《A New Life》


 Arrival

    It had been just another chilly day that January. Nothing special happened on that day; there had even been another argument that seemed to repeat itself every few months between Eva and her husband. She no longer cried over these arguments ¨C she no longer cared and was simply bating her time until they could both go their separate ways without strain.


    She tucked the kids into bed, gave them hugs and kisses and told them goodnight. The rheumatoid arthritis that had started just a few months prior was in a flare that night so Eva took some pain medication on top of the arthritis medication the doctor had given her.


    As she lay down and tried to find a comfortable position for sleep, her mind whirled with thoughts of things that needed to be done both at work and at home that week. She finally got the nagging thoughts to stop as the medication began to kick in and managed to drift off to sleep.


    *~*~*


    A falling sensation pulled Eva from her sleep. ¡®Why is it so cold? Why does it feel like I¡¯m-¡® she thought as she sat up, still groggy. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± She screamed when she realized she was laying outside on the ground, ¡°Where am I? How? What?¡± Her mind raced, trying to piece together how she ended up where she was instead of her bed. ¡°This must be a dream! But everything hurts too much for a dream¡­¡± Eva tried to rationalize the situation.


    After several minutes of sitting in the cold, rambling to herself about what was going on, Eva slowly stood up, using a nearby tree to support her as her joints protested. ¡°I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing. Might as well start walking and see if I can find water or a road or something!¡±


    Looking around, Eva saw that she appeared to be in the middle of a forest. Trees reached in all directions as far as she could see. Above, the bare arms of the trees reached and swayed in a slight breeze. The sun peaked through clouds and the branches, not able to provide any meaningful warmth. The ground was covered in dead leaves, and the only sound was birds far away chirping angrily at each other.


    With nothing to help her determine which direction would be best, she picked up the blanket that had managed to come with her to just start walking. When Eva picked up the blanket though, something hard dropped to the ground. Reaching towards the fallen item, she realized it was her cell phone. Excited, she picked it up and tried to make a call. Unfortunately, there was no signal for the phone to pick up. With a sigh, Eva tucked the phone in the pocket of her sweat pants and started walking. She soon found that her socks were not enough protection for her feet against the cold ground and quickly found a vine that she was able to break off a few lengths of and used it to tie the bottom of the blanket around her feet as she held the top of it around her shoulders.


    Continuing on through the day, Eva started to fear that she wouldn¡¯t find anything when she stumbled out onto a road cut through the trees. Though the road was hard packed dirt, it was possible to make out footprints from horses as well as people. A wave of relief swept over Eva and she began to make her way along the road. She only made it a few steps along the road, however, before she collapsed in the middle and the dark of unconsciousness enveloped her.


    *~*~*


    ¡°We should have waited until tomorrow, Sirah. I don¡¯t want to be stuck out here in the dark with it also snowing!¡± A young man grumbled to the woman sitting next to him on the bench of the cart, looking at the dark storm clouds moving in.


    ¡°Oh, hush it, Alik. Lord Edan said he wanted us to return today.¡± Sirah responded, snapping the reins all the same to get the horse to pick up his speed just a bit. ¡°It¡¯s not that much long-¡°


    A figure suddenly stumbled into the open several meters ahead, took a few steps, and then collapsed. Though the horse was unfazed by this intruder on its route, both passengers were startled and Sirah pulled the reins back, signaling the horse to stop.


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Sirah whispered.


    ¡°Not sure, but I¡¯ll check it out.¡± Alik jumped off the cart, found a long branch and walked over to the collapsed figure. He prodded it with the branch, moving the blanket enough to see that it was a person under a blanket. Moving in closer and pulling the blanket back, he called to Sirah, ¡°it is a girl! And, if she isn¡¯t dead, she is close to it!¡±


    ¡°Bring her here and put her in the cart, we can¡¯t just leave her here!¡± Sirah said as she jumped into the back of the cart, moving things around to make space for the girl.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Alik picked up the unconscious girl and placed her in the cart. Sirah sat in the back with the girl as Alik climbed back on the bench and urged the horse to start moving once more.


    ¡°Just a little longer, child¡± Sirah whispered to the girl, ¡°Then we can thaw you out.¡±


    The girl¡¯s lips were blue and her face was frighteningly pale; the only sign that she hadn¡¯t died when she collapsed was the small puffs of fog that escaped from her mouth as her breath met the cold air. Sirah pulled the blanket over the girls face to block the wind from their movement as they hurried along. Pushing the horse to move as quickly as it safely could, they arrived at their destination about half an hour later, just as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon and the first flakes of snow began to blow in.


    Alik stopped the cart by the door to the kitchen and he and Sirah carefully unloaded the unconscious girl and took her inside. Placing her gently on the floor near the fireplace, Sirah called to the others in the room, ¡°Mila, find Lord Edan and bring him and a blanket! Radin, I need warm water and cloth scraps!¡±


    A girl in her teens darted out of the room, in search of the Lord and a blanket while the older man she had been sitting next to just sat there for a moment in total surprise. As he overcame the shock, he scooped some water from a large barrel into a pot and placed it over to the fire to warm up. As the water warmed, he left the room, returning with several scraps of clean cloth.


    Sirah carefully cut the vines the girl had used to tie the blanket to her feet and peeled away the thin socks to see the beginning of frostbite taking hold of the girl¡¯s toes. She dropped the pieces of cloth into the pot of water and began placing them over the girl¡¯s hands and feet. Mila returned with the warmest blanket she was able to find, trailed by a well-dressed man.


