HERE I AM!! Yay... and I do love this chappie... and due to my wicked sense of humor, the chapter title is Complications... because there are several. Of all varieties. ;D

Thanks now to my readers and especially my reviewers- I can PROMISE this wouldn't have gotten so far without your input and encouragement: dares to dream, Cymru na Alethaira, Dreamwings, twilightm00n, SarahE7191, PurpleBookWorm, Lemondropxxx, Evil Strawberry, Shang Leopard, and Eternityfalls. And yay for my beta, KyrieofAccender, on whom depends whether or not I post on weekends... No pressure, Kyr. ;p

And so, without further ado:

Chapter 35

Complications

January 14, 481 H.E.

Rikash blinked; with a searing last glare, Deryne turned back to Malvyn.

"How did you do it?" she spat. "You could have been his son… and then I saw that." As she spoke, Deryne grabbed her prisoner's wrist and wretched his hand to her face for inspection; his ring gleamed sinisterly in the light. "Four signs. Since that day, I've never seen a ring or symbol like it-" Rikash sputtered into action.

"You said he was middle-aged!" he yelped. "Were you drinking with Sir Myles, 'cause-"

"Shut up," the girl growled through gritted teeth; yes, her gudruna were picking up the visible features of the mage before her, but she was beginning to sense subtle differences beneath them. A spell. "I can't believe nobody felt it," she hissed. "Not even Numair-" Malvyn raised a cold eyebrow.

"No mage- even one in charge of the Crown's security- pays the slightest attention to an age-changing spell," he replied, remarkably composed for someone pinned to a wall by no tangible means. "Especially one that makes a man- or woman- younger. There are many in court who use them, all the time. Since the differences are marginal, it takes close scrutiny to pick up on the glamour." He smiled back at Deryne, who hardly knew what to do; what could she do to him? She wanted to hit him, but then he would have won in his own gods-cursed little way. "All I had to do was stay out of your way- until the right time."

"What right time?" Inar demanded, voice sharp. Deryne's gaze did not move from Malvyn's face. The man sighed.

"Would you let me down?" he requested, piercing blue eyes searching Deryne's. "As extraordinary as it is, this spell is discomforting." Deryne stared back at him. "No, then?"

"I don't think you should be going anywhere until you explain," Inar retorted coldly; Deryne felt a rush of savage exaltation. She would not need to say anything- Inar was on her side.

"You've been at the University this whole time," Rikash said incredulously. "Under an illusion? Why?" His voice was curious, not hostile. Deryne ground her teeth together. Good friend he was. Malvyn sighed again, then looked upward.

"The coterie I belong to is an order. A society, as it were." His fingers- one of which displayed the ring- struggled feebly against the binding Deryne had forced upon him. "This is our symbol." Deryne's eyes narrowed.

"What's Blayce have to do with it?" she demanded; she needed to know where Thom's notes were! The Lioness had locked them away with good reason. Malvyn's cool façade dropped; confusion darkened his eyes as he gazed at Deryne, as though attempting to divine answers from her.

"Who?" Deryne eyed him, gauging his reaction. He seemed genuinely puzzled… even curious. She sighed and glanced back at Inar, who shrugged. Rikash was staring at his friend, open-mouthed.

"That's why you never let me come!" he exclaimed. "It wasn't a storytelling, intellectual group! A cult, or, or-" Malvyn snorted.

"Cult? Who do you take me for, Salmalin?" he queried, slipping back into his controlling demeanor. Deryne felt lost; why kidnap her, then stay at the University for a few years, playing student mage with Rikash, and then reveal himself? "Our order was founded with the purpose of finding the Chosen of the Four." Four! There was that blasted number again! Deryne's eyes flew open as the words fell from the mage's mouth; she slackened her grip on the binding, and Malvyn slumped to the floor again with a groan.

"That's much-" Deryne scowled; she had not released him for his own comfort!

"Explain," she ordered darkly, pointing a finger at him. "Now."

"Feisty little girl," he muttered to himself from his seat as he looked up and grinned at Rikash. "You're scared of her, aren't you?" Deryne glared.

