Chapter Four
"But it shouldn't have happened at all! I was there, I should have protected her!"
"Don't get cocky with me young man. I may be shorter, but I'm older and smarter. And I am still your teacher," Rosethorn said. She glared at Briar then sat with a sigh as Briar stared at the floor. "Sit."
"I don't mean to be disrespectful," he said sullenly. He sat across from her on the floor as she had instructed, fiddling with the small stone in his hands.
"I know Briar. We are all deeply distressed with Tris' absence and-"
"Absence?" Briar cried, cutting her off. "By the gods Rosethorn, Tris has been kidnapped! It's not like she just strolled off and skipped coming back for lunch. She's a prisoner. She's like a part of me, of all of us. And I can't feel whole if part of me is missing. It's bad enough our magic is gone and we can no longer mind-speak to each other, but I can still feel her, inside me, and I know she's in trouble. We have to get her back Rosethorn, we just have to." He stood suddenly, looking down at her, then blushed when she gazed back at him looking abashed.
"I don't know if I've ever heard you speak so forcefully Briar. I can tell you have great love for Tris. But there is a reason we have not acted yet. Not only do we not know where she is; we don't know who took her or even why. We've tried and tried to find out something but not only didn't any of the scrying mirrors work, they all broke soon after. We are trying all we can. Now, if you please, I'd like to have my bath before the dirt starts to build it's own house on me." Rosethorn stood up and started to walk past Briar. She stopped, gave his shoulder a slight squeeze before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.
Briar sat on the nest of sheets on his bed and put his head in his hands, silently cursing himself for having emotions.
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Trisana winced as the needle scratched against the cold stone floor.
"Shh!" hissed Maleki. "You'll get us caught!"
"Look, all I want to know is how I got them," she whispered, peering through the small opening in the wall that allowed her to see the young man from the room where they had both been taken and restrained. His small cell was even darker than hers from what she could see, and he had informed her of his scant rations. His conditions were worse than hers she thought, and wondered why.
"I'm not sure exactly," Maleki replied. "But I know it's because of the spell Raja did. I got them the second time I was in there. I'm not surprised you got yours on the first. That was the strongest one I've ever been through. Do you know why they started out with such a powerful spell for you? My first time was extremely weak, but the blasts have been getting slightly stronger bit by bit. Have they put you to work yet?" he asked.
"Work? What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well Raja will have you working his magic for him pretty soon. I can tell you are already really strong magically or he wouldn't have started you out with something so strong. Can't you just feel the power surging in you? That's what the blasts do to you, ya know. Fill you with power or maybe just bring out the power you already have in you. That way you'll have enough strength to do Raja's evil little deeds. I don't know what he uses those sticks for but-"
"Sticks?" inquired Tris.
"Yeah. The ones he makes us spell. We're supposed to put our power in them and think of something light or bright. I don't know what good they are but I'm always awfully tired afterwards. Raja always says-" He stopped suddenly and Tris could see him pull away from the hole. She moved closer, pulled back with a gasp as a bright red eye covered the hole. She heard mutters from the other room, then a loud yell followed by a dull thud. The opening in the wall was covered and she couldn't see anymore. She waited but there was nothing but silence. Suddenly the door to her cell was pulled open and Raja stepped in, followed by the man from the horse cart. She stood and watched them enter.
"Come with me, now!" barked Raja. She walked over slowly and he grabbed her arm and pushed her out of the cell. He gave her a forceful shove down the corridor that sent her sprawling head over heels. The other man walked over to her and helped her up.
"'Ello again love," he said with a grin. "Now be a good girl and follow us."
"Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, where are we going?"
"Let's go NOW!" yelled Raja.
"No! I just want to go home! Please!" Tris cried. Raja raised a hand to strike her and the other man caught his arm. He moved Raja out of the way and stepped closer to the frightened girl.
"Come now little child, I won't hurt you dear." He lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes. She met his gaze and fell into his beautiful eyes.
"I'm not little, and I'm not a child," she said evenly. She gave a little half smile at the small hint of shock she saw in his eyes. He cleared his throat and regained his composure, smiled.
"Of course love, I've been blind. You're a precious blossom, opening before my very eyes." Her heart jumped as he slid his hand up her arm, trailing his fingers up and down. He smiled charmingly and she couldn't lower her eyes,
"Well as charming as this is, we have to get moving." Raja pushed past them, breaking their eye contact and starting down the dank corridor. They followed behind him and the man kept his hand on Tris' arm, leading her along gently. They proceeded through a maze of dark hallways and came to a stop at a large wooden door. Once again Raja pulled out a set of keys and opened the door.
Tris let out a short breath in amazement. The contrast of the interior of the room to where she was currently standing was astounding. She entered the room slowly, eyes drawing in the contents. The quarters were furnished with lavish tables and chairs. A small library was located in the corner, the bookcase carved with a beautiful intricate design of flowing vines and budding flowers. From the high ceiling hung a large chandelier with dozens of black candles burning in it. The magnificence of the chamber took away her breath.