    ¡°Sirah, Mila told me you brought someone in. What happened?¡± The well-dressed man hurried over and knelt down by Sirah.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Sirah responded, ¡°She popped out of the woods onto the road and collapsed. The poor dear is nearly frozen.¡±


    As she began to warm back up, the girl began to regain normal color. Her feet and hands turned red under the warm cloths as Sirah swapped them out to keep up the warmth and her breathing and heartbeat became stronger.


    ¡°Sirah, Radin, Mila, please unload the cart so Alik can put it away and take care of Ruby. I will take care of her.¡± Sitting on the floor, Lord Edan gently picked up the girl¡¯s hand and held it between both of his. He closed his eyes and a soft glow began to spread across the girl, starting from the hand he held and making its way to fully envelop her. Moments later, the glow began to fade and Lord Edan opened his eyes to find the girl staring at him with wide open eyes. He smiled, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Hi.¡± She replied. ¡°Who? Where?¡± She struggled to sit up.


    Lord Edan helped her into a sitting position, ¡°I am Edan, and this is my estate. What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Evailia. Please call me Eva.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me where you are from, Eva?¡±


    ¡°Avon, Virginia. Where are we?¡± Eva asked, looking around. To her right, was a lively fire crackling in a large fireplace. A table surrounded by several stools stood behind the strangely dressed man to her left. Beyond that, Eva could see others working in the doorway, but couldn¡¯t discern much detail.


    ¡°Hmmm, Vir-gin-ya.¡± Edan pronounced the unfamiliar word slowly, ¡°I have never heard of that kingdom. We are currently in the kingdom of Yarrat. You must have traveled far.¡±


    ¡°Virginia. It¡¯s a state in the United States¡­a country in North America.¡± Eva tried to make him understand, ¡°it¡¯s not a kingdom. And I¡¯ve been walking all day, I think, but not far enough to be out of the state!¡± Panic started to overcome her.


    ¡°Shhhh. It¡¯s ok. Calm down.¡± Edan grabbed Eva by the shoulders and twisted her so she was looking directly at him. ¡°We are speaking the same language, but you are using words and names I have never heard. Maybe you hit-¡°


    ¡°But my kids! Work! I need to get back to them!¡± She interrupted.


    ¡°You will. But first, you must calm down.¡±


    Edan¡¯s hands on her shoulders began to feel warm and the panic Eva felt trying to take over suddenly fell away and she was able to think clearly. ¡°My phone! Maybe I can get signal now!¡± She pulled her phone out of the pocket it had been in and turned the screen back on. ¡°Damnit! Still nothing!¡± Looking at Edan, desperation in her eyes and voice, ¡°do you have a phone I can use? I can call home and figure out how to get back there!¡±


    Confusion written across his face, Edan simply shook his head.


    ¡°But-¡° Eva began to cry.


    Not wanting to make the girl uncomfortable, Edan waved Sirah over. Sirah sat down next to Eva and held her tight and allowed her to just cry. Once the tears stopped, Eva took a few deep breaths, reining in her emotions.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Eva looked at the useless phone in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I can repay you, but would it be ok-¡°


    ¡°Of course you can stay here tonight! We can sort things out after you¡¯ve had a proper night¡¯s rest.¡± Sirah helped Eva up and led her to a small room with a simple bed.


    Before Sirah had even finished placing the blanket over her, Eva had fallen into a deep sleep, her phone still clenched desperately in her hands.


    Returning to the kitchen, Sirah found Lord Edan sitting on a stool, staring at the dancing flames in the fireplace. Mila had left the room, presumably to find her own sleep. Radin was putting the last of the supplies away and Sirah could see Alik and her husband finishing up in the stable through the window.


    ¡°It was a good thing you insisted we return tonight instead of waiting until the morning, My Lord.¡± Sirah said as she began to pick up everything that had been left on the floor. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have survived the night,¡± she prompted when Lord Edan remained silent.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Edan replied absently, his gaze focused on the flames, his thoughts elsewhere.

 Acceptance

    The sun peaked into the small room, a beam searching for and finding Eva¡¯s face around the curtain. ¡°Ugh!¡± She turned over to escape the light, ¡°Oh shit! I¡¯m late!¡± Eva sat up so quickly she felt dizzy for a minute. As she sat there waiting for the dizziness to fade, she looked around and found that she was not in her own bedroom ¨C everything had not been a dream. She again looked at the phone in her hands, but the screen was black now, unable to turn on, the battery dead.


    Looking around the room, Eva saw it only contained the small bed she was sitting on, a small table with a candle, and what looked like a small closet. A beautiful rug with swirls of dark blue and green covered about half the floor. There was a simple green curtain covering a small window that kept the room dim, but allowed small beams of light around the edges.


    Remembering the freezing and pain from the day before, Eva slowly moved to stand up and was surprised at the lack of pain she felt. Still unsure of what was actually going on, she stood up and made her way to the door. The rug was soft and warm under her bare feet. Once she reached the edge of the rug, Eva prepared herself for the expected cold from the stone floor but was greeted with a pleasant warmth there as well. The need to relieve herself drove Eva to quickly follow the sounds of people talking until she found the kitchen.