"The Chosen? Who are the Four?" she demanded. Malvyn raised an eyebrow at her, then seemed to think better of what he had been planning to say. His face became more serious; his jaw set.

"The Four Gods," he said carefully. "Frejonak, Yama, Wavewalker, and Gaian. They bestow a gift to their Chosen- the Chosen are marked with unique magics." His blue eyes bore into Deryne; a chill ran down her back.

"Magics like gudruna?" she asked cautiously. Malvyn shrugged.

"Wind whispers? Is that the term you're using?" he asked, scorn shading his tone. Deryne flicked her fingers warningly; a swirl of pale blue magic danced around them. "Yes." Deryne chanced a look back at Rikash, who seemed on the verge of a revelation.

"And fire that flies out of control?" she prompted. Rikash looked up at her, eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes- although the blessing in that is the power, not the poor control." Malvyn was looking up at the ceiling when she turned back to him. "There are certain spells the Guild has, spells that will detect the presence of such magics. When one was set off, my palace ears followed the gossip leading back to the son of the black robe Salmalin, which made perfect sense." He shrugged. "Usually, the Gods Choose those already suited for their gifts- You would have been an extraordinarily powerful mage, even if Yama had not marked you as hers," he said, eyes flickering over to Rikash before they went back to Deryne. He smiled. "And through watching him, we found you- much trickier and better hidden than his explosions. When we were almost certain, we tested you-"

"The kidnapping," Deryne muttered, shaking her head in disgust. Malvyn laughed.

"And then was I shocked to find that both the catch and the bait passed the test! Rikash to you, you to the Hetnim girl! You just led me from one to the other!" he gloated.

"Cyne," Deryne stated, trying to grasp the enormity of the explanations that rushed forth from the mage. He nodded.

"And me," Han said, finally speaking. Deryne started; she had completely forgotten about the other youth! She frowned; how had he jumped to that conclusion? "You and Rikash just... found me." Malvyn smirked.

"And you," he finished. "Rikash, you never realized that you were being guided to him. It seems the gods have their own ways of forcing their Chosen together," he added. "Find one, and you find them all…." Deryne bit her lip in thought; her eyes narrowed.

"So you found us," she said slowly. "Now what? Why does your Guild want to find us?" Malvyn shrugged.

"It is the purpose of the Guild," he replied. "Find the Chosen and help you attain your destiny." Deryne raised her eyebrows; she would deal with that statement in a moment.

"So there are four of us?" Malvyn shrugged.

"Perhaps there are more- we know very little. But there are four in a... set, I suppose you might call it. You come in groups of four." Han took a few steps forward to Deryne's side.

"But you know our 'destiny' and want to help us with it." Deryne smiled dryly at the dubious words; it seemed Han wasn't as benign and dull a bumpkin as she had suspected. Malvyn grimaced and looked down at the hem of Deryne's gown.

"No- many of our secrets have been lost over the millennia that we have waited for the Chosen. We know only that we help you find it. That we are to guide you." Deryne sneered.

"Does it look like we need help?" she demanded. "You're still on the floor, recovering from my spell." Malvyn looked up sharply, face devoid of emotion. Without breaking gazes with her, he stood, body uncoiling like that of a bored snake.

"Only because I was comfortable there," he replied, blue eyes locked on pale gray. "I am a powerful guardian, Queenscove, even if I cannot tell you anything about your future." Something flickered through his mind before his thoughts snapped shut to Deryne; the whiff was enough to make her uneasy.

"You're lying," she accused. "You know something, don't you?" Before she could force it out, Rikash stepped forwards, first to her side, then between her and Malvyn. She glared at the tall, blond young man. "Get out of my way, Ri."

"No," Rikash retorted, jaw set. "You've bothered him enough for a night. He's here to help us- he knows about our powers!"

"Only a little more than I already found out," Deryne retorted sharply, jabbing a finger at the youth. "What sort of spells are you cooking up? What trouble have you been causing that you need to keep Inar out of the loop?"

"Inar is welcome anytime," Malvyn answered, sounding innocently surprised. Deryne glowered at him. "Come tomorrow- we're performing the gate spell. Same time, as always." Deryne looked from the other squire- who nodded in assent- to Malvyn again and then to Rikash. "He kidnapped me!" Rikash rolled his eyes.

