Has my head been cracked open? It sure feels that way. My cheek is pressed against something cold, wet, and rough. I push myself up with weak arms, little granules of sand sticking to the left side of my face. Those injuries from the train are now starting to hurt more than before. I blink away the fuzz in my vision until things come into focus. My eyes lock onto a burst of tomato red. A wrinkled and dusty mountie's uniform. But the man in it is not Mr. Travis.

"Nathan?" I croak. He is tied to a beam in the center of the cage, skinny, and exhausted. His head tilts backward with eyes closed and resigned. I don't even care that I am locked behind iron bars. I am here with Nathan, and he is alive. There is another cage on the opposite side of the room, a different place than we were before, and Jai and Bill are both tied to beams just like Nate. I'm the only one who isn't bound. Why is that? Jude is nowhere to be seen, so I rush to Nathan's side and loosen his restraints immediately. His upper body wilts into my lap, as his bloody wrists are released.

I cup his face with my hand and try to gently rouse him. "Nate, My Love. It's Nyrah." The lids of his eyes twitch, cracking open ever so slightly. "Nathan?" Tears have found their way down my cheek as I lament over what Jude has done to him. I feel my side for the canteen I had recently filled in town. Thankfully, it is still there and Jude didn't take it. My throat burns with thirst, but I remove the lid and rouse Nate more in order to press the canteen to his lips. A small flow of water slips into his mouth, and his eyes open up wider.

"Nyrah?" He smiles weakly and groans in pain. "You-You look so beautiful."

I want to blush, delighted that he still finds me beautiful with sweaty armpits, greasy hair, and mud and sand on my face. Instead, I ask him, "Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere," he chuckles, "but specifically my ribs. Sol has got a powerful kick."

My movements pause while unbuttoning his jacket to give him some cool air. Nate notices the hindrance, but says nothing as I continue in my task after a brief moment. His brow glistens with perspiration. I think he has a fever.

Bill is in the same state as Nathan, and I wish Jai wasn't tied up so he could help him. He seems to have just awoken. He stares at me with pain in his eyes as he notices me with Nathan, then he turns his head away as if he has seen too much.

"Ah, dear sister! You're awake!" Jude appears like a phantom near another doorway, hanging his vest onto a hook near the kerosene lamp in the corner of the room. There must be several rooms in this cave. "I have a task for you. Some documents for you to sign. Nothing special." He approaches the opening of the cage and fiddles with the key. Once it is open, he sticks out his lip as if scolding me. "Put the Mountie down, Nyrah."

Nathan glares at Jude, gently rolling away from me so I am able to stand up.

"Don't sign anything, Nyrah." Nathan tells me.

I brush off some sand before silently exiting the cage. Jude prowls over into a corner where a small table and two chairs reside. Stiff and uncomfortable to sit in, by the looks of it. How I wish they had recliners here in this world.

I don't have a plan exactly, so when I am ushered toward a pen and paper with a contract etched onto it, I hitch my mind into the highest gear possible. There must be a way to get the key from Jude, which is in his pocket.

My half brother pulls out a chair, and gestures for me to be seated. I comply, silenced by the tentacles of fear suctioned over my mouth. He smirks, satisfied. "Now, please read the terms and sign your name on the line below. And add the date too, if you would be so kind." The contract is in perfect order. Nothing is missing and every detail thought of and executed. I read it thoroughly, a pit in my stomach gaining weight by the second.

Clearing my throat, I cast my gaze upward into his victorious expression. "Before I sign this..." His features twist in impatience.

"Yes, get on with it!" He snaps, before realizing his mistake, and corrects his manor. "What is your question?"

I gulp in what air I manage to inhale. Breathing has become difficult all of a sudden. "If you are so powerful, able to make anyone do your bidding, why do you bother with all this diplomacy?"

Jude sighs, as if he anticipated this question. He presses his fingers together near his mouth and explains half-heartedly."Not everyone with Authorian blood are capable of becoming an Author, additionally, Authors cannot force other Authors to do anything. We are able to bend and twist their surroundings and impact their environment, but not their will."

"What?" I shake my head. "That makes no sense. You bound Sol to you, to do what you wanted her to do."

"She wasn't an Author. She has our blood, yes, and is therefore capable of having children who are Authors, but not able to become one herself."

I let his words sink in for a moment. "How do you know if someone is or isn't an author then?"

"Think, Nyrah."

I peer behind Jude and see that Jai has managed to untie himself.

"The book?" I ask, squinting. Jai's ears perk up.

"Correct. Those who are able to read it's texts are Authors." Jude seems pleased that I figured it out and that we are now able to continue with the signing. I then realize the pen I am to use to sign the document, is none other than the siver pen. The pen with the fragment of the original crafted within it. A click sends shivers down my spine. The barrel of a pistol is pointed at my face.

Jude's hand is steady and confident as he puts his finger beside the trigger. "Now, don't get any ideas. Now that you know you are an Author, we can't have you trying anything you might regret."

"But why-"

"Sign!"

Jai has untied Bill, who is still unconscious. I feel helpless, forced to make the hardest decision of my life. The contract states that I am to willingly marry, provide him an heir, and deliver the child to him on his/her 8th birthday. I lift the pen and hover it over the line. I begin by writing the date.