Seeming not to notice, the other men pulled her inside and shut the door. They led her to a large table with many empty vials atop it. They seated themselves at the table and motioned for her to follow suit. Tris sat in a large, comfortable chair between Raja and the other man.
"You're here to work, you hear me? I'm goin' to recite a spell and your gonna be feelin' a tugging on your power. You're to let yourself go, you understand? Don't hold back; let it take it from you. You start to feel like you can't give anymore, you pull on this." He placed a small string in the palm of her hand. It was attached to the table with a ring on each end. "I want to know right away so we can pull you out. Won't be much good to us if your dead."
Tris looked slightly alarmed and nodded quickly. The man proceeded to tie her to the chair, much to her dismay, but she didn't protest. Raja opened the same book he had used before, closed his eyes and began to chant.
"Close your eyes and concentrate," the man said.
Tris closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply. Soon a strong throb invaded her head and she winced but kept her eyes closed. The chanting got louder and the other man joined Raja. Trisana felt a slight tug on her magical senses and remembered not to resist just in time. She felt her magic flow out of her, could feel it moving in her veins. Suddenly it all zipped out of her and she was knocked backwards in one swift blast. She heard faint sounds of talk coming from somewhere but couldn't make it out. Everything seemed dulled and muffled and she tried to open her eyes. She felt a warm touch on her arm and someone's soft breath on her cheek.
Tris heard a soothing voice and tried to concentrate on what it was saying.
"My name is Jamisom Elaconte," she heard the beautiful man say. "Call me James." And she slipped out of consciousness.
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Briar looked back at the soft sound of footsteps on the sand.
"Oh I'm sorry to disturb you Briar. Did you want to be alone?"
"No Sandry, that most certainly one of the last things I want right now. Especially if I'd miss out on the privilege of your company," he replied. Sandry blushed and walked over to stand beside him and gaze out at the clear, calm sea. He gave her a long sideways glance and she turned to look at him.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said, shrugging. He put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I think we should do something too," Sandry said quietly. He glanced at her, sighed.
"So you heard."
"Partially that, partially I could just feel. I feel so empty Briar. No magic, no Tris, Lark still not completely healed. She's been gone for over a month! I'm just so." she trailed off and shrugged.
"Lost," they both said in unison.
"But it shouldn't have happened at all! I was there, I should have protected her!"
"Don't get cocky with me young man. I may be shorter, but I'm older and smarter. And I am still your teacher," Rosethorn said. She glared at Briar then sat with a sigh as Briar stared at the floor. "Sit."
"I don't mean to be disrespectful," he said sullenly. He sat across from her on the floor as she had instructed, fiddling with the small stone in his hands.
"I know Briar. We are all deeply distressed with Tris' absence and-"
"Absence?" Briar cried, cutting her off. "By the gods Rosethorn, Tris has been kidnapped! It's not like she just strolled off and skipped coming back for lunch. She's a prisoner. She's like a part of me, of all of us. And I can't feel whole if part of me is missing. It's bad enough our magic is gone and we can no longer mind-speak to each other, but I can still feel her, inside me, and I know she's in trouble. We have to get her back Rosethorn, we just have to." He stood suddenly, looking down at her, then blushed when she gazed back at him looking abashed.
"I don't know if I've ever heard you speak so forcefully Briar. I can tell you have great love for Tris. But there is a reason we have not acted yet. Not only do we not know where she is; we don't know who took her or even why. We've tried and tried to find out something but not only didn't any of the scrying mirrors work, they all broke soon after. We are trying all we can. Now, if you please, I'd like to have my bath before the dirt starts to build it's own house on me." Rosethorn stood up and started to walk past Briar. She stopped, gave his shoulder a slight squeeze before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.
Briar sat on the nest of sheets on his bed and put his head in his hands, silently cursing himself for having emotions.
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Trisana winced as the needle scratched against the cold stone floor.
"Shh!" hissed Maleki. "You'll get us caught!"
"Look, all I want to know is how I got them," she whispered, peering through the small opening in the wall that allowed her to see the young man from the room where they had both been taken and restrained. His small cell was even darker than hers from what she could see, and he had informed her of his scant rations. His conditions were worse than hers she thought, and wondered why.
"I'm not sure exactly," Maleki replied. "But I know it's because of the spell Raja did. I got them the second time I was in there. I'm not surprised you got yours on the first. That was the strongest one I've ever been through. Do you know why they started out with such a powerful spell for you? My first time was extremely weak, but the blasts have been getting slightly stronger bit by bit. Have they put you to work yet?" he asked.