    ¡°Restroom?¡± Eva asked as a kindly looking older lady stood up and started to approach her. At the woman¡¯s apparent confusion, Eva blurted out, ¡°I have to pee!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Sirah did her best to stifle a giggle, ¡°Follow me!¡± Sirah led Eva back through the doorway she had just entered and to a door a little ways down the hall. Behind the door was a room with a stone box with a hole in the top. Seeing confusion on Eva¡¯s face, Sirah explained how things worked and waited in the hallway.


    When Eva was finished, Sirah led her back to the kitchen, ¡°My name is Sirah. I am the housekeeper for Lord Edan.¡±


    As they entered and the aromas from the breakfast Radin had made reached her, Eva¡¯s stomach let out a loud growl. Clutching her stomach, Eva tried to apologize but was hushed by Sirah and directed to sit. A plate with a large chunk of bread, a small slab of meat that smelled similar to ham, a pile of something green topped with some sort of red berries, and what looked to be fried eggs was placed in front of her. Sirah then handed her a dull knife. Eva looked between the knife and plate, unsure if she was expected to use it just to cut up the food or to use it like a fork.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Eva was finally able to say as Sirah sat down beside her and pulled her own plate to her. Eva watched how Sirah used the knife to eat her own food and followed the older woman¡¯s example.


    While she ate, Eva was able to make out more details about the room and the people around her. The woman that sat next to her had long, thick, silver hair that was pulled back into a sensible braid that reached down her back. Her clothes were functional, but simple and of earthy colors ¨C a deep green shirt with a light brown skirt and a light green apron.


    The walls of the kitchen to her right and behind her were lined by counters with stone tops. The door leading outside was in the far corner. Next to it, sat a large barrel that, though she couldn¡¯t be completely sure, Eva believed held water. The wall to her left contained two doors ¨C the one she had been through and another in the opposite corner. The wall she was facing was lined in shelves that held an assortment of food and dishes.


    Once Sirah had finished her meal, she collected two cups from the shelves and dipped them in the barrel. She took them to the table and placed one in front of Eva and drank from the other. Seeing that Eva had eaten only a little bit of food, she became concerned, ¡°Are you feeling ok, dear? Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes, I¡¯m feeling fine.¡± Eva laid the knife on the plate and took a drink, happy that she was correct and that the liquid was fresh, cool water. ¡°I just can¡¯t eat too much too fast when I go a long period between meals.¡±


    ¡°Poor dear! You take your time.¡± Sirah patted Eva¡¯s hand gently. ¡°You sit here, I will be back.¡± Eva quietly watched as Sirah efficiently served up a fresh plate of food and covered it in a warmed cloth before leaving the room with it.


    The only person left in the kitchen with her was a tall, slender man. His long, greying hair was pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck as he moved around the kitchen, tidying up after breakfast and preparing for the rest of the day. Radin smiled warmly at Eva when he looked her way and saw her watching, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Windows on the walls above the counters provided a view of a beautiful countryside. A short dirt road led from the house to another building that reminded Eva of a barn. She could see two men out there but was unable to make out what they were doing. Out the window on the wall behind her, she could only make out a grassy field lined by tall trees.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Sirah returned. As she resumed her seat next to Eva, she placed a basket full of clothes on the floor next to the table and a tray with several small squares and various threads in front of her. Without a word, Sirah pulled a shirt from the basket and matched up a cloth square over a hole. Once she was satisfied that she had the correct size, Sirah threaded a needle and began to sew the cloth over the hole.


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened last night?¡± Eva asked softly, ¡°I remember walking through the forest, then the next thing I can remember, I was laying on the floor there and a man was sitting next to me, holding my hand. I remember saying I need to get home to my kids, but he didn¡¯t seem to know how to help me do so.¡±


    ¡°Yes, dear.¡± Sirah paused in her sewing to look at Eva closely, ¡°You were walking through the forest. You stumbled into the road as Alik and I were returning from town and collapsed in front of us. You were nearly frozen so we brought you here and Lord Edan used his magic to undo the damage from the cold. The place you said you were from is a place Lord Edan has never heard of before, which is strange since he is well traveled. He is actually in his study this morning trying to find the place you named.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Magic?¡± Eva¡¯s confusion quickly turned to disbelief. ¡®Magic is a thing of books and fairytales. It really would be wonderful if it were real though!¡¯ To Sirah, she continued, ¡°Is he a doctor that treats people and calls it magic because they don¡¯t understand what is going on? I may not understand how everything works, but I know there are scientific reasons and that magic isn¡¯t real.¡±


    ¡°No, no. But magic is real. And without his magic last night, you would at least still be feeling the effects of frostbite if not have permanent damage.¡± Sirah countered.


    Seeing Sirah completely believed what she was saying, Eva let it go. ¡°Can I talk with Lord Edan this morning?¡±


    ¡°After you are done eating, dear, we will get you cleaned up and in some proper clothes and then I will take you to see the Lord.¡± Sirah finished sewing the square onto the shirt and set it to the side.


    Looking down at herself, Eva saw that she was still wearing the black sweat pants and grey t-shirt she had gone to bed in back home and at Sirah¡¯s mention of washing up, she suddenly felt the dirt that clung to her from her walk through the forest. ¡°Thank you for everything, but I can¡¯t eat any more.¡± Eva was anxious to have a chance to clean up and talk to the Lord.


