Chapter 7: The Reading

A/N: Hey everybody, sorry this took me forever to get up, but I've been crazy busy.

The pounding on her door woke her, reverberating through her brain with a vengeance. Karina sat up slowly, wishing she didn't have to make her muscles work again. It had been so comfortable in her bed.

Came a voice she knew all too well. Get up. You're wanted in the dungeons. she asked groggily, her brain trying to make sense of why she would be wanted down there.

Yes, dungeons. Now let's go.I need to get dressed, it might be a minute.

Karina turned to her wardrobe and started at the sound of her door opening. Dilandau came in through the open door and marched up to her, looking down at her with an expression of disdain she had learned to hate. Karina stared at him, wondering what he was doing in her bedroom when she didn't recall asking him to come in.

What the hell are you doing in here? she asked, not all too patient with the General at this moment.

Helping you to get dressed faster. And with that he grabbed the bottom of her shirt and in one deft motion pulled it off over her head.

For a moment Karina stood staring at him, half furious that he should have the audacity to do such a thing, half thankful that she had already put on her bra.

What the hell do you think you're doing, bastard?! she shrieked, snatching the shirt from him and clutching it tightly to her.

Spare me your blushes, woman. You're not the first I've seen without clothing.Who would strip for you? she snapped, grabbing another shirt and pulling it on with more force than was strictly necessary.

Would you really like to know? he challenged, a laugh in his blood-red eyes.

I'd rather kiss a pig. she told him, pulling a pair of pants out of the drawer and stalking to the bathroom. On second thought, she added after a moment, looking him up and down, I'd most definitely not like to kiss you, so nevermind. With that she shut the door, and giggled to herself behind the thick wood, waiting for him to figure out what she'd said.

He was quick, so it took him but a moment, and he had to work to keep from slicing through the wood and tearing her to pieces. Instead he paced outside the door, getting progressively more angry as he went over all the offenses she had done him in his head.

Karina came out after a few minutes, her hair pulled back properly and a look of haughty triumph on her face. I'm ready, she said brightly.

Let's go, woman. He led the way out the door and she followed, keeping a step or two behind him so he wouldn't lose his temper.

Where are we going? she asked suspiciously, wondering if maybe Dilandau had finally lost all restraint and decided to kill her.

I already told you. To the dungeons. His tone was one of somebody who had borne far too much already, and his fingers brushed wistfully against the hilt of his sword. God he wanted to kill her. Or maim her or something involving pain.

But why?Didn't anybody tell you? It's your first job.

Karina stopped walking. Your first job. he repeated, stopping when he realized she was no longer following him. A smirk lit his face at her expression, and he stepped closer to her. Are you afraid, woman? His voice was low, taunting, and he grinned as she took a small step back. Do you fear rifling through someone else's mind?

Karina didn't answer, not trusting her own voice. She had been here only a month. She didn't want to read anybody's mind, didn't want to take a walk in a house she had basically broken into.

Dilandau rolled his eyes. She was wasting his time, standing there and staring stupidly off into space. Roughly he grabbed her arm and began pulling her down the hallway, ignoring her pained protests and the nails she dug into his hand.

They made it to the dungeons in very little time, despite Karina's constant struggles. Dilandau wondered at his own restraint. Had anybody else irritated him that much he would have killed them on the spot. Damn girl.

Folken was waiting in one of the cells with the prisoner. Karina found it hard to look at him. He had been so nice to her—she had almost managed to convince herself that she might not need to ever interrogate anybody.

Karina. I'm glad you came. he said softly, rising and taking her hands in his.

She pulled them away. Like I had a choice. she muttered bitterly. Now what am I supposed to do?This Oracle is from Asturia, Folken began, gesturing to the man bound to the chair. He knows something we need to know—whether Asturia is planning an assault against us or not. He is being difficult, so if you wouldn't mind taking a peek in that future-seeing head of his and telling us what we need to know, we would all be very grateful. His calm smile didn't have the soothing effect it usually did on her,a nd Karina found herself wanting to run away.

Yes, Strategos. she replied, reverting to his formal title.

Karina took a seat across from the Oracle and surveyed the man before her. He was just a normal-looking man, not too tall, with kind dark eyes and curly hair. She wondered what mistake he had made that had gotten him captured.

You may begin, Karina. Folken prompted gently.

Closing her eyes, Karina took the man's hand and tried to remember all she had been taught. You must be touching the person—no mind can be read without direct physical contact. You must concentrate—any kind of break in such concentration could be disastrous for both the reader and the read. God, there seemed to be so much more to remember now that she was actually here. Not that reading a mind would be that complicated, from what Folken had told her. It was the getting into it that worried her. Just knock on the door. That's what he had told her, but it couldn't possibly be that simple. Nothing in life was ever that simple.

Karina took a deep breath and concentrated on the man in front of her, feeling herself slip into his consciousness. A house stood before her, a large, charming Victorian house with a balcony overlooking the front yard. She slowly walked up the steps that led to the front door and stopped, looking at the knocker that was set into the narrow door. With a shaking hand she grasped the handle and knocked three times. The sound echoed throughout her brain, making her ears ring. For a moment nothing happened, and she wondered if maybe she would have to break in through one of the first story windows. Then the door opened and she was surprised to see a butler, dressed in a fine black suit and bearing a smiling countenance.

