Disclaimer – I do not own BMT world, it belongs to Trudi Canavan

Capture

The vertical lines on his forehead deepened as Akkarin stared at Sonea. Nothing he had done so far had broken the strange fixation she had on her son. It was not often that he felt such uncertainty. He turned to Takan and spoke sharply.

"How long has she been like this?"

Takan's face was pale as he refused to meet his Master's eyes; looking only at Sonea he mumbled, "About four hours."

Four hours! Akkarin's face darkened, "And you thought to conceal this from me!"

Takan quickly knelt, his head touching the ground, "Lady Sonea was very clear, Master. She told me not to do anything, regardless of what was happening and more than that, she said I must not alert you in any way."

"You are my servant and your allegiance is to me. There is no room for divided loyalties." Akkarin's voice was harsh and Takan remained motionless. It had been a long time since he had felt the force of his Master's anger. The blood gem link hummed with power until his body began to quiver with the strength of it. Then abruptly the link cleared and Taken released the breath he had no recollection of holding. He remained crouched on the floor, too fearful to move.

Akkarin began to pace as he considered various options. There were things he could do but he was unsure of the damage that might result. There was no way of knowing the extent of the power which was holding Sonea and Justen motionless. It had to be the Other, but what was he trying to achieve? A small tendril of fear curled in his gut. What if Sonea came out of it damaged? What if she could not be released?

In all the long years of their association, his feelings for his companion had always been somewhat ambivalent. They shared a strong physical bond; she was an eager and passionate bedfellow who easily aroused his desire. She was an excellent student, capable of learning the most difficult aspects of magic so it was a pleasure to teach her. She was a dependable ally in any battles with the Ichani; a wild card who could change events in an unexpected direction. She was a good mother to their son and their life in the mountains had been eminently satisfactory on many levels. All of these things he knew and deeply appreciated. But love? He was still unsure if he loved her. Throughout the years, whenever his thoughts turned to this question, as they sometimes did, he had always avoided dwelling on it. But not this time.

Love to him had always been wrapped up in a sweet face, huge green eyes, long silky brown hair and a nose peppered with pale freckles. Love was a silent glance across a crowded room, followed by a gnawing yearning for physical contact forbidden on pain of death. Love was the Ichani pleasure slave he had never had. Love was a dead girl he could not save. Her loss remained a dark void within him, never filled since her death. In all the years they had been together Sonea had never come close to occupying even a small part of that empty place within.

Thus he reasoned this must mean he did not love his companion.

He stared at Sonea. But if she is lost, I will never be able to find another companion like her. He was aware of another void opening up within him at the thought of losing her. He had to find a solution and find it quickly, without precipitating serious damage.

He glanced down at the figure crouching at his feet. "Get up and tell me exactly what happened."

Takan described what was at the start a typical day of lessons for Justen. He and Sonea spent time in the library, surrounded by books and all seemed to being going well.

"I disturbed them to talk about the mid-day meal. Then the boy must have sent something and Sonea stilled. She looked at Justen and he nodded…."

"She didn't say anything which might explain what he said," Akkarin interrupted.

Takan shook his head, "The next thing, Sonea turned to me and issued instructions that they were not to be disturbed and under no circumstances was I to let you know what was going on."

"And you accepted these instructions without thinking I needed to know what was happening!" Akkarin said sharply.

"Lady Sonea was very clear, it was a command," Takan replied. "It is not for me to question magicians."

Akkarin bit back the harsh words bubbling up from his throat. Through the blood gem link, he could feel Takan's misery and the fear that wound its way through his emotions. It was not right to take out his frustration on his servant. Given Takan's experiences with the Ichani and his respect for and abiding fear of magicians, it was unreasonable to expect him to ignore Sonea's explicit instructions. He sent a feeling of calm acceptance through the link and felt Takan's spirits start to lift a little.