    ¡°Follow me, dear.¡± Sirah filled a pot with water from the barrel and led Eva back to the small room she had awoken in. Moving the candle to the corner, Sirah set the rounded pot on the table and produced a few squares of some rough material. She then turned and pulled the curtain aside so the room was flooded with sunlight. ¡°It is a bit too cold to go down to the stream for a full bath, so a nice scrubbing will have to do. Take off those clothes and I will help you get cleaned up.¡±


    Eva removed her dead cell phone from her pocket and placed it on the bed. Self-consciously, she began to remove what she was wearing. Once she was down to her underwear, she picked up the discarded clothes and folded them and lay them at the foot of the bed. Eva then moved closer to Sirah and the older woman took a wet cloth and began to scrub her. ¡°That smells like flowers!¡± Eva was surprised, ¡°And it¡¯s warm!¡±


    ¡°Yes, this pot is lined with layer of soap and has a spell to make sure the water is a comfortable temperature.¡± Sirah answered as she scrubbed the girl clean. Once they were done, Sirah pulled a comb out of the pocket on her apron. Dipping the comb in the water, she then ran it through Eva¡¯s long brown hair until there were no more tangles, batting away Eva¡¯s attempts to do it herself.


    ¡°Luckily you look to be close to the size I was in my younger years.¡± Sirah smiled. She then turned and opened the closet in the room and pulled out a full dress ensemble. At Eva¡¯s wide-eyed look of surprise, she laughed, ¡°This is a spare bedroom and this wardrobe holds anything that does not fit anyone currently. The girl we had before Mila joined us was a tiny thing and these were too big for her. And for Mila, they are too small.


    Now come,¡± Sirah handed Eva each item, one at a time, starting with a pair of thick, warm socks and loose leggings to wear under the skirt. Following that was an off-white, long-sleeved shirt that reached half-way down to her knees. Next was a dark brown skirt that Sirah wrapped around Eva¡¯s waist and tied off in the back. The last thing that Sirah held up was a green apron similar to the one she wore.


    Once fully dressed, Eva marveled at the feel of the cloth against her skin. Where she expected a rough material, it was as soft and smooth as silk, if a bit worn. Satisfied with the outcome, the two women made their way through the house to the Lord¡¯s study. Sirah knocked once on the door and opened it when she heard Edan¡¯s response.


    *~*~*


    He would normally take his breakfast with the household, but a strange woman had arrived the night prior and he was spending the morning trying to find the country she claimed as her home.


    He hadn¡¯t even heard the knock when Sirah walked in with a plate filled with his breakfast. ¡°When would you like to see her, My Lord?¡± Sirah asked.


    ¡°When you deem she is ready, bring her to me.¡± Edan didn¡¯t even look away from the book he held in front of him.


    What seemed like mere minutes later to Edan, there was another knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he set the book down and stood up to face the door.


    Standing in the doorway behind the housekeeper was the girl that had just arrived. She had been cleaned and dressed in one of Sirah¡¯s old dresses and it fit her well, he thought. Her waist-length brown hair had been brushed but left hanging loose. Sirah waved her in and left the room, closing the door behind her. Panic flashed across Eva¡¯s face as the older woman disappeared, but was quickly gone as she turned to Edan. She kept her hands clasped in front of her as she looked at him, her ice-blue eyes seeming to take in every detail.


    Quick glances around the room reminded Eva of the old studies she had seen in movies back home, just not as dark. On the wall opposite the door was a large window, curtains pulled back to allow sunlight to bathe the room. The wall the door was in as well as the wall to her right were filled with books while the wall to her left held a fireplace with a lively fire dancing to keep the room warm. In the middle of the room stood a large table stacked with a variety of books. In front of the fire, there were two big, comfortable-looking chairs with a very handsome man standing next to them.


    His jet black hair was thick around his face, barely reaching his collar in the back. Turquois eyes glittered around a prominent, but not overwhelming nose. His full, red lips curved into a smile as he greeted her. He stood about a head taller than her and Eva could tell he was slender, but strong under the loose shirt and pants he wore.


    ¡°Eva, please, come sit.¡± Edan motioned to a big chair next to the one he had been sitting in. Without a word, Eva moved towards the chair Edan indicated, blushing when she brushed his hand with hers as she walked by.


    When Edan again asked Eva where she had come from, she instead asked, ¡°Do you have a map of the world? I can show you on the map.¡± Edan stood up and pulled a scroll from one of the shelves, cleared a space on the table and unrolled it. Eva stood next to him and looked down at the map he had placed on the table, confusion taking over. ¡°I have seen this map before, but it isn¡¯t a map of the world! I asked for a real map of the world!¡±


    ¡°This is.¡± Edan began pointing at locations and listing off names.


    After a short debate about the map, Eva demanded a piece of paper and pencil so she could draw the map she was familiar with. Edan provided the materials and, when he saw the crude map Eva drew, asked, ¡°Is there real magic where you come from?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Eva snapped, not happy with the change of subject, ¡°Everyone knows magic is just sleight of hand and illusions! Why-ahhh!¡± Eva squeaked and grabbed for the table as she was suddenly lifted into the air.


    ¡°I believe that you are from a different world.¡± Edan set Eva back down gently. ¡°Magic is very real here.¡±


    Eva suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°Of course I¡¯m in a different world!¡± She exclaimed between bouts of laughter, ¡°My wish of a new life somewhere else FINALLY comes true!¡±


    Completely confused about what she was going on about, Edan led Eva back to the chair. Once she calmed down, Eva explained how she had always dreamed of being taken to a new world where magic was real and she could start her life over ¨C before she had kids.