A clang interrupts what we are doing and Jude looks back at Jai, distracted for a mere second before I act instinctually and grab the gun, but I am met with some resistance. We both topple to the ground, the table tilting with us. I wrestle with him, arms igniting with strength I never knew I had. But it isn't enough as he turns me over so that he is on top of my chest, restricting my airflow. The pen is near my feet, and I see Jai gesture for me to kick the pen to him. I grunt, unable to breathe as I fight Wesley for the loaded gun. I fear that it might go off. We are in a cave, which means, the bullet could go anywhere. Into anyone. Jude's back is facing the mountie, and I give my best kick, uncertain if the pen made it to the cage or not. Jai's arm reaches out between the bars, and my head spins from the crushing weight on my ribs.

I shout in rage as I manage to shove the butt of the gun into his head, knocking him off of me. I gasp, lungs heaving, just as a shot goes off. Sparks fly and dance against the walls as the bullet ricochets in every direction. When it finally reaches its destination, into Jude's left shoulder.

"Aagh!" He cries in agony. This gives me time to scramble for the gun that is laying three feet away. I point it at my brother.

"Don't make me wound you again." I say.

Jude clenches his teeth, then smiles as if he knows something I do not. "The gun only had one bullet, sister!" He spits out my title sarcastically, as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. With a swift movement, he disarms me, and pins me to the wall. His hand around my throat, I kick him in the stomach sending him stumbling backward. I block his next few punches, and end with a high kick, leaving him writhing on the ground. Blood pours put from his nostrils. Nice. His once smug face now has a broken nose.

I search his pockets for the key. I pick him bone dry, and I don't find anything. Until I remember he hung something up earlier. Turning out the pockets of his gray vest, a bronze piece clatters onto the floor.

"Nyrah, look out!" A voice warns. About to pick up the key, my feet travel out from under me, and I fall backwards. I am surprised I didn't break my back or dash my head upon the stone floor. But everything feels as heavy as a mountain. Every tendon. Every muscle. Jude's boot presses into my arm painfully, so as to twist my body into submission.

"Wesley!" Nathan tries to yell, even though voice is hoarse. "Let her go!"

Jude pulls out a notebook, seemingly from nowhere since I searched him personally. "Oh, I think not, Mr. Grant. We still have some business to attend to." Jude feels his person for the pen, but his eyes widen. He searches the floor for any sign of his weapon, but cannot find it. I punch the back of his leg with my free hand. And he hunches over, losing his balance, kneeling down in anguish. Jai has pulled out the book, the one with gold and strange writings on it. He begins to read aloud the contract. The one that each Author signs. Each Author destined to wield the power of the pen. Jude squirms, but I hold him down.

"I do solemnly vow..." Jai begins. He can read it? Mr. Travis can read the book? What exactly is he doing. Jude struggles, sweat beading at his brow. Out of fear? Has the consequences of his actions finally caught up with him? Jai finishes reading his piece, and begins to write in the book. I let go of Jude briefly, anxiety welling up in my heart.

"Jai, no!" It's too late. His name is in the book.

Jai smiles. Nothing grand happens. I actually expected more than the silence we are experiencing now to be the result of his writing his name in the book. What does this mean?

Jude curls his fist. "You ruined everything!" He stampedes toward the cage ready to kill Jai with both hands on his throat. But Jai scoots farther into the cage before my brother can reach him. He practically is foaming at the mouth. Dude, chill will ya? "No," he turns his gaze back at me. "This means nothing. He may my official successor, but I can still kill you."

It continues to connect in my head as his finger points in my direction, arm shaking from the pain blooming in his shoulder. He had planned to kill me all along. He just needed me to give him an heir first. To continue the bloodline. He didn't kniw about Jai. And neither did I. Revenge would indeed be sweet if he could murder the last survivor of the fire. The one who started it all. The one who should have also died all those years ago. The one who took his father away from him.

"No!" Nathan pleads.

Jude grabs the gun, and threatens to pull the trigger.

"I thought it had only one bullet." Nathan suddenly is filled with adrenaline, using the canteen to bang against the hinges of the cage, desperate to get to me.

Jude smirks. "I lied."

Just as he is about to pull the trigger, something below him opens up, warping, sucking, and burning. Like a black hole, empty, mysterious, and vast. And frigid as ice. My stomach clenches as I reach out for my brother, unable to save him from the darkness below. Tears claw at my eyes as the last part of him I see is his hand, still gripping tight onto the pistol. My mouth hangs open as the floor sews itself back up, as if it were never there.

"Nyrah!" Nathan calls my name, but I don't answer right away. I'm somehow, even though I hated him, mourning my brother. The brother I never knew.

Jai understanding my need, says, "Whenever you are ready, Nyrah, be sure to set us free."

Sniffing back the tears, I try to concentrate on my friends, and not my self. I grab the key and unlock the cages. Jai tries to help Bill, while I race to free Nathan. He hugs me tighter than ever before. Fearful he might have lost me.

I hug him back, but not as tightly. The yearning I had had to be united with him again, is roaming in a sea of loss and sadness. For my brother. For Sol. My mind is so exhausted. My burns now match the fresh wounds from the train. And my heart is scarred ever so much. I feel faint, actually. It's over. It's done. Jude can no longer hurt us. That portal, or whatever it was, is what I assume the book meant when it said Jude

would pay the ultimate price. I'll give credit where it's due: He deserved the ultimate price. But I wish he didn't have to pay it.

For now, I melt into the arms of the man I love. Receiving comfort. And offering it.