Slightly shorter than the last this one. I'm so very sorry it's been so long, I've been so busy, and just when I wanted to write again, my computer does a "I'm not really a computer" thing. But, here we have it, just an end to what happened last chapter. But this will definitely not be my last chapter, so if you're worried, dont be. :D


´•..·´•.·When things get worse.´•..·´•.·

Sonea was woken up the next morning by a loud hammering on her door. She sat up slowly and blinked a number of times to try and allow her memory to catch up with her. As it all came back, she stared in silent horror at the door, dreading the person who could be behind it. What if it was Administrator Lorlen? Or worse, High Lord Akkarin?

She forced herself to her feet and one step at a time, walked towards the door. She opened it, to find Director Jerrik standing impatiently and looking at his watch. At the sound of the opening door, his cold eyes flickered to Sonea's and she scowled disapprovingly at her.

"Good. Get dressed. Meet me in my office in 10 minutes.

He walked off.

Sonea stared after him as he strode down the novices corridor, the sound of his boots echoing off the barren walls.

That in itself was a surprise.

There was nobody else around. Usually at this sort of time there would be at least one novice that was making their way to the Foodhall, or to the baths. But today it was empty. Sonea walked back inside and checked the time. She would have woken up at that time anyway if she had not been woken by the Director. So if it was a normal time, why was there nobody there?

Sonea's stomach lurched with a sickening feeling as she proceeded to dress. She had broken the rules last night. Used her powers too much against weaker novices. What if they had died? What would the Guild do to her now? Is this what the Director wanted to speak to her about? No doubt it had some relation with her transgressions the night before, as she could think of no other reason. Her school work was improving very well at the moment, thanks to the High Lord's lessons. Those at least would be taken away from her when she met with the Director now.

Sonea opened her door and started the dreaded journey to the university. Questions kept firing up in her head, each worse than the last, conjuring all sorts of random possible punishments she was about to face. Who would be waiting for her at the office other than the Director? Had this sort of thing ever happened before in the Guild? She was sure that novices had fought before, but not on such a large scale, where so much power was used that over twenty novices had all been knocked unconscious. She could think of no answers to her questions, and strained to look and behave calm as she quietly knocked on the door of the Directors office.

The murmuring voices inside the office stopped at the sound of the knock on the door. As the door opened, the High Lord turned in his chair slightly to watch the timid Sonea walk in, look around in aghast at the people inside, the bow and murmur her greetings.

Today, Akkarin was not in a very good mood.

His troubles had yet again increased by twofold, and he had not gotten to sleep last night due to a disturbance in the city. He had lost more power than expected as the discovery of somebody else's secret had flashed across his mind and he had not been concentrating, and his job had taken much longer than necessary. Furthermore, Takan had not been home when he had returned so Akkarin could not get the power he was in need of. When his faithful servant had finally returned, he had gained enough strength back from just sitting and thinking to do nothing more than to go and see the Director, and some of the higher magicians, who had been calling to him.

And now he had to face a serious problem, only part of which he cared about, when he would rather be anywhere else.

Akkarin remained silent as Sonea took the only empty chair in the office. The others were filled up with himself, Lord Balkan, Lady Vinara, Lorlen and the Director, whose chair was behind his desk. The High Lord did not know why this room was chosen for the conference, when Lorlen's office was much closer to all the participants.

Lorlen cleared his throat.

"Well, I suppose you know the reason you are here Sonea. Regin and over twenty other novices were found in one of the university corridors early this morning by Lady Vinara. There had all just gained consciousness, and when asked to explain, they said that you had tried to kill them." Sonea looked like she was about to be sick. "We would like to know what actually happened."

There was a moments silence, in which Sonea tried to think of what to say, and what not to say. Unable to separate the two, she began.

"I was on my way back to my room after last class. I went around one of the longer routes to get out of the university-"

"Why?" interrupted Lord Balkan suddenly. Sonea paused.

"Because I knew that Regin would probably be in one of the main corridors." The higher magicians muttered to each other. Lorlen cleared his throat.

"Continue please, Sonea."

"Just before I got to the door, I found a novice blocking the way, apparently waiting for me. Before long other novices came and were grouped together at the exit."

"How many novices were there?" questioned Lady Vinara. Sonea frowned.

"I don't remember counting." She shrugged. Akkarin smiled slightly.

"There were twenty three," he said quietly.

Everybody else looked at him, slightly awed but not bothering to question how he knew. It was just one of those talents he had which nobody could explain.

"They started to attack me with their magic. I shielded," continued Sonea.

"So how did twenty three novices end up unconscious?" barked Lord Balkan. Sonea hesitated. How much trouble was she already in? But they would find out eventually. If she lied, then she may have to submit to a truth read. Perhaps done by the present High Lord. Who would definitely find out that she knew he practised black magic. The punishment she could get for that would be even worse. It was not a risk she was willing to take.

"Sonea?" spoke Lorlen, inviting her to continue speaking. Sonea swallowed.