    The two of them talked as the morning wore on and by the time there was another knock on the door, it had been settled that Eva would stay on as a maid in Edan¡¯s household and he would help her try to find a way home.

 Magic

    It had been two months since she had first arrived and Eva seemed no closer to returning home than she had been that first day. Though she still missed her children, she worked with Sirah and Mila and was enjoying her time there. Eva had never learned much housekeeping skills beyond simple cleaning so was learning a variety of skills and tricks from the two women she worked the closest with including making and altering garments and foraging for edible foods in the forest.


    The morning air was still crisp, but the scent of an early spring was in the air. Eva and Mila each had a cloak tied around their shoulders and a basket hanging from one arm. Their goal for the day was to fill the baskets with the last of the edible winter plants. As they wandered around the forest, Mila pointed out the differences between the plants that were safe to eat and those that were not.


    ¡°I remember seeing this the day I was wandering through the forest. If only I had known, I would have been just fine!¡± Eva chuckled as she added some chickweed to her basket that Mila had told her about.


    Around midday, the two spread a blanket they had brought with them on the ground next to the babbling stream they had been following to sit and eat a small lunch of cheese, nuts, and some of the food they had gathered. As they sat and talked, Mila thought she had seen some movement in the distance, but brushed it off as an animal when she focused but didn¡¯t see anything.


    A few minutes later, four dirty, grinning men stepped out from behind the trees around the girls. ¡°What do we have?¡± One man stepped closer than the others, ¡°What are two pretty girls doing all the way out here? Come to bring us food¡­and fun?¡± They all laughed.


    Eva and Mila both stood up, backs together. Without a word, they simultaneously bolted in opposite directions and screamed as loud as they could. Unfortunately, their best dodging and diving was not enough and they were both easily grabbed.


    ¡°Shut up and stop your struggling!¡± The one that appeared to be the leader of the men yelled at the girls. Both girls stopped their struggling and screaming rather than find out what the implied consequences would be. Having come upon the girls by chance, the men did not have any way of restraining them so just pushed them across the stream and through the forest to their camp.


    Once they reached the men¡¯s camp, a small clearing with a simple fire pit with three crude tents around it, they threw Eva and Mila on the ground next to a large tree. The leader picked up a branch and drew a circle on the ground around the girls and the tree, chanting under his breath as he did so. ¡°Now just stay there until we are ready for you.¡± The men then went about their afternoon, building up their fire and cooking a couple rabbits they had caught.


    *~*~*


    ¡°Have you ever seen anything like this barrier?¡± Eva whispered to Mila when no one was looking.


    ¡°Lord Edan has done something similar to prevent anyone from disturbing him while he is working,¡± Mila replied. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to get through.¡±


    ¡°Lord Edan¡¯s might be impossible to get through, but I don¡¯t have as much faith in this guy¡¯s magic.¡± Eva moved to the edge of the circle, her eyes glued to the man that had set the spell. Just a few centimeters above the ground, Eva moved her hand over the line on the ground. It felt as if there was some sort of thick, jelly like substance in the way of her hand, but she was able to push through. She quietly waved Mila over so the younger girl could see and try for herself. Mila was unable to push her hand past the line though, so Eva attempted, unsuccessfully to wipe part of the line away to break the barrier.


    ¡°When you have a chance, you make a break for it and bring Lord Edan back here.¡± Mila whispered.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know the way back! I¡¯ll get lost!¡± Eva protested. ¡°And I can¡¯t leave you here alone with them. Who knows what they would do you!¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t leave this circle, you can! You are our only chance,¡± Mila insisted. ¡°You have to at least try!¡±


    Hesitantly, Eva agreed and waited until all the men were sitting around the fire eating. The sun was just touching the horizon as she squeezed around the back of the tree, pushed her way out of the barrier, and ran. Within moments of Eva leaving the circle, the leader dropped his food and stormed over to Mila.


    ¡°Where is the other one?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°S-she is r-relieving herself. O-on the other s-side.¡± Mila stammered and pointed around the tree.


    He darted around the tree and saw Eva already in the distance, running back towards where they had been grabbed. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± He roared as he ran after her.


    ¡®FUCK!¡¯ Eva thought when she heard the man start after her. Then, as her skirt got tangled in her legs, ¡®God-damned skirt!¡¯ Her heart pounded and the cold air burned her chest as she ran as hard as she could, but he was still faster and caught up to her within minutes and tackled her to the ground. With no energy left to fight, Eva could only protest weakly when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The man walked back to camp, taking his time to catch his breath and think of what he was going to do with the girl he was carrying.


    *~*~*


    Eva and Mila had left shortly after breakfast that morning. Sirah had expected them to return by mid-afternoon, or suppertime at the latest. The sun was just starting to set, however, and there was still no sign of the girls.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sirah?¡± Lord Edan asked when he saw Sirah looking anxiously out the window towards the forest.


    ¡°My Lord.¡± Sirah turned to Edan, ¡°Eva and Mila have not returned from the forest and the sun has started to set. They should have been back a few hours ago, I¡¯m worried.¡±


    Edan disappeared down the hall and returned with his cloak around his shoulders and a sword at his hip, ¡°Is Alik out in the stables still?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sirah replied as he nearly ran out the door and down the path to the stables.


