Daine woke in the morning to find herself tangled in sheets and Numair. She sighed happily and rubbed her nose against the hair on his chest. His eyes opened a little and he sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Mithros, Magelet. You don't know what you do to me." Daine grinned and lightly kissed his chest. His hands wandered over her body, finally resting at the small of her back.

"Do we have to get up today?" Daine mumbled into his shoulder where her head was resting. He chuckled and began to lightly tickle her. "We don't have to. But I have a feeling we had better." She groaned but it emerged as a startled laugh as he stood and picked her up, neatly throwing her over his shoulder.

"Numair!" she shrieked happily, "I'm up!"

He laughed again and set her down. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her sweetly. "See you at breakfast?" Daine nodded and gave him a quick kiss. He deepened the kiss and smiled when she came up for breath. Then he was gone.

Daine emerged from her rooms after washing up and getting dressed. There was still one bell until breakfast, so she walked towards the stables. Whistling, she made her way to cloud's stall. Buried in her thoughts, she didn't notice the man following her. That is, she didn't notice him until she felt someone's hand go over her mouth. A wet cloth in his hand covered her mouth and nose. Daine faltered and fell into someone's arms as the drug moved quickly through her body. Before she lost consciousness, she saw a man's face move over hers, smiling evilly.

Numair waited impatiently, sitting alone at a table. Where was Daine? She was never late. Maybe she forgot. No, he told himself, my Daine never forgets anything. But then where was she? He looked down at his full plate while fingering a small pouch in one of his pockets. Maybe she is outside, he thought, maybe she didn't hear the bell. He got up and left the mess, ignoring his thoughts that the whole city can hear that bell. He didn't want to believe that something was wrong.

When Numair got outside, the first place he checked was the stables. Reaching the outer door, he heard loud noises inside. He ran in and found Cloud trying to break down her stall door. "Cloud! What's wrong?" The horse whinnied and reared, shaking her head. Something was wrong with Daine. Numair opened Cloud's door and stepped aside as the horse ran out into the stable yard.

He followed quickly and found her sniffing part of the ground. Looking closely, he saw a path in the grass. It looked like something -- or someone, he told himself worriedly -- had been dragged away.

Feeling a weight on his stomach, Numair fumbled in his pockets for a bracelet. He pulled it out and opened a locket dangling on it. It was his focus for Daine. Closing his eyes, he tried to locate her, find where she was.

All he saw was a gray cloud. He slowly opened his eyes. The cloud meant that either Daine was unconscious or -- he could barely even think the word -- dead.

Trying to hold back tears, Numair ran towards Alanna's rooms hoping that she would know what to do.

Daine opened her eyes and tried to put a hand to her aching head only to find that it was bound behind her back. She moaned and looked around. A man appeared by her side. "You woke up pretty fast." The voice sounded familiar, but Daine hurt too much to concentrate.

"Who..." Daine tried to speak, but her throat was completely dry. A flask was held to her lips, but she refused, not trusting what could be in there.

"Come on, it's just water!" Come on, Daine thought...come on...Perin! Perin had kidnapped her? But why...Once again she felt a flask being herd to her lips. This time she drank, her thirst betraying her need to rebel. She drank greedily, draining the flask.

When she finished, she looked into his eyes. "Perin. What are you doing?" Surprised, he jumped backwards. Acting like she didn't notice, she continued. "You know that if Numair finds out about this he won't be too happy with you."

"Ahh," he replied, making a fast recovery, "but just how is he going to find out?"

Daine looked at him like he was an idiot. "First of all, I am a mage and can contact him."

"But what if you have no magic to use? I guess you haven't noticed the wards I have on wild magic." Daine visibly paled. She closed her eyes and searched for and animals nearby. The effort left her gasping for breath. "Well...um...Numair is a mage too, he will find some way to help me."

"Do you really think I'm that stupid Daine? I'm hurt, truly. I have also set wards on Numair's magic." Daine gulped.

"Well, what are you going do to me anyways? What's the point of all this?"

"Revenge." He said simply.

"Revenge? On what?"

"You were mine." Perin brought his face inches from Daine's. "I don't appreciate having somebody take you from me, especially an old mage."

"What do you mean, 'especially an old mage'? What makes you think an old mage is courting me?"

"I saw the way Master Numair looked at you, it was obvious. Now, I get my revenge. He's going to be hurt when he loses you, and I'll be happy because he'll lose you to me."

Daine snorted. "How do you plan on doing that?"

"Well, nobody seemed to notice that I have the gift. I also just happen to have something to help me out."

Daine raised her eyebrows. "And what might that be?"

Perin dangled a silver locket in front of her face. "A focus."