I do not own the Kane Chronicles.
He was getting smarter. He was beginning to regain his memories.
This wasn't good.
Aarya mixed the liquid in the cup absentmindedly, not bothering to pay attention to it. She couldn't...no, she wouldn't let this happen. She wouldn't allow him to go back. Not without a fight.
Not without her death.
She gritted her teeth, thinking of that stupid girl. Zia.
Oh, how she hated that girl. She needed to kill her now. Make her pay for what she had done.
No...he promised her that she would kill Zia in time. She just needed to be patient.
Yes, Zia Rashid would die by her hands. A miserable, horrible, bloody death. Aarya could hardly wait for that day to come. But until then...
"Aarya."
The girl turned to look at Peter, who had suddenly appeared.
"Is it ready yet?" Peter asked.
"Almost," Aarya answered. "I just need a little more of this..." She squeezed three drops of dark red liquid into the cup. The contents of the cup flashed green, before turning into a clear liquid. She sniffed it, making sure it held no scent.
"It's ready now," she said, her voice dull.
"Relax," Peter told her. "If we can't keep his memories away...then we'll have to give him false ones."
"Yes. Of course." She turned to face Peter. On her face was a small smirk. "After all, it's for his own good."
He was on the battlefield. Around him, magicians were everywhere, killing, striking against one another. What was...?
"Carter."
He turned, and there, was Zia. He felt his heart flutter, and despite where he was, he gave her a small smile. "Hi, Zia."
"We need to go," she begged. "Sadie and the others expect me to kill you. Please, come with me. I need to talk to you. I can't kill you...I just can't."
That meant she felt the same way about him?
"Of course," he answered. "The others expect the same of me...but I can't kill you either."
"Come on!" She grabbed his hand and raced away. Soon enough, they left the battlefeild behind. When Zia finally slowed down, she leaned against a large boulder, trying to catch her breath.
"What are we going to do? We can't just leave our stuff behind," Carter said.
"No...you're right. We'll come back for it. Assuming that they don't burn our stuff." She smiled weakly.
Carter stood next to her, leaning against the boulder, his eyes shut. "Yeah..."
"CARTER!"
His eyes flew open. Aarya. She was there, and she was fighting Zia, who had a knife in her hand.
"You have no part in this!" Zia hissed at Aarya. "Let me kill him! Let me kill that stupid boy!"
Zia...had tried to kill him? But he trusted her. He had exchanged letters with her behind the other's back. She said she couldn't kill him.
She was lying. That was the only explanation.
No...this was all wrong...
All wrong...
All wrong...
THIS IS ALL WRONG!
Carter woke, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"Just a dream," he muttered to himself. Was it another possible memory, though? No, it couldn't be. It shouldn't be.
"Wakey wakey," a voice sang. The door opened, and Carter squinted against the bright light. Aarya was there, holding a tray filled with food.
Carter glared at her, instantly on guard. "What do you want?"
"I'm just here to bring food," she told him flatly. "Nothing special."
"With you, I'm almost certain you're trying to posion me." He thrust her back the glass of water she had given to him the night before. "I know what you're doing. You are not my friends."
Aarya looked hurt. "The spell is having more effect on you than I thought."
"Spell? What spell?" Carter demanded.
"Carter, Zia placed a spell on you to turn you against us. It was months ago." Aarya sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Carter, don't you remember me? The times we spent together? Or is it so easy for Zia to break that bond?"
Carter stared at her. "Wow, Aarya, you..."
She looked up at him, her expression filled with hope.
"...need acting lessons."
Her face dropped into a scowl. "Eat," she ordered him. "I don't have time for this. I honestly thought that you would remember...but I guess I was wrong. I'll just have to wait a little longer before I can kill her."
"Woah." Carter held up his hands. "Her?"
"Zia. The one who placed the spell on you."
"Why do you want to kill her?" he snapped. "She didn't do anything."
"SHE PLACED A SPELL ON YOU!" Aarya yelled. "GOD, CARTER! ARE YOU REALLY SO LOVESICK THAT YOU DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE THINGS SHE DID TO YOU? TO ME?! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! NOT ONE THING THAT THAT LITTLE WITCH DID TO MY FAMILY!"
Carter blinked, stunned by the harshness in Aarya's tone.
Aarya took a deep breath. "I need to go," she said calmly. "He requests my presence."
"He? Who's he?"
Aarya didn't answer him. Instead, she slammed the door behind her, once again leaving Carter alone in the dark, empty room.
"You're revealing to much too soon," Ette hissed.
"What will the Master have to say?" Irma said nervously, biting her nails. "He'll be furious!"
Hunter stepped in. "Let's not forget that we're the reason that the Master is still gripping to life," he told Irma calmly. "He'll be mad, but he won't destroy her."
Aarya gripped the table so hard her knuckles turned white. "Ette and Irma are right," she said. "I'm losing my temper too quickly. I need to be more careful. He suspects us enough as it is, and the last thing we need is for us to reveal our entire plans."
"But how do we gain his trust?" Paige asked. "It's not like we can butter him up and then tell him our plans."
"Yes, she's right."
The others turned to Saul, stunned. He hardly said anything during these kinds of meetings, but when he did, he had every reason to.
"We need to gain his trust slowly," Saul continued. "I think I have the perfect idea, too." He pointed to himself, Peter, and Hunter. "It'll require the three of us, though."
Aarya nodded. "Yes...yes, go out with your plan. Report any signs of progress to us."
"Of course."
A door, which the group was standing in front of, began to glow.
"It's time to face the Master," Irma told them.
None of them bothered to say "Obviously" as they entered the glowing door. Behind them, the door shut, sealing them inside.