    ¡°Alik! Saddles!¡± Edan called when he was close enough, ¡°You are coming with me ¨C we need to find the girls!¡±


    Without a word, Alik quickly produced two saddles and prepared one horse while Edan prepared the other. As the last rays of the sun disappeared, the two men were heading down the path Eva and Mila had taken that morning. The girls¡¯ path was easy to follow as they had pretty much followed the river upstream, meandering around to find food to forage so it only took the two men on horseback about half an hour to find where the girls had sat for lunch.


    Jumping off the horse, Alik looked around the area and easily found the four sets of boot prints that belonged to the men that took Eva and Mila. ¡°My Lord, it looks like they were taken by four men. They all went this way,¡± Alik pointed in the direction across the river that the prints led. Alik returned to his horse and they rode off, following the track that was left behind.


    It was not much longer before they saw the light of the campfire and heard the men talking and laughing together. They stopped the horses far enough from the camp that they wouldn¡¯t be seen or heard and made their way on foot the rest of the way. Peaking around trees, Edan saw Mila huddled against the base of a tree, a magical barrier around her and the tree. Three men were sitting around the fire, joking with each other about what they were going to do when they got their turn with the little magic girl.


    Ignoring the men except to make sure he wasn¡¯t seen, Edan crept next to where Mila was confined. Using his magic to ensure his whisper didn¡¯t carry too far, he asked Mila what happened and where Eva was.


    ¡°Eva is in there,¡± Mila concluded a brief recap of the day and pointed to the tent the leader had taken Eva into. ¡°And they keep talking about a girl with magic and how the mage likes to do¡­things to anyone with magic!¡±


    With a better idea of what he faced, Edan retreated back to where Alik was still hiding and filled the younger man in on what they faced. Not wanting to wait any longer, Edan instructed Alik to stay with the horses, ready to go while he silently made his way back to the edge of the camp. Edan darted out and, in one smooth motion, drew his sword and slid it into the back of the biggest of the men, finding the man¡¯s heart.


    As the sword passed through him, the man¡¯s mouth gaped, showing a mouth full of decaying or missing teeth. His long dirty hair fell over his face in clumps as he slowly hunched over and fell forward. In complete shock, his companions just sat there and watched before jumping up and running. One man ran out towards the forest, not caring about the others while the other charged at Edan, hoping to take out the intruder before he could free his sword.


    Edan quickly shook his sword free, dodged the man¡¯s lunge and sliced him across the back as he passed. With a roar, the man turned and charged again. Edan moved out of the way, slicing the man¡¯s hamstrings, bringing him to the ground while another slice to his throat before he fell completely left him gurgling as his blood soaked the ground.


    Just as Edan had finished his fight with the second man, the leader stormed out of the tent. ¡°What is going on?¡± When he saw Edan standing over his two dead companions, he threw a ball of fire at Edan. The deflected attack exploded against one of the nearby trees, engulfing it in flames.


    Edan charged the other mage behind a volley of magical daggers, his sword in his hand, ready for another taste of blood. However, once Edan closed in on the man standing in front of him, he discovered it was just an illusion. Once the man had realized he was up against a much stronger mage, he used an illusion to run while he appeared to be standing there.


    Frustrated and angry that he had lost the dangerous mage, Edan called out, ¡°Get back here, you coward!¡± When there was no response or reappearance, Edan burst into the tent, expecting to find Eva and another girl, but only finding Eva tied between two branches hammered into the ground.


    Her arms were tied to one branch above her head while her ankles were secured to another. Her shirt was torn open, revealing several cuts across her torso while several spots of blood on her sleeves showed that her arms had not been spared the attack.


    ¡°EVA!¡± Edan cut her free and sat her up gently. As he held her, a soft glow enveloped her and the wounds stopped their bleeding and began to close up. ¡°The men that attacked you are gone. Sit here for a minute while I put out the fire and get Mila.¡±


    Eva simply nodded.


    Leaving the tent, Edan first went to Mila and broke the barrier the other mage had placed around her. Sending her to sit with Eva, he then turned his attention to the fire spreading to new trees. Closing his eyes, he reached out to the river and pulled the water to rain down on the fire until the only evidence of it was the burned out tree and a few branches from neighboring trees reaching into the sky.


    Before returning to the tent with the two girls, Edan checked the other two tents for the other girl he expected to find. When he was not able to find anyone else, he knelt next to Eva. ¡°Eva, is there anyone else here? Those men were talking about a girl with magic, do you know where she could be?¡±


    She looked at him with wide eyes showing confusion and shock. ¡°He¡­kept saying,¡± Eva¡¯s voice shook, ¡°I had magic. And he was¡­going to,¡± she couldn¡¯t finish.


    Edan led the two girls to where Alik waited with the horses. Mila climbed up and rode in front of Alik while Edan kept Eva with him. As they traveled back, Edan tried unsuccessfully to get more details about what had happened in the tent from Eva. When they arrived home, Sirah met them at the door and took charge of the two girls while Edan and Alik took the horses back to the stables.