"You were fine afterwards, weren't you?" Her jaw dropped.

"He left us at the mercy of Stormwings!" she retorted, outraged. Han took a quiet, quick step away from the pair out of the line of fire, joining Inar to watch from a safe distance. Rikash snorted.

"And I saved you. He knew we'd be all right! Can't you have a little more faith?" Deryne laughed shortly.

"You're telling me to believe him on his word? Ri, I want to know what this deal is! Cyne was nearly killed in the Isles a few months ago for her magic!"

"Because she refused to use her power again, hmm?" Deryne gasped in fury; were they back to this again? She was tempted to tell him what the Islander had done- that would have cooled his arrogant temper quicker than the Emerald Ocean would snuff out a candle! But she did not dare speak of it, not with Malvyn watching them, his smirk playing across his lips once more.

"No," she retorted steely. "And he is not leaving! Not until he tells me more!" Rikash leaned in with narrowed eyes.

"No matter what he tells you, you'll never trust him!" he burst out. Deryne shrugged; that was true. "So you're waiting for his mental defenses to go down, so you can start pulling thoughts from his head!" Her face flushed; a few gudruna wouldn't hurt any of them, on this occasion-

"Ri! He's lying about not knowing anything!" the girl exploded. Rikash sneered.

"And you know that because you've already snatched something from his mind?" Deryne gritted her teeth.

"It was an accident," she retorted hotly. "And the thought was so important, his defense slipped and there it was, in my head! He was covering something up!" Rikash's amber eyes narrowed.

"I've known him much longer than you, Deryne," he said doggedly. "And I'm damned if I let you torment and invade my friend's mind!" Deryne took a step forwards, trying to get around the large mage; Rikash kept himself in between her and Malvyn. Then he jerked his head down the passageway. "Let's go, Malvyn. I'll talk with him more, Deryne- and we'll finish this some other time." Deryne clenched her fists as the two mages turned away from her; did he think they could just walk away after this?

"Ri!" How could he be so pig-headedly stubborn? And stupid?! Power coursed through her veins; a short, sudden wind rushed through the hall, whipping past everyone before the air went as still and heavy as in the calm before a storm. Malvyn kept walking, his pace quickening; Rikash stopped. "Do you care? At all?" she demanded.

Rikash turned around, face taunt.

"Not now, Deryne," he said darkly. "It would be a very bad idea, this close to the Festival." She answered the subtle threat by twiddling her fingers; her mind dropped all defenses to gudruna, absorbing all the thoughts she could stand. Unfortunately, all but Han had incredible barriers against her magic. Still, she could sense intent if she prodded Rikash's guard; she did not mind if he felt it. In this sort of mood, Rikash wasn't a very trustworthy mage. In fact, Deryne was sorry to know that he was very much the opposite.

"Deryne…." She silenced Inar with a sharp hand motion. Rikash's face was cold as he sketched out a rune in the air in front of him; tiny flames danced in the air between them.

"I can't believe you'd dare to provoke me, Deryne," he said sharply. "Do you remember what happened last time neither of us backed down?" Deryne scowled.

"That means one of us needs to, doesn't it?" Rikash nodded, wild, raw power dancing in his eyes as he took a few paces back.

"But it isn't going to be me." Anger and reason warred in Deryne's mind; fear and worry for both Rikash and herself fought back frustration and suspicions pitted against Malvyn. Someone put a hand on her shoulder: Inar.

"Just step down, Deryne," he murmured into her ear. "Just… let them go. What are they going to do tonight?" He put his other hand on her other shoulder as he leaned in, cheek touching her hair. "Malvyn won't suddenly make a break for it, not if he wants Rikash on his side. Maybe he's not lying- or he can help, at least. But don't fight. Not again." He was right. She inhaled softly and closed her eyes, allowing his words to wash over her. Before she closed her mind to the gudruna, she felt Rikash and Malvyn slip around the corner and away.

"Is she always this scary?" he heard Han ask Inar, who had not pulled away from her. There was a hint of laughter in the young man's voice. "Or is this just my lucky night?"