May I help you, Miss? he inquired politely, and Karina wondered suddenly if she were doing this whole thing wrong and making it up in her head.

Um, yes actually, she began, wondering why she couldn't seem to see any of the house behind the butler. I was wondering if I could have a look around.I'm afraid the house is closed. My master doesn't like people disturbing his rest.I won't take very long. I just wanted to look. It's such a beautiful house. Karina smiled her sweetest smile and mentally prayed that this would work.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The master doesn't accept visitors to this house.Please, I won't—

Karina was cut off by a very sharp knife being pressed to her throat. The butler smiled at her politely and pressed it a little harder into her flesh. I'm asking you to leave, now, Miss. Good day.

The door was shut on her, the hollow click sounding much too loud in her head, and she opened her eyes to see Folken and Dilandau watching her intently.

Folken said quietly.

I couldn't get in. she told him truthfully, recalling the cold knife and the equally frigid smile of the butler.

Couldn't or wouldn't try harder? Dilandau snapped, disdain obvious in his voice. Good lord, this woman wasn't good for anything. He couldn't kill her and she couldn't seem to do her damn job either.

Remember, Karina, Folken told her gently. The people in the mind cannot harm you, you're special. I'd like you to try again. she snapped, deciding that when this was over she wasn't going to speak to this man for awhile.

Again Karina closed her eyes, took the man's hand, and searched for the Victorian house. She found it faster this time, and looked dubiously at the front door. She walked up the front steps once more, the feeling of déja-vu heavy and depressing—she hoped that it wouldn't play out exactly as it had last time. Again she knocked on the door and was greeted by the same butler.

Miss, I'd really rather not have to ask you again to leave. The master isn't accepting visitors and if you insist on disturbing this house, I fear you will regret it infinitely.

How was she supposed to get past this obnoxious butler? He was blocking her way in, and she didn't think it would be a good idea to try sneaking in through a window. Remember, Karina, the people in the mind cannot harm you, you're special. Okay, so if she was so special then why couldn't she figure out how to get in? She could just tell him to get out of her way, she guessed, since they couldn't harm her. She grinned a little. She was going to pull a Dilandau.

Miss, please—I don't think I asked you to speak, servant. she snapped in what she hoped was an appropriately venemous voice. Now get out of my way, before I kill you. And I don't kill quickly.But my master doesn't receive visito—If you don't get out of my way, the only thing your master will be receiving is your rather deformed corpse. Now move. she ordered, putting as much of the terrifying tone Dilandau managed so easily into the command.

To Karina's amazement, he stepped aside, letting her pass into the dark corridor. From here, Karina wasn't entirely sure what to do. She had managed to get in, but now how was she supposed to know what was what?

She began to walk down the hall trying doors at random. They were all unlocked, and though the contents looked fascinating, she didn't pause to analyze the rooms. Since what she was looking for was secret, she supposed that it would be in a locked room. All the doors on the first floor were locked so she proceeded up the stairs, wincing at the creak of the wood under her feet.

The first door on the landing was unlocked, but the second wasn't. Karina smiled, elated at her first sign of success. Grimly she pushed on the door and growled in frustration when it refused to open. God I wish I had thought to ask how to get into the locked rooms. she thought bitterly. She raised her hands and pressed them against the solid wood, leaning her body weight against it and seeing if it would do anything.

With a shriek she fell through the door and landed face-first on the floor. Well, she thought sarcastically, that worked. She slowly got to her feet, wincing as she felt her stinging cheek. She was in a small dark room, the dim light in the ceiling barely enough light to see at all. There was a chair in one corner and a portrait on the wall, but that was all the furnishings the room possessed.

Karina went over to the portrait, fascinated by the picture she saw portrayed there. There were two robots fighting on a great field, surrounded by bodies of men and corpses of the great metal machines—Guymelefs, Karina corrected herself. She recognized the Ziabach guymelefs, but had never seen the others that lay there. I guess that answers their question about whether they're going to attack. she thought grimly, turning to leave. A piece of paper on the chair caught her eye, and she stopped to examine it more closely. All it read was, 27 of the 5th moon. What the hell was that about. Karina picked it up quickly and left, exiting the house with no trouble from the butler.

She opened her eyes again to see Folken had gone and Dilandau was sitting in his place.

he asked with a little smirk. Could you get in this time?They're going to attack.I don't know. But I found this. Karina handed the slip of paper over to him with a little bit of reluctance. She didn't want to give over such valuable information to somebody she detested so much.

One of Dilandau's slim, platinum eyebrows rose as he scanned the slip of paper she had found in the mind of the Oracle who sat unconscious before them.

That's good. he said, more to himself than to her. He looked at her before he left the cell and smirked again. That was good work, he told her, and she wondered if he was actually complimenting her, for a Mystic Moon bitch. he finished.

I guess a compliment or even a semblance of decency was a bit too much to ask. she though bitterly.

She looked across the table to the unconscious Oracle. You too, huh? she asked the sleeping form. You're not alone, buddy. I never wanna do this again either.

A/N: Please review for me because I adore you. Both flames and praise are appreciated. :)