Her fingers broke into a cold sweat as Alanna grasped the man's hand. He lifted her up, and looked down at her, his eyes flashing with something she couldn't understand. "Now you will die," he whispered.

Chapter Eighteen

One Year Ago:

Alanna woke with a start, sweat coating her body. She looked around, shivering. She lay in her bedchambers, the one off of Jon's room. She had moved back to her room the night before. The window was open in hope of sucking in some non-existent cool breeze that the summer wouldn't offer. Darkness poured through it. The stars were pinpricks of beautiful light on the velveteen sky.

Alanna pushed her knuckles into her forehead, kneading it gently. "I can't remember it," she whispered to the dark. "I had a dream, but I don't remember what happened. Faithful?" Alanna croaked.

Faithful leaped softly onto her bed with a quiet mrow? He curled up on her stomach, purring softly, his violet eyes shining in the darkness. The dream was about Kirasarra, wasn't it? he asked, extending and retracting his claws over-and-over.

"I-I think so."

Go back to bed, hope you dream again.

"You're right." Alanna slid back under the light sheet, and closed her eyes. The dream she had called came to her. . .

A girl in a squire's uniform stood on the top of a peak overlooking all of Tortall. Corus looked ill, cloaked with the three different colored Gifts. She looked up as the pounding of shod hooves sounded in her ears.

Alanna turned to face them, instinctively drawing Lightning. The blade glimmered in the strange gray light that hung overhead. A shroud of black curled up from the ground like smoke, and a woman with black hair materialized, wearing a long black cape. Kirasarra smiled, at Alanna.

"Dark Riders!" she called.

The thundering of hooves grew louder, and the malformed black horses with wings appeared, their riders wearing black capes. The one in front climbed off his horse--which was somehow familiar--and knelt before Kirasarra.

"Yes, my Goddess? What can we Dark Riders do for you?"

Kirasarra smiled broadly, showing her fangs. She turned her red eyes onto Alanna. Unblinkingly she said, "Kill her."

"As you wish." The man remounted his horse, and drew his sword. The shimmering black horse pulsed in the light, the red jewel in its hilt glowing. "Dark Riders, I will take the wench."

Something cold ran down Alanna's spine. She bit down on her tongue to yank back her screams of rage. Slowly she moved into a fighting stance. Wind whipped her red hair around her face, but she ignored it and the bite of the cold.

The other Dark Riders left, leaving only the one in front. He climbed down from his horse, and drew his black hood back.

Alanna stared.

Dreke stared back. He shook his head, knocking his dirty-blond hair from his face. "I should have known you couldn't leave well enough alone. I should have known you would meddle in our affairs. People like you never leave well enough alone. Prepare to die."

He smiled, revealing jagged teeth, like Kirasarra's. He opened his mouth. A black snake came out between his teeth. Its diamond shaped head glittered like his sword. It hissed at Alanna.

Dreke leapt forward. Alanna threw Lightning up to block, and rolled aside. He sliced inwards again. Alanna drove Lightning to the side, and then chopped to the other side, attempting to hit. Dreke blocked and brought his sword down. Alanna blocked it, spun, and tried to come under. But he was there to block it.

She swung to the right, and he blocked, coming down. Alanna ducked to the right and swung Lightning. Then Alanna kicked out with her foot, trying to hit his knees. Dreke leapt over her foot and came down with his sword.

The fight went on, the two trading blows back and forth. Alanna tried to remember everything George had taught her; tried to fight dirty. But it wasn't easy. She blocked and attacked, and the two wore down quickly.

Black smoke appeared at Dreke's left. Kirasarra appeared wearing a corset topped, black dress. "Stop," she whispered. Dreke lowered his sword. Alanna lowered Lightning, as if something in her arm pulled it down. "We don't have time for this," she told Dreke. "I will let you kill her later. Roger has done it at last. He's harnessed the magic. He will kill the royal family tonight."

Dreke grinned, and dropped his sword. "You win," he whispered. "Until next time."

"NO!" Alanna sat bolt upright, knocking Faithful off her lap. Sweat poured off her forehead. Her palms were soaking. Her bedclothes were soaked through. Cold sweat ran down her spine. She climbed out of bed, and something warm dribbled down her leg. Alanna looked down.

. . . and gasped.

The black sword glistened on her bed, the ruby in its hilt shimmering along with the blade of the sword.