They had not left yet; Malvyn had insisted on stopping by Master Salmalin's chambers to write a quick note first. They had tried the black robe's study first, but found the man in there. They did not want to have to deal with him tonight. Instead, Malvyn was leaning over Rikash's mother's work desk, quill in hand.

"What are you writing?" Rikash asked, taking a step towards his friend. Malvyn bent over the parchment as he scribbled away. It was odd, thinking that his friend was really closer to his father's age than his, but it was easy enough to ignore; he retained the illusion of his younger self with ease. His muscles still trembled with energy; he could scarcely believed he had been able to control himself, pull himself from the brink of warring with Deryne again… it appeared to be unhealthy to see her even in small doses.

"Just telling Inar we aren't doing anything tomorrow- he doesn't need to come." Rikash's eyes narrowed; he could not read Malvyn's writing, but he could see the signature from where he stood. Without taking his eyes off of it, he spoke again.

"We aren't doing the Gate spell?"

"Of course we are." With a grin, Malvyn stood and folded up his note brusquely. "But he doesn't need to know." Rikash just watched his friend for a long moment; Deryne was being unfair about the abduction, which made sense to the mage as an excellent- and clever- test for Malvyn to perform, but it did not mean he wasn't careful.

"For Inar, hmm?"

"Yeah." Malvyn raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"No reason, really," Rikash retorted, struggling to keep his voice nonchalant. "Except that you wouldn't sign a note to Inar with a M above that symbol of your little guild." Malvyn shrugged.

"Why not?" he replied lazily. "I might as well, now." Amber eyes locked with blue; Rikash's narrowed.

"I don't believe you." Malvyn snorted, then smirked, shaking his head.

"Why would I lie?" he asked. "You're acting like your lovely little friend now." Wincing, Rikash flushed; it was true… and he knew that she had been acting ridiculous back there. "You know we don't want him interfering- especially since he seems a little too sympathetic with Deryne." The way he said her name made her sound tritely odious. Rikash glared at the other mage.

"Which is bad because…?" he prompted in a dangerously soft voice. Malvyn sighed.

"She's a little upset right now." He smiled a little. "C'mon- tell me she doesn't mess things up when she's angry." Silently, Rikash nodded; that was true…. "Will you let me go now, inquisitor?" Rikash rolled his eyes and looked off in the other direction.

"Just hurry up. I'll meet up with you by the gate in a few." Malvyn smiled, teeth gleaming as he headed out of the room.

Once he had shut the door behind the fire mage, Malvyn unfolded the paper and glanced down at it with a smirk.

"Didn't lie, did I?" he murmured to the tapestries before neatly tearing the parchment in half… into two letters. Then he strode off through the hall, only torches illuminating his path, his figure and its shadow casting darkness where he trod.

The three youths trekked back through the palace, none of them feeling any urge to return to the festivities. Halfway to Numair's study, Inar turned off to return to his rooms with a wave at Deryne, who felt her stomach sink in a vague disappointment.

"He's nice," Han commented after the squire rounded the corner, leaving the two of them alone. Deryne glanced at him, wary for any undercurrents in the words. Han continued walking, face smooth and devoid of any sarcasm, curiosity, or slyness. She smiled.

"Yes, he is," she agreed. They walked on in silence to Numair's study and peered inside.

"That's odd," Han said, stepping inside. "He's not here." Deryne frowned.

"Maybe he just stepped out?" she guessed. The young man shrugged, then made his way to a chair next to the desk.

"Would he mind if I sit here?" he asked, gesturing to the chair Deryne always sat in during her lessons. The girl shook her head. Han smiled, then bobbed his head once as he spoke. "Then I'll stay here and wait, if you want to look." Deryne smiled back.

"Thanks, Han; I will."

Daine sent Deryne halfway across the ballroom and back in search of the elusive mage. The woman frowned when Deryne reported there was no sign of him.

"I was sure-" She pursed her lips, then shrugged. "Ah well- I would wait in his study, Deryne; he always comes back eventually," she added dryly. "He was right here, though- and looking for you, too." Deryne sighed; it figured that he would find the symbol's meaning after she interrogated Malvyn. She left the party once more, mind churning.