Akkarin resumed his pacing. Yet again, Sonea had taken it upon herself to expose herself to danger. It was so typical of her to rush into something in order to deal with it regardless of the consequences. He could imagine her thoughts as she agreed to whatever it was Justen had asked. She would be anticipating impressing Akkarin, when he returned home, with some new and amazing discovery. He smiled to himself, the picture of her triumph was so vivid in his mind; the tilt of her head, the satisfaction of knowing she had solved a problem written clearly on her face, the clear gaze challenging him to ignore her success, and the faint colour in her cheeks as he murmured words of congratulation.

She will have that opportunity again! He would rescue her. She will be well again!

"There is no alternative," he murmured to himself. "I shall have to explore her mind."

The rules against forcible entry to someone's mind were so deeply engrained that Akkarin hesitated. Sonea wasn't a criminal whose mind had to be violated in order to solve a crime. She had her own secrets, he knew, and if able, would only have agreed subject to certain agreements of where he could go and what he could uncover. But she was not able to give or withhold her consent, and he had to act.

He pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He placed his hand on her cheek, one finger extended to touch her temple. He let his mind go blank for a moment, then gently sought entrance to her mind. What he found there profoundly disturbed him. Most people's minds resembled rooms and were furnished with all sorts of possessions which had unconscious symbolic meanings for the owner. Sonea's mind showed none of these things. Instead, Akkarin found himself standing in the midst of a swirling dark fog, unable to see anything.

Sonea? he sent but received no response. He tried to make a globe light, but his efforts only resulted in a faint luminous glow which gave no real light at all. His magic worked, but very weakly as if there was something sapping his strength. There was no sound he could detect. If Sonea was caught in something like this, she wouldn't know what to do as it was likely her magic had failed her. He moved forward cautiously, feeling his way with hands and feet. The fog obscured everything and nothing he tried pierced it. His globe light was worse than useless. There was nothing he could do.

Abruptly, Akkarin left Sonea's mind. He felt Takan's surprise and murmured, "I need to arm myself before exploring further."

Leaving the two motionless figures where they were, he went outside to clear his head. Almost unconsciously, his hand found the Corres Fort stone on the chain around his neck. The stone had various properties, mainly associated with protection, but it also acted as a focus through which he could send his power and the stone magnified it in some way. Perhaps this was the answer to his weakened power when confronted with the conditions in Sonea's mind.

He dwelt on the properties of the stone for some minutes weighing up possible risks to Sonea as well as himself. He had no way of knowing just how strong the Other's hold was or whether using the stone would create some sort of additional problems. It was a definite risk, but having considered his dilemma from all sides, Akkarin decided it was a risk worth taking.

Sonea and Justen were exactly where he had left them. He looked at them both for a moment. He was shocked to see faint beads of sweat on Sonea's forehead. They had not been there before. She must be fighting whatever it is, he thought. At any moment, her strength could give out and then he had no idea what the consequences would be.

"There is no alternative," he said aloud, "I must talk to him."

He ignored Takan's puzzled look and went to sit next to Justen. He set his hand against the boy's cheek and concentrated. Almost at once, he was in the familiar dark corridor lined with the locked and bolted doors he remembered from his previous visit. There was no fog in Justen's mind and his attempt at a globe light was more successful. It would be a long walk to the circular room where he had found the Other the last time and time was short. He set off, his long strides eating up the distance. After ten minutes of brisk walking, he glimpsed a light ahead. He quickened his pace and soon found himself in the circular room.

It was much the same as before, except this time there was a circular stone table in the middle with an intricately carved stone chest centred on it. Standing peering into it was the Other.

He straightened up at the sound of Akkarin's boots against the stone floor and smiled. Gone was the childish figure he had met before. This time the Other's appearance was that of a young man, tall and slim, with long dark hair hanging loose on his shoulders. As Akkarin looked into his face, he realised it was like looking into a mirror, the face looking directly at him, a faint crooked smile on the lips, was the image of his own.

"You came," his replica said, "I knew you would come."

"What have you done?"

The Other's smile broadened, "Come, look." He gestured towards the chest on the table.

