use this connection to find Will," Yan Lin stated.
She was met by empty stares.
"Uh, how?" Cornelia asked testily, raising an eyebrow.
Yan Lin smiled. "You will know. Hurry. Will needs your help."
"Oh, yeah! Let's move out, I.T.C.H!" Irma yelled, jumping to her feet and marching over to the bottom of the steps. "I don't know about you, but I think it's really irritating when our little redhead isn't here!"
Taranee and Hay Lin laughed and followed Irma out of the basement. A smiling Cornelia was right on their heels, a somber faced Caleb following her out the door. And following the rebel leader came a little green passling, doing his best to get his tongue to reach his forehead so as not to miss even a little bit of sweet turnover filling.
xxXXxx
Will felt like she was dying... in the middle of a desert... in a pool of hot lava. I must have a temperature of, I don't know, 104? She guessed. She was sweating like a cow at a butcher's shop. Her legs had given out ages ago, and she hung from the black vines like a rag doll. The thorns cut deeply into her skin, but the pain hardly registered in her all but numb mind. Blood ran from the wounds, down her arms, shoulders and chest, mixing with the sweat that covered her body. Her breathing was deep and ragged, and she coughed occasionally.
Suddenly a heat pooled in her chest, right next to her heart. Will glanced down and gasped when she saw the Heart shining like a tiny sun. A beautiful pink light shone from it, flowing over Will's body until it covered her from head to toe. The light seemed to sink into her, and Will felt a coolness run through her, as though fresh spring water had been poured over her. The feeling, unfortunately, didn't last. The heat of her sickness came back full force, and Will gasped in pain, her body jerking convulsively. The bright pink light flowed from her into the ghastly vines holding her up, which turned to dust moments later. With a pained moan, Will collapsed in a heap on her cell floor, her consciousness mercifully deserting her.