There was a society, a group that was intended to "help the Chosen." An order founded thousands of years ago… and named the four of them the Chosen. They had been given power by the Gods. Was there some sort of divine power in each of them then, one that helped Cyne destroy the Jaguar Goddess?

But they were still mortals…. Numair or someone with the Sightwould have been able to tell by now if they were not…. Divine power would have destroyed a mortal, in fifteen years...

"Deryne! I found it!" Deryne sighed inwardly, turning to Numair with a wry face as he rushed towards the passage towards her.

"Don't suppose it's some cult symbol?" she asked dryly. The man chuckled, brandishing a piece of parchment in his hands. The familiar four signs were inked on it.

"Not exactly," he replied. "But extraordinarily old- in fact, I'm shocked I didn't see the meanings just by looking at them; it's rather primitive, once you know how to look at it." Deryne waited patiently; she had a whole night to wait before she went after Malvyn again…. She might as well tolerate her teacher's lecture. Numair's large finger tapped the circle on the far left. "Air." Deryne frowned as he touched the leaf shape on the bottom. "Plantae. In this case, translated loosely to earth. And the flame above it is fire, of course." Chills ran through her as he moved on to the fourth symbol, the three lines that poured from the junction of the flame and the leaf. "And-"

"Water," she said quietly. So whatever Malvyn had lied about, his little group was connected to the four of them, somehow…. Numair looked at her in surprise.

"Yes," he answered, waiting for an explanation. Deryne cleared her throat.

"Me, Ri, Cyne, and Han," she said quietly. Numair's eyes grew huge.

"But I thought you said your abductor wore it." She shrugged, not wanting to elaborate further now.

"The circle, flame, and lines were on those pieces of glass," she whispered. "A spell that the three of us did together." She could practically see Numair's mind turning over this sudden burst of information.

"I never- not to have thought about that," he mused, putting a hand to his chin as he stared down at them. "Together, they form the sign of a secret group- They are called the Guild, but their purposes are only hinted at." Deryne frowned; anything she could learn from someone besides Malvyn would help her decide whether or not he could be trusted. There still was the issue of that little red book, the one Blayce had copied Lord Thom's notes into… with the symbol of the Guild in gold. And Inar hadn't liked the sound of the spells that this Guild mage and Rikash had been trying….

"What did you find out?" Numair sighed, scratching his head.

"It's all very vague," he told her. "Something about summonings." Deryne's heart beat a little faster.

"Summonings?" The words sounded odd in her voice; it had a harsh echo, one that seemed incongruous and sharp in her throat. Numair's lips twisted in a grimace.

"A… mild form of necromancy," he explained. Coldness ran through Deryne; her verves stood on end, burning warningly.

"Necromancy?" she whispered, her hands tightening into fists.

"Not too serious," Numair said quickly. "Usually practiced by younger mages for a thrill- then abandoned-" Younger mages… Anything fascinatingly dangerous but "not too serious" fit the sort of thrill Rikash would explore as a "younger mage."

And if he started little bits of necromancy with Malvyn, who might or might not possess those notes from Lord Thom…. A passage from the notes surfaced in her memories.

-if one can return to the body, then it only makes sense that anyone might be possessed. With the push from a great mage, any soul could take control of a body that was not theirs to begin with…it is possible with enough discipline and power to call up ghosts and spirits from the realms of Chaos, to do one's bidding and corrupt a living body of the necromancer's choice.

Thom's words were reminding her of another day, when Irnai predicted her death. Her God- Frejonak!- had warned her.

He comes, he who has worn his welcome in the mortal worlds. He who sucked life from so many… he who stole so much happiness from the world and cast it carelessly aside… He shall conquer again, lest you stand and fight. Unless you find him…

He who had worn his welcome in the mortal worlds. She had given it little thought before… but now the words were clicking… thoughts connected with overwhelming force… It was obvious, now- how could she have not understood before? She was as much a fool as the Chamber had always told her.

Either Frejonak had meant someone not mortal… or dead.