Akkarin peered into the container; what he saw made his blood run cold. Right in the middle of swirling darkness was the miniature figure of Sonea. She was frozen in place, her right foot slightly in front of her left as if she was in the process of taking a step, her arms fixed at her sides. Her eyes were open, but there was no movement in any part of her body at all.

Something in Akkarin's expression must have alarmed the Other because he said hastily, "She is unharmed."

Akkarin tried to reach down into the chest, but his hand could not penetrate some sort of invisible barrier. He looked at the small figure intently, Sonea did not seem to be suffering from any physical restraint, nor were there any apparent injuries.

"Why have you done this?" he asked, keeping his voice calm and level.

The Other gestured to the stone seat running around the chamber, "Let us sit and discuss this."

For a moment, he was tempted to ignore the invitation and insist on an answer to his question, but he could not risk the Other's anger. There was no way of telling what he might do if roused. So he nodded acceptance. Once they were seated, Akkarin kept silent, determined to make the Other explain himself.

"You have not visited me as you promised, Akkarin," he began.

Akkarin, not Verrin! The Other had information that Justen did not. How?

He made a small gesture with his hand, as Akkarin opened his mouth to reply, "But no matter, you have come to me now. It is important for us to talk. I need more from you. You are too slow in teaching me. Time is important."

Akkarin silently noted the reference to time. What is he planning?

"I tried to let you know just how much I needed to see you, but you ignored it all. But I knew you would come if something happened to your precious Sonea."

Sonea not Syma, then. He knows it all, perhaps.

"If you want my cooperation, then capturing my companion and holding her imprisoned is not the way to obtain it."

The Other laughed, "We do not need her! She is only a woman, her magic should be used to prepare food and keep the house clean. She is not like us, our power is strong. We command. We control."

Ichani! It seemed odd to Akkarin to hear Ichani philosophy regarding men, women and magic coming from the lips of a being who had never come into contact with Ichani culture.

"I am not sure I agree," he replied mildly. "My companion provides me with a lot of help in my studies of magic. She is helping to teach you and you have seen how strong her magic is."

The Other laughed, "How you have been contaminated by your time in the Guild. Women are simply for our pleasure and what magic they possess is there to provide us with what we need. You are strong and can teach me everything I need. We do not need her."

"I need her."

The Other frowned, "I don't understand."

"She helps me function, she gives me what I need. Without her, there will be no teaching."

"I do not believe you."

"No?" Akkarin stood up and began to leave the circular room. Behind him, he heard the sound of the Other starting to come after him.

"Wait," he cried. "What do you want?"

Akkarin kept moving, gambling on the fact that the Other needed him and above all needed his willing cooperation. He could hear footsteps behind him as the Other reached out to grab his arm. Akkarin stopped and slowly turned.

"Let me be clear, without my companion, there will be no teaching, no study of magic, nothing. You will simply be a little boy living in the mountains with a bit of magic he cannot control."

The Other frowned and bit his lip. Akkarin could see the play of emotions on his face, anger, confusion, belief and disbelief warred for supremacy. Akkarin did not know which emotion would win. His hand grasped the talisman, if necessary he would fight the Other. He had never had to use strong magic within a person's mind before. It was unknown territory but he had to win this trial otherwise the Other would be in control of them both and that could not be allowed to happen. As he continued to watch, the being made strenuous efforts to calm himself and to the watching Akkarin it was if a shutter had closed on the Other's face, leaving it a bland mask.

"Let us not quarrel, Akkarin," he said pleadingly. "Sonea is unharmed and can be returned easily. I just needed to see you. I only wanted to talk to you, to explain what I needed."

As he spoke, the image of a confident young man rippled and changed until he resembled Justen, a small boy again.

"Return my companion and I will visit you again," Akkarin promised and smiled as the Other nodded.

They re-entered the circular room and went over to the chest. As Akkarin watched, the Other stretched out his hands over it as his lips moved. Akkarin could feel the tingling of magic but could not sense what sort of magic was being used. The swirling fog cleared, leaving Sonea still frozen but then she faded too and the chest was empty.