 Aftermath

    Eva spent the night tossing and turning, the events of the evening replaying every time she closed her eyes. Even though she was clean and back in her bed, the putrid smell of her attacker still clung to her. She still felt his cracked lips and slimy tongue tickling her skin and being pressed against her lips. She couldn¡¯t see them anymore, but she still felt the dozens of cuts he made both with magic and a red-hot dagger. She could still see his green eyes watching her as she struggled and hear his crackling laugh as she cried and tried to pull away from the knife as it bit into her. His whispers, taunting her to protect herself with magic and describing what he was planning, rang in her ears through the silence.


    *~*~*


    When morning arrived, a cheerful Eva bounced into the kitchen, ready to start the day. As she helped Radin prepare breakfast for the household, Eva hummed to herself, smiling as she worked.


    A little while later, a sleepy Sirah walked in, ready to help Radin. She shot the man a questioning look when she saw the cheery Eva sitting at the table. Instead of one of the normal skirts that she had been given, Eva was now wearing a pair of leather pants she had fished out of the closet that were too small for any of the men in the household. Radin just shrugged, also unsure of her behavior.


    ¡°Good morning, Sirah!¡± Eva greeted the older woman, ¡°How is Mila doing this morning? Is she ok? We really had a bit of a scare last night, I imagine she must be shaken!¡±


    Narrowing her eyes, Sirah sat down at the table opposite Eva. ¡°Yes, Lord Edan said you are both to be allowed to rest for a couple days to recover from the events.¡±


    Not acknowledging any suggestions that she take the day off, Eva continued on with the routine she had established over the two months that she had lived there, taking on the work Mila would normally do as well as her own. Any time someone looked, a pleasant smile covered her face and a quiet humming could be heard.


    Later that morning, Eva was in a clean, empty stall in the stables hunched over an open barrel full of clothes to be washed. Believing that she was alone while doing this, Eva let the tears roll down her cheeks as she poured her fear and anger into her actions. At the sound of a footstep behind her, Eva stiffened and quickly wiped away the tears.


    ¡°Eva,¡± Edan said when he saw her stiffen and wipe at her face. ¡°Are you ok this morning?¡±


    Not trusting her voice, Eva closed her eyes and took a deep breath before nodding without turning to face him. She flinched when he reached up and touched her shoulder, but had managed to regain her composure enough to turn to him with the pleasant smile pasted back on her face. As the tears threatened to spill over again, Eva quickly turned back to the task at hand, using that to hide her turmoil.


    ¡°Eva.¡± He said again, ¡°Do you understand the significance of what happened last night? What it means for you?¡±


    Still unable to speak, Eva looked at him in disbelief. ¡®Do I understand what happened?¡¯


    ¡°Those men were talking about having a girl with magic. You were able to get through a barrier spell,¡± Edan explained, ¡°They were talking about you.¡± When Eva didn¡¯t respond, he pressed on, ¡°Eva, you have magic!¡±


    ¡°If I had magic, why couldn¡¯t I stop him?¡± Eva dropped the clothes she had been scrubbing and turned on the man next to her, yelling, ¡°If I had magic, why couldn¡¯t I protect myself? He kept taunting me to use magic to do just that! But I couldn¡¯t!¡±


    Eva turned back to the laundry as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Grabbing the first item she could, she furiously scrubbed at it until Edan grabbed her arms and pulled her to him. Giving her the time she needed, he just stood there and held her until she was done crying. At that point, she pulled away, again wiping the tears from her face.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, Eva,¡± he pulled her chin up until their eyes met. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know he did that to you. But because of that, it doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have magic. It just means that you haven¡¯t learned to use it. You do have magic, and I will teach you how to use it.¡±


    As Edan took Eva back into the house and led her to the study, Sirah quietly went out to finish the laundry that had been started. Once in the study, Edan activated a barrier to prevent magic from escaping and causing damage to anyone or anything outside the room.


    *~*~*


    The first lesson in magic was for Eva to find the source of hers inside herself. She tried sitting in the large chair first, but couldn¡¯t get comfortable enough to concentrate on her task. She then situated herself on the floor, legs crossed, back against the wall. Once she was ready, Edan¡¯s soft, deep voice guided her down the paths within her own mind until she was standing in a room with nothing but a well in the center.


    The well appeared to be made from old stones. It had an old, wooden cover over it with tendrils of light reaching through and up. Drawn to the well, Eva stuck her hand in one of the tendrils of light - it was warm to the touch, like warm water flowing gently over her hand. The urge to remove the wooden cover overwhelmed her and she pried at its edges. Slowly, after what seemed like eternity, the first board came loose. She pulled it off and worked on the others, continuing until the entire cover was gone and the energy flowed freely from the well. The light shot straight up, lighting up the entire room. Spinning around in wonder, Eva saw bubbles with her memories floating around.


    As the energy from the well burst up, Eva could feel it flowing all through her, a release of pent up power both letting her go and filling her up. A sense of empowerment and peace washed over her, wiping away the turmoil and doubt that had been battering at her all morning.


    Eva opened her eyes to see Edan smiling at her. "So you found the source of your power. Now it¡¯s time to contain it so you don''t hurt anyone or cause damage."


    Pausing only for lunch, Edan spent the day guiding Eva, teaching her the basics of controlling her magic. By the time Sirah announced dinner, Eva was exhausted but could at least prevent her magic from lashing out. Satisfied at her level of control, they followed Sirah to the kitchen and ate with the household.