"Regin said something to me. I over reacted, and attacked back. I hadn't realised that they had used so much power, and were not shielding. I also hadn't realised that I had so much power left, and that it would hurt the novices," finished Sonea quietly.

There was a long silent pause throughout the office. Each magician was attending to their own thoughts, until finally the need for more information persuaded them to talk again.

"How long had you been fighting before you attacked the novices? It can't have been long, for you to still have so much strength." Balkan wondered. Sonea was surprised that they had accepted her story so easily. Regin wouldn't have told them what he had been doing before she attacked them, so she had previously supposed that they would all think her a cold hearted and malicious dwell that was jealous of those with better lives and wanted to harm them for it. Or something to that effect.

"I cannot say for sure my Lord, but I think it was for around an hour."

"An hour?" demanded Jerrik. "That's impossible! Lying won't get you very far." He looked towards the higher Magicians for help, who looked back, unsure what to say.

"Actually," spoke Akkarin. "It was just over an hour before Sonea tried to retaliate." The other magician's made noises of disbelief and amazement while Sonea kept her head down and looked at her nails.

"But that means-" said Vinara breathlessly. Lorlen nodded, slightly put off by the fact. The other magicians knew what he was thinking, and looked sadder as well. A slum girl. It had to be a slum girl that had so much power and potential.

Sonea however, didn't know what it meant. She looked up timidly into the contemplating faces of the others confused. Wasn't she supposed to be in trouble?

Lorlen, who had been staring at Akkarin thoughtfully noticed Sonea's expression and cleared his throat.

"Of course, such an act is unexplainable, and a suitable punishment must be dealt out." He spoke in a sombre voice, to gain the others attention again. Balkan frowned and nodded his head. Vinara did the same rather distractedly. It seemed she still hadn't' got over the extent of Sonea's power. Jerrik however was still unsure.

"Is she really telling the truth? She is from the slums, she could easily be-"

"Lord Jerrik, please keep your personal beliefs out of this discussion," Akkarin said quietly, but with enough seriousness and command that Jerrik looked down and said no more.

"Perhaps a truth read would be advisable," Protested Vinara. "Just in case." Sonea was horrified. She didn't want anyone else to find out Akkarin's crime, in case they were also eventually put in danger. Her shock showed on her face for a brief moment until she regained control, but Akkarin's eyes caught it. They flickered to hers and darkly stared at her, the High Lord frowning as he thought. Sonea forced herself to look innocent, as innocent as she could and look away. But it was hard to look away from his impenetrable gaze until he himself had looked away and turned his hard eyes to the window.

Lorlen sighed.

"If you feel it is really necessary, Vinara"

"I do."

"Then we will have a truth read. Who is the most impartial of us all?" Lorlen asked.

"You are," replied Balkan.

"Then I will perform it-"

"No!" cried Sonea desperately, then felt worse than before. Now it seems she had a guilty conscience. It wasn't just Akkarin's secret she wanted to keep quiet. Akkarin's quick eyes flashed to hers once, then he cleared his throat.

"I will perform it," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Sonea hadn't thought it could get worse.

"Does anyone have any objection?" asked Lorlen mildly. The others muttered their negative responses. They knew the High Lord also had a trick of getting past peoples mind barriers. It would be easier and faster if he did it.

"Could you possibly be so kind as to step outside for a moment?" asked Akkarin lightly. The others looked at him.

"Why?" asked Jerrik. Akkarin chuckled.

"No doubt Sonea has a few things she would like to keep secret from others who might be listening in to the conversation," he said. "After all, we all have one or two secrets," Sonea shuddered at the thought of his.

Balkan frowned but nodded and stood up. Vinara and Lorlen followed suit.

"Of course, Jerrik may stay in his office," added Akkarin. Jerrik nodded and set to being as busy as he could look. As the others looked out, Lorlen cast one quick glance back with narrowed eyes before he shut the door.

Once they had left, Akkarin turned to Sonea, his eyes hard. He stood up and beckoned to Sonea.

"Come here." Sonea complied, feeling sicker with dread with every step. Once in reach, the High Lord put his hands on the side of Sonea's head and closed his eyes, a peaceful expression crossing his face. Sonea snapped into the mental realms.

-Sonea, I know what you're going to try and hide from me, so don't bother trying to hide it. We don't have much time.

-What do you know?

-That you know I practise black magic. Sonea's mind went blank. How could he possibly know that she knew? How had he discovered it?

-Tell me how you discovered it.

-What about what I did to Regin?

-It's obvious what you did to Regin. I taught you to do exactly that you did. Tell me how you found out my secret.

Sonea had been right, but did not have time to think about it. A flash of the memory passed and she hoped he hadn't seen it, but the formidable presence had already somehow grasped the memory and was sorting through the details. The presence had only a faint trace of personality, which Sonea could tell was annoyed at the present time. He kept firing random questions at her, trying to find out more information, and soon he knew more than she did of the matter.

­-What are you going to do now? I haven't told anyone apart from Rothen.