"Mithros kill your guts, Kirasarra!" Alanna snarled. She took the sword and buried it in her dresser, then hurried to get dressed. She put on her breeches and shirt. Over that she put on sturdy leather armor.

Alanna was pulling the ties on her chest protector shut when she heard swearing in the other room. She scooped up Lighting and bashed Jon's door down, charging in. Inside was Queen Lianne, King Roald, Roger, Dreke, and a man who looked almost exactly like Dreke. Nicholas, Alanna guessed.

The two brothers wore black, and Roger was dressed in fancy garments.

Roger spun on Alanna as she burst in, shooting magic at her. Alanna threw up her arm and muttered the shield spell as fast as she could. The orange magic bounced off a violet barrier.

Faithful trotted up behind Alanna, meowing. "Get Gary, Raoul, and Jon," Alanna instructed, throwing her magic into the shield spell as Roger struck it again.

Faithful meowed and took off at a run. Alanna glanced at the King and Queen. They seemed to be frozen in place by magic. She gripped the ember-stone, and saw them radiating with gray and yellow magic.

"Let them go!" Alanna snarled, moving her feet into a fighting stance as she threw off Roger's magical assault again. "They've never done anything to you!"

"Wrong," Roger snarled, throwing more magic at Alanna. "I can't be King because of their son."

"Then kill him," Alanna snapped, fighting for time. "It's me and Jon you want. Take us. Let them alone!"

"I think not," Roger replied icily. "I think I'll do this my way if you don't mind."

"Let 'em go you slime-bag."

Alanna looked over Roger's shoulder, and almost sighed with relief. Gary and Raoul stood in the doorway, their swords drawn. Gary lunged for Nicholas, and Raoul charged at Dreke, knocking him down.

Roger threw a magic bolt at Alanna. She shoved her magic forward, but she watched the violet light cave under his power. "I think not," someone whispered, his voice deadly. A wall of sapphire shot up between Alanna and the magic bolt. The orange fire crumpled against it.

"YOU!" Roger screamed, throwing his magic at Jon.

Jon threw up a shield and knocked his cousin's magic down. "I knew I should have listened to Alan," he went on, advancing on his cousin. "I should have known you were a monster. I should have trusted Alan." Jon's face was screwed up with rage as he put one foot in front of the other. He was inches from Roger's face.

Alanna glanced at Gary and Raoul. Raoul smashed the hilt of his sword into Dreke's face. The mage kicked Raoul across the stomach. Gary had his sword leveled at Nicholas's throat.

"Kill them!" Roger cursed. He threw his magic at the King and Queen.

Alanna launched her shield spell across them, but it buckled under Roger's magic. Dreke shoved Raoul off and launched his magic too. Nicholas kicked Gary to the floor, his magic joining the fray.

"ARGH!" Alanna screwed up her face in concentration, Lightning dropping from her grip. Jon launched his magic outwards, adding to her shield. Alanna held her hand out, and felt Jon latch onto it. She was reminded sickly of the Black City.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Gary threw himself at Roger, knocking him to the floor. Roger kicked the knight off, smashing him in the head with the hilt of a dagger. Gary crumpled to the floor, and didn't move.

Alanna squeezed down on Jon's hand, her nails biting into his palm. Jon held on tight, his fingers threatening to break hers as their magic mixed. Together they fought for all they were worth. But the three mages broke their wall.

Alanna fell to the ground, screaming as their shield collapsed. The King fell to the floor, the Queen following. Neither one of them moved.

Jon fell down next to Alanna, as she scooped up Lightning and lunged at Roger. Nicholas threw himself in the way. And paid the price.

Lightning swept across, and took his head off. Alanna kept going, even as his blood spattered her. She swung at Roger. But he was gone.

"MITHROS AND THE GODDESS, KILL YOU!" Alanna screamed, dropping to her knees, Lightning falling from her grip.

Raoul crawled to his feet, and put his arm around Alanna's shoulders. She shook with rage and pain at the same time. Slowly she inched her way over to Gary, and felt for a pulse. It beat slowly. He was alive.

"Go," she told Raoul, biting back the hotness at the corners of her eyes. "Just go," she muttered, shrugging his arm off.

Raoul let her be.

Alanna slammed her fist into the stone floor. "You will die, Roger," she hissed dangerously. "Never fear, I will kill you."

And that's it. Next chapter is the present, and probably the last chapter. I have already started writing the sequel. Note: For those of you who loved this, I'm sorry if you don't like it, but the sequel will be rated MA. Very apologetic.