Jarrod
My wrists are weighted with heavy chains that tether me to this evil man. He drags me along outside his dark castle. The sun burns my eyes from having been kept in the dark and dank dungeon for so long. We're heading towards the sinister looking woods. The trees are black with ashes that litter their long and curling roots which make an appearance above ground. These woods are part of the death like valley the girl and I saw from our place on the cliff. Thoughts of her swirl in my mind. I know she's important to me, a companion of sorts. But who is she? Why have I forgotten such a lovely creature? And more importantly, where has he taken her?
"Ah, you're thinking about Lady Katherine," the man says quietly as he swats away hanging vines with his walking stick as we tread deeper into the woods.
"How do you-" I begin, but I already know the answer.
"I have enough power to read minds," He says simply with a shrug and flashes me an intimidating smile.
We tread through the thick woods for what seems like hours. My throat is dry. I need water badly.
Finally, we reach a clearing and I am horrified at the sight that is before me.
Katherine is struggling against her binds, a rope wraps her upper body and wrists to a crucifix.
"It's either you or her," The man laughs coldly as he lights a torch, "You decide."
Kate
Rope cuts into my wrists and is bound so tight around my chest that I can barely breathe. I look down at Jarrod from the height of the crucifix. Rhauk is busy concocting some kind of liquid and scoops it into a small vial.
"Make your choice," Rhauk says roughly pushing the vial into Jarrod's chained hands.
"What is this? Poison?" Jarrod asks with fear coloring his small voice.
"You have power; magic to be exact. However, I can tell from your lack of memory that you don't remember. Not even the woman you love," He laughs with a cruelty in his voice that makes me cringe.
"Don't do it!" I cry out as best as I can from the gag in my mouth. Tears begin to well over and fall piteously to the ground.
"This poison," Rhauk continues, "will strip away all the magic you possess. If you don't do it, Kate will be burned… alive. You only have a second to decide."
"What's the point of stripping away my powers when I can't even remember how to use them?" Jarrod asks, eyeing the vial between his fingers.
"Insurance, fool boy. I don't want you to come back again to try to defeat me," He says menacingly.
"If I drink this… then you'll let her go?"
"No!" I scream behind the gag, "It's a trick! Don't trust him!"
Rhauk twists the point of his beard between his fingers, thinking carefully.
"As you wish," He murmurs and snaps his fingers. The chains disappear from my wrists.
"Then let her go first. So I know she's safe. For… insurance," Jarrod says using Rhauk's own word against him.
Rhauk narrows his eyes and hisses, "No deal."
Suddenly Rhauk is by my side. I feel the heat from the torch he has lifted above his head towards me. I cry out from the pain.
"Make your choice. The time is now!" Rhauk bellows, inching the torch closer and closer to my thigh.
Jarrod unscrews the top of the vial.
"Nooo!" I scream as I throw myself against the binds.
Everything goes black.
Hands. Hands are pushing and pinching at my arm. I throw my eyes open and look up at Jillian's worried face. I'm back in my bed at the A frame cottage in Ashpeak.
"It was just a bad dream, darling" Jillian says soothingly as she tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.