"Work? What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well Raja will have you working his magic for him pretty soon. I can tell you are already really strong magically or he wouldn't have started you out with something so strong. Can't you just feel the power surging in you? That's what the blasts do to you, ya know. Fill you with power or maybe just bring out the power you already have in you. That way you'll have enough strength to do Raja's evil little deeds. I don't know what he uses those sticks for but-"
"Sticks?" inquired Tris.
"Yeah. The ones he makes us spell. We're supposed to put our power in them and think of something light or bright. I don't know what good they are but I'm always awfully tired afterwards. Raja always says-" He stopped suddenly and Tris could see him pull away from the hole. She moved closer, pulled back with a gasp as a bright red eye covered the hole. She heard mutters from the other room, then a loud yell followed by a dull thud. The opening in the wall was covered and she couldn't see anymore. She waited but there was nothing but silence. Suddenly the door to her cell was pulled open and Raja stepped in, followed by the man from the horse cart. She stood and watched them enter.
"Come with me, now!" barked Raja. She walked over slowly and he grabbed her arm and pushed her out of the cell. He gave her a forceful shove down the corridor that sent her sprawling head over heels. The other man walked over to her and helped her up.
"'Ello again love," he said with a grin. "Now be a good girl and follow us."
"Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, where are we going?"
"Let's go NOW!" yelled Raja.
"No! I just want to go home! Please!" Tris cried. Raja raised a hand to strike her and the other man caught his arm. He moved Raja out of the way and stepped closer to the frightened girl.
"Come now little child, I won't hurt you dear." He lifted her chin to gaze into her eyes. She met his gaze and fell into his beautiful eyes.
"I'm not little, and I'm not a child," she said evenly. She gave a little half smile at the small hint of shock she saw in his eyes. He cleared his throat and regained his composure, smiled.
"Of course love, I've been blind. You're a precious blossom, opening before my very eyes." Her heart jumped as he slid his hand up her arm, trailing his fingers up and down. He smiled charmingly and she couldn't lower her eyes,
"Well as charming as this is, we have to get moving." Raja pushed past them, breaking their eye contact and starting down the dank corridor. They followed behind him and the man kept his hand on Tris' arm, leading her along gently. They proceeded through a maze of dark hallways and came to a stop at a large wooden door. Once again Raja pulled out a set of keys and opened the door.
Tris let out a short breath in amazement. The contrast of the interior of the room to where she was currently standing was astounding. She entered the room slowly, eyes drawing in the contents. The quarters were furnished with lavish tables and chairs. A small library was located in the corner, the bookcase carved with a beautiful intricate design of flowing vines and budding flowers. From the high ceiling hung a large chandelier with dozens of black candles burning in it. The magnificence of the chamber took away her breath.
Seeming not to notice, the other men pulled her inside and shut the door. They led her to a large table with many empty vials atop it. They seated themselves at the table and motioned for her to follow suit. Tris sat in a large, comfortable chair between Raja and the other man.
"You're here to work, you hear me? I'm goin' to recite a spell and your gonna be feelin' a tugging on your power. You're to let yourself go, you understand? Don't hold back; let it take it from you. You start to feel like you can't give anymore, you pull on this." He placed a small string in the palm of her hand. It was attached to the table with a ring on each end. "I want to know right away so we can pull you out. Won't be much good to us if your dead."
Tris looked slightly alarmed and nodded quickly. The man proceeded to tie her to the chair, much to her dismay, but she didn't protest. Raja opened the same book he had used before, closed his eyes and began to chant.
"Close your eyes and concentrate," the man said.
Tris closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply. Soon a strong throb invaded her head and she winced but kept her eyes closed. The chanting got louder and the other man joined Raja. Trisana felt a slight tug on her magical senses and remembered not to resist just in time. She felt her magic flow out of her, could feel it moving in her veins. Suddenly it all zipped out of her and she was knocked backwards in one swift blast. She heard faint sounds of talk coming from somewhere but couldn't make it out. Everything seemed dulled and muffled and she tried to open her eyes. She felt a warm touch on her arm and someone's soft breath on her cheek.
Tris heard a soothing voice and tried to concentrate on what it was saying.
"My name is Jamisom Elaconte," she heard the beautiful man say. "Call me James." And she slipped out of consciousness.
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Briar looked back at the soft sound of footsteps on the sand.
"Oh I'm sorry to disturb you Briar. Did you want to be alone?"
"No Sandry, that most certainly one of the last things I want right now. Especially if I'd miss out on the privilege of your company," he replied. Sandry blushed and walked over to stand beside him and gaze out at the clear, calm sea. He gave her a long sideways glance and she turned to look at him.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said, shrugging. He put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I think we should do something too," Sandry said quietly. He glanced at her, sighed.
"So you heard."
"Partially that, partially I could just feel. I feel so empty Briar. No magic, no Tris, Lark still not completely healed. She's been gone for over a month! I'm just so." she trailed off and shrugged.
"Lost," they both said in unison.