    *~*~*


    It had been three days since that night he had taken two girls captive only to have lost them a few short hours later. The sweet taste of the girl had not been enough, he needed more! But he had been instructed to leave her for now, though he had no idea why - the man that rescued them was powerful, much stronger than he; he must now be teaching the girl about her magic.


    The mage sat on the ground at the designated meeting place, grumbling to himself when a hooded figure appeared out of the darkness. "The masters have looked in on the girl and she now belongs to them. You are only to bring her to them when the time comes," A voice rolled out from under the hood. The voice was neither feminine nor masculine, there was no way to tell who the person standing in front of him was.


    "Use this when the time comes, but do not let it touch your skin, it prevents whoever is touching it from working magic," a gloved hand appeared from under the cloak, holding a length of rope. "Watch, but do not act until instructed. Do you understand, Ordu?"


    Glaring at the figure, Ordu grunted, unhappy that he was no longer going to be able to have another taste of the girl. Accepting the grunt as his agreement, the figure turned and disappeared into the night, back towards the house the girl was being kept.


    Thoughts of the little magic girl haunted his dreams, keeping him from sleeping more than an hour or two at a time. The memory of her soft skin and feminine scent gnawed at his sanity.


    "I saw her first! How dare they keep her from me!" Ordu said to himself as he paced his camp three days after his meeting with the hooded figure. "But the masters want her for themselves," he had been arguing with himself for days. "But I must have her for myself! She''s mine! If only I could catch her alone."


    Growling, he pulled out a small mirror and used his magic to look in on the girl, again. This time he widened his view so he could see the entire room she was in. An older man with grey hair bustled about a kitchen, preparing food for the day. The girl sat on a stool, cleaning vegetables for use and placing them in a pile on the table next to her. A strand of her long, soft hair fell into her face and she brushed it out of the way.


    "Eva," a man walked into the kitchen. He seemed familiar, but Ordu couldn''t put a name to the face. "I need to go into town today. You have the afternoon to yourself."


    Ordu excitedly dropped the mirror in his hands, this was his chance! The girl, Eva, was his and no one could take her from him.

 Round Two

    The week after the attack found Eva following a new routine - between breakfast and lunch, she continued to help with chores around the house.  After lunch, until dinner, she was with Edan, learning the basics of magic.  Each day, as her control grew, Edan would show her a simple task she could do with the magic.  By the end of the week, she was able to shield herself as well as move small objects around the room.


    During the mornings, when Eva was helping Sirah, Edan was in his study going through books, looking for how a woman from a different world could suddenly show up and not only have magic, but have as much raw strength as Eva seemed to have.  Due to the fact that hardly any of his books covered any history, he was unable to find any information that would help.


    "Eva," Edan walked into the room where she was sitting and washing vegetables.  "I need to go into town today.  You have the afternoon to yourself."


    "But My Lord, you said we can''t be sure that the mage is gone!  What if he attacks while you''re in town?" Eva still couldn''t completely shake the feeling of being watched.  "I can''t do anything against him!  I can barely keep my magic under control!"


    "If you are in the house, you will be safe.  And Sirah knows how to summon me in case of emergency." Edan replied calmly.


    Edan left shortly after breakfast and headed to town.  With nothing else to do and unwilling to practice any kind of magic without Edan''s supervision, Eva spent the day working beside Sirah and Mila.


    "Come outside and help me with the laundry this afternoon?" Mila asked, a basket of dirty clothes propped on her hip.


    "I had been wanting to go outside today, but I''m not so sure with Lord Edan not here," Eva hesitated.  "I still think that mage is out there, just waiting."


    "Oh, come on," Mila could see the longing in Eva''s eyes.  "I''ll be right next to you.  And Alik and Taran will be outside as well!  You''ll be safe!"


    With a sigh, Eva agreed and they headed out.  The day was still cool but warm enough to wash clothes outside so Eva and Mila rolled the wash tub to the open before filling it with clean water.  Once they had finished with the washing, Mila emptied and put away the tub while Eva finished hanging the clothes to dry.


    That was when she felt it!  He was there!  Looking around, Eva saw Mila laying unconscious on the path to the stables, the wash tub next to her.  Just a little further, she saw Alik also laying on the ground.  She couldn''t see him, but suspected that Taran, the groundskeeper, was in the same state as the other two.  She dropped what she was holding and ran for the house screaming.


    Before she could reach the house, a blast of air hit her from behind, sending her tumbling.  As panic kicked in, Eva scrambled back to her feet and faced the man attacking her.  Not knowing how to defend herself, she just threw her hands up and a wave of energy flew from her to knock him back.


    "You want to play like that?" He growled as he stood back up.  "This is going to be fun!"


    Eva threw her hands up a second time, hoping to knock him back far enough that she would be able to make it to the house.  He was ready for the attack though and easily deflected it.  Before Eva could turn and run, Ordu threw a ball of fire at the ground between her and the house which quickly spread to form a barrier preventing her from going anywhere.  Tears rolling down her face, Eva focused her thoughts on water, hoping she could call some forth to put out the fire.


    Before enough water had answered her call, Ordu was mere meters away.  Eva turned back to her attacker and again tried throwing just raw energy at him, again, with no success.


    Laughing, Ordu closed the last of the distance between them and grabbed her arm.  Careful not to let the rope touch his skin, he quickly looped the rope the hooded figure gave him around her bare arm and tied it off.  Eva screamed and struggled in his grip but was unable to break free; and with the rope around her arm