Chapter 7 Confrontation
The next day the 4 mages got all up at the same time, feeling a buzz in the air, as if a big battle was coming. For Sandry, it would be bigger than fighting pirates, catching murderers, surviving earthquakes and curing plagues. This would also mean life or death for her friends and her but it also meant all the people of Emalan. If Sandry died than her country would be left without a ruler and war would follow for the crown and millions would die for no reason except for power hungry animals.
Briar got up with a strange feeling in his heart, like something would happen. Tris woke up and was feeling charged up for some reason or another. Daja awoke with a sinking feeling and Sandry woke up with all these feelings. They started to talk along their connections. "What's going on? The air is charged but full of dread? Don't you guys sense it?" Tris said worriedly. "Yeah it's weird." Sandry said tiredly, she had not had a decent nights sleep; it had been riddled with nightmarish omens that she could not translate. Briar spoke next "Something is going to happen today, you can just tell." The broke from their connections feeling addled and confused.
Briar was going to the kitchen to get a drink when suddenly a cloth covered his mouth and nose and he instantly fell into a dreamless sleep.
When he woke up he was chained to a wall. Why am I chained to a wall? He thought as a woman came in. She had pockmarks all over her face and arms. Suddenly he recognized her. "Riktat? What are you doing here and why am I chained to a wall?" Briar said with disbelief. Riktat looked at him and said suspiciously "Do I know you?" Briar was stunned that she didn't recognize him. "It's Roach, remember?" She looked shocked, "No you can't be, you are Briar Moss aren't you not?" she asked. Briar replied "Well I am also Briar Moss; I changed my name when I left Sotat." Riktat smirked "So two people in one. Well I don't really care; you'll be dead by nightfall." Briar started "What do you mean-" then he stopped suddenly as he remembered, she killed the Duke and now was going to kill him.
"Why don't you ask Lady Sandraline, oops, I mean Duchess Sandraline to come on down to save you, I want her to see you die." Riktat said venomously. Briar asked "Why should I listen to you?" he added "I refuse to summon her to see me die. And why did you kill the duke?" Riktat swirled around and hissed with great anger "You see these pockmarks! When the smallpox epidemic came, She and the other nobles" She spat the last word, "They all left me to die when I got the smallpox, they didn't come to help me 'cause I am useless, no one cares for poor, stupid Riktat the street rat! That's why I killed Her worship's uncle and why I am going to kill you then I will kill her! My family died in the epidemic, so that's why I am killing the people SHE CARES ABOUT AND THE PEOPLE SHE LOVES BECAUSE SHE LET MY FAMILY SUFFER AND DIE!" She yelled. Briar saw her bow her head and run from prison.
Sandry felt an astonished feeling coming from her tie to Briar, curious, she felt along their tie and looked through his eyes to see he was in the dungeon and Riktat was talking to him "--see these pockmarks! When the smallpox epidemic came, She and the other nobles" She saw Riktat spit the last word out, "They all left me to die when I got the smallpox, they didn't come to help me 'cause I am useless, no one cares for poor, stupid Riktat the street rat! That's why I killed Her worship's uncle and why I am going to kill you and then I will kill her! My family died in the epidemic, so that's why I am killing the people SHE CARES ABOUT AND THE PEOPLE SHE LOVES BECAUSE SHE LET MY FAMILY SUFFER AND DIE!" Riktat yelled. Briar felt Sandry's presence in his mind and mentally shouted "NO!" and he shut his eyes tight, "Don't Sandry! Don't come! Don't come down here! She can't kill you, she can kill me but I can't live without you so don't come down here!" Sandry's mind was reeling from this. "You are not leaving me now!" She told him and broke away from their contact. She got off her bed and ran to the dungeons with no thought for personal safety. She called mentally "Daja, Tris! Get everyone and a guard, She's got Briar here!" She sent them a picture of where Briar was. She felt their fury and their break from contact to fetch everyone.
Sandry was just down the hall from where Briar was. She turned left and found Briar's prison door wide open. Briar was chained to the wall and gagged. He saw her and tried to warn her. He threw himself from the wall to keep her away but his chains kept him back, it was a trap. Sandry ran in and ungagged him. As soon as it was off he yelled "RUN SANDRY!" Sandry heard the door close and lock. She spun around to see Riktat swinging the key on her finger "So how are you, Lady? 'Been busy lately, with your uncle's funeral and all." Riktat said with enormous pleasure. Sandry exploded with anger and pain. She attacked Riktat. Sandry might have been good at fighting, but she was no match in fist to fist combat with a former street rat. Sandry was so angry and so alone she forgot all lessons of magic and went into pissed of combat mode. She lashed out at Riktat with a nail she had picked up. The nail caught Riktat in the face; she yowled in pain, and held the deep gash in her cheek. Riktat took a knife from her boot and held it up in defense. "Sandry!" Briar called and tossed Sandry his knife, He knew he couldn't fight her battles but he felt hopeless and full of dread stuck to his prison wall. Sandry fell and Riktat lunged at her, but Sandry managed to get her feet under Riktat's chest and sent her flying against the opposite wall. When she hit the wall they heard a soft clunk and when she fell and landed head first on the ground with a big hook from the wall stuck in her back. Sandry ran over. "Lady Sandry, a question." Riktat murmured, her voice riddled with pain. Sandry took the hook out of her back and flipped Riktat over. "Yes Riktat." Sandry said with an emotionless voice. Riktat took the knife still in her hand, and stabbed Sandry in the side. Sandry slouched forward while Riktat whispered "You get to come with me."
Briar watched it all helplessly. As soon as the knife stabbed Sandry Briar screamed "SANDRY! SANDRY!" The force of his grief shattered the chains. Free, he rushed over to Sandry who was lying in a pool of blood, her blood. Briar cradled Sandry's head in his arms. "Sandry, Sandry don't die on me, I need you, and you can't leave me now. I love you." Briar said, his voice trembling uncontrollably, tears falling from his moss green eyes. Sandry turned her head and opened her eyes. "At least you're safe." She said simply and she died in his arms, eyes closed and a peaceful smile on her lips. "NO!" Briar cried throwing his soul after her. He quickly threw back a root to tie himself to life and he dropped after Sandry's soul. Her soul was a mere light ahead, trying to surface but unable to. Briar cried out and threw a line to her. She caught it and they both rose to another chance at life.