-I don't know. You would like to tell others however, and I cannot allow that to happen. Perhaps Rothen should-

-No! Don't do anything to Rothen! Leave him be! Immense sadness swept over Sonea at the thought of Rothen, her nearest and closest friend, almost father getting hurt.

-Then you will obey what I say?

-As long as no harm is done to Rothen

-Then I will claim your guardianship. I am sorry, but any further contact with Rothen is not a risk worth taking. Sonea thought she could sense regret it his presence, but did not think it likely that this man could feel such emotions.

-Sorry? Why would you be sorry? You are a black magician. You are a murderer. Akkarin made no reply. Sonea knew he may never have killed someone with that power, but why else would someone choose to learn it? What's more, when she had accused him he hadn't denied it. So it was true. He had killed people.

Then Akkarin lifted his hands from Sonea's head and opened his eyes. By the time Sonea had opened hers, the High Lord had already opened the office door and the other higher magicians were re-entering.

"So what's the verdict?" asked Balkan. "Lessons start soon so make it quick."

"It seems that Regin has a particular dislike of Rothen." Akkarin said sternly. Sonea's mouth fell open.

Everybody else's eyes widened.

"Because her powers surfaced…" spoke Vinara.

"Yes. Because she has had someone to be there for her since the very beginning. I think the best thing to do would be to separate the two, in case anybody gets out of control like that again."

"So it was Regin who provoked her?"

"Yes." Jerrik looked more satisfied now that he had heard it from the High Lord's mouth.

"What did he say?" wondered Lorlen curiously.

"Nothing that needs be repeated." Replied Akkarin firmly. Lorlen nodded.

"So Sonea will no longer have a guardian."

"Not exactly. I think perhaps it would be safer for all if I took Sonea's guardianship." Sonea had to struggle to close her mouth.

"Just to stop Regin tormenting her? Isn't that going a bit far? After all, she had survived his attacks extremely well up to this point." Balkan scoffed. Akkarin shrugged in reply.

"She has great potential and has proved to be very hard working in my lessons. This little episode has not changed that. It would be highly beneficial to her if I claimed her guardianship."

Surely that was a lie.

"The strong ones always do stick with the strong ones," sighed Vinara with a wry smile. Balkan however frowned.

"Sonea was bullied before then because Regin was jealous of her guardian. But wouldn't his bullying be much worse now his old guardian is that of his rival?" The others muttered in agreement.

"Before this incident it is true that Sonea was attacked many times and for those reasons. But I believe now that it will not be repeated. Regin should have discovered that his torments always have the opposite effect. They are only making Sonea stronger." The others muttered again in response, admitting that they had not looked at it like that.

"So," rounded Akkarin, "If that's it, I'm sure you all have lessons to be teaching and people to see."

"Wait!" cried Lorlen just as everyone was about to leave. "We're forgetting something vitally important!"

The others looked back in confusion.

"What?" Asked Jerrik irritably. He had people's reports to fail.

"Sonea's punishment?"

Sonea gritted her teeth. Now it could not get any work. Surely being Akkarin's prisoner was punishment enough? But to everybody else, Sonea the slum dweller had just struck gold.

Akkarin flapped his hand dismissively.

"Don't worry. I'll think of something. I'm running late now so if you don't mind…" he gestured to the door. The others mumbled and hurried out the door, leaving Sonea, Akkarin and Jerrik behind. Sonea hadn't moved from beside Akkarin, still dazed at what had happened. Akkarin sighed, and then looked to Sonea, his eyes turning cold.

"Well, follow me to your new room."

"New room?" she spluttered.

"Yes. In the High Lord's Residence."

Sonea's blood ran cold. Sharing quarters with a man who had taken her hostage and who had the power to kill?

Before she knew it Sonea was being led to the Residence, the very place which had gotten her into all of this trouble, and she was shown her new room, new robes, and a number of things which she did not remember. Akkarin had given her the rest of the morning off, but as she sat on her new bed, her mind was nowhere near. Akkarin could tell. After studying her face for some time without her realising he cleared his throat.

"Sonea." At her name, Sonea blinked up.

"Look at me." She struggled to meet his gaze, cold as ice.

"I know you haven't been listening to me. This may all be going too fast for you, but you're going to have to keep up. If you think you can escape like you came from a novel," so he had seen the defiant look in her eyes, "I assure, you, any step out of line, any attempt to contact Rothen, and I will make sure you regret it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, High Lord."

"Good. I never want to have to speak to you like this on this subject again." His gaze fixed on the wall behind him, and his expression softened.

"Now that everything's sorted," he said wryly. "It seems you have a visitor."


Ok, I dont usually do this, but Idont know how ling I'll be with the next chapter. So, if you want to know who the visitor is, I'll tell you. But then you still have to read and review the next chapter kay? Otherwise I'll be very upset. And will probably hunt you donw. Hard.

So...

spoiler

The visiter is Cery. Come on, who else would it be?

READ AND REVIEW. NOT READ, BUT DONT REVIEW. MULTITASK. DO BOTH.