Roger of Conte unfolded the note on his desk, then grinned and tossed it into the fire.

"I thought so," he hissed, watching the words as they shriveled in the flames.

Take them. Midnight.

The Duke smirked; Malvyn thought he had to contact his pet ghost with secret little notes. He should know better. Roger was stronger than ever, with that Gate spell tied to him… everyone who participated in that spell was bound to him now; he did not need letters to know the necromancer's intent.

From here, his path was clear.

"Not remarkable, really," Numair was saying as blood rushed to Deryne's head; her breathing roared in her ears. Deryne could think of no response for that; there was no way to explain her thoughts now. Whipping around, she sprinted down the hall, cursing the skirts she wore more fervently than ever. "Deryne! Wait-" She ignored the call; once she reached the door to the west wing corridors, she hauled it open, barely stopping and nearly falling over it as she ran. Her feet slammed against the floor; who to find first?

Her feet found the answer for her; a few moments later, she found herself at Inar's door. He answered on her second knock and, seeing her, raised an eyebrow.

"I know you love this time of year," he said dryly. "But it is close to midnight."

"We have to find Ri and Malvyn," she said hurriedly, grabbing him by the arm. Bewildered, Inar closed his door and let her tug him down the passageway. At least he was still fully-clothed…. "Malvyn's planning something." Inar frowned.

"Yeah- tomorrow night, I figure." Deryne stopped, turning around to face the young man, who smiled ruefully.

"They promised me I could lend a hand then with a spell," he explained. "But Malvyn left a note, saying they'd wait until I had convinced you we weren't doing anything wrong." Deryne snorted.

"Now I know I really don't trust him," she muttered. "He thought you'd fall for that?" Inar shrugged, glancing over at the tapestry on the wall. "he must have great faith in your persuasive abilities, in any case," she added under her breath. Then, as Inar blanched, she narrowed her eyes. "What?" He opened his mouth, then closed it and began walking again. A smile tugged at her lips. "What's this? Turning red, are we?"

"Never," Inar muttered, still avoiding her gaze. He glanced down at the bangle on his wrist. "I figured out how to do that gate spell on the bracelet for Rikash. See?" He held out his arm.

"What'd he say?" Deryne persisted with a grin in spite of herself. If he had not kidnapped her a few years earlier, she might have liked Malvyn a lot.

"You would really rather not know," Inar answered. Deryne eyed him for another moment, then shrugged.

"All right, then." Then she clenched her fists. "But if he's trying to do what I think he might be-" She shuddered. "There is no limit to the danger we're in." If she was trying to cause trouble, who would she raise from the realms of the dead?

The endless possibilities chilled her more than the icy January winds of the night.

"You said the Festival's the worst. It always is," Malvyn reminded Rikash as the pair looked down at the Gate on the floor. Rikash shrugged; after all that had happened, he was not sure if he wanted to do any of those Fate spells, especially with his eager friend. "Better to do this power spell before then, than in a few days when your magic will be spinning out of control."

"Why not tomorrow?" Rikash insisted.

"The sooner, the less chance you'll set me- or the room- on fire. I'd rather not suffer, if I can." He eyes glittered as he smiled dryly. Rikash hesitated. "Come on," Malvyn added impatiently. "Before midnight, will you?" The young mage rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he muttered, placing his hands down on the Gate. Malvyn grinned.

"Excellent," he said softly. "Maybe tonight, there'll be a need for a little extra power."

Deryne wiped the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand, feeling self-conscious as she walked next to Inar. Their steps were perfectly synchronized; it was easy to stay in line with him, when his loping stride was graceful and she could feel his weight shift from foot to foot in the same way that someone might hear her lover's heartbeat at night. The thought made her cheeks burn, even though the calm settled so comfortably around them kept her from becoming too flustered.

"Are you sure we shouldn't go?" she asked again, wanting to speak. Inar smiled, eyes sliding to meet hers.

"Rush out across the city now? No- they haven't done anything earth-shattering in the past few months."

"Malvyn had his secret identity a secret in the past few months," Deryne retorted dourly. "Until now." Inar chuckled.

"If it means anything… I doubt it. If he's trying to pick you off, he'll barricade you and Rikash in a room together with no wards on Yama's Festival." She snorted.

"He's much more controlled than he used to be. He's improving," she said softly, hard feelings melting with a burst of pride and happiness for her friend.

"Or Malvyn's changed up the spell," Inar said darkly. "I'd worry about what he's been channeling Rikash's strength into- I'll talk to Rikash and look at their Gates. And give him this." He tapped the bracelet. "I'm wearing it so I remember to give it to him. All he needs to do is put it on, and I can spell it so that it holds his magic back." Deryne smiled.

"It's a bit ostentatious for you," she remarked; while the carvings were manly enough for Rikash, it was too bright for Inar. He shrugged. "How 'bout I wear it? Then your dignity doesn't have to be compromised." His lips twitched; Deryne's heart fluttered.

"You sure? I mean, anyone can activate the spell, once someone's wearing it, so I wouldn't even need to be there, if you see him before I do." Deryne smiled back.

"Yeah- why not?"

"I can't say I feel this is your style, either," he admitted, tugging it off his wrist.

"At least I'm a girl- I can wear pretty gold," she pointed out, reaching out to take the jewelry from him. Instead of dropping it into her hand, Inar took a step closer and wrapped his fingers around her wrist as he slowly slid the bracelet over her fingers.

Deryne was so surprised- and distracted- that she didn't notice that her thumb stuck out, hindering the bracelet's path, until Inar cleared his throat.

"Um-" She laughed breathlessly with him, then shifted her fingers' positions into order to get the bangle on. She looked up; Inar's face was right in front of hers. His eyes bore into hers, his face as still as stone. She swallowed heavily, very aware that he had not dropped her wrist yet.

Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she knew all she would need to do was pull away- shift, in any way- and he would, too.

So she leaned a little closer, trembling as she felt his breath on her lips.

In the distance, a bell tolled the midnight hour.

But Deryne scarcely heard it, because Inar's lips were suddenly on hers. A stifled gasp escaped her as he pulled her closer, lifted her hand to his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her.

A numbing bliss flooded through her as his mouth moved against hers; she felt as though she was floating, high above the winds and the gudruna they brought… too intense for the gudruna to speak with her… because she did not need any magic to feel his kiss, or his hands on her back. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he pulled away, scarcely giving her the time to realize he had stopped before he leaned back in to caress her lips gently, letting the kiss build slowly this time, soothingly strong.

A few moments later, Deryne pulled back reluctantly, certain she would fall if Inar had not been holding her. As she sighed, he put his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, just enjoying the contact.

"It's the dress, isn't it?" she muttered after a moment. "I knew it would complicate my night." Inar chuckled; her body shook as his chest vibrated with his laughter.

"Always something witty to say," he murmured, touching her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he rested her chin on her shoulder. "Witty, fiery squire. Clever, too-always causing problems-" He suddenly stopped; in his embrace, Deryne felt him tense. Pulling back slightly, she gave him a playful frown.

"What are you tormenting yourself with now-" The question froze in her throat as she saw the look on his face.

His lips pressed taut, Inar stared out into the space beyond them, behind her. His eyes seemed fixed on a point that was neither here nor there, endless, dark caverns that hid more than that which one would want to seek out. His grip on her tightened, then loosened as he released her. Fists clenched, he took a step back, still not looking at her.

"Run," he whispered hoarsely, shaking. "Deryne-" She turned to look behind her; there was nothing. Nobody. She frowned.

"What is it?" Then Inar cried out behind her; she began to twist back the other way, but strong hands grabbed her, one pinning her hands together while the other one covered her mouth. Deryne struggled, calling out to the breezes around her to fight her assaulter.

Nothing happened; something bound her magic, wrapped her in an intolerable silence, even once she lowered all barriers she kept on her magic- not even her subtler powers came to her aid, those that had once worked when Malvyn had chained her.

"Time to sleep, little one," a cold, cruel voice hissed in her ear. Deryne fought harder, almost managing to break free of the iron hold-

A flash of orange light streaked across her vision, and everything went black.

AN: Dun-dun! ;D You know what I want, before the next chapter goes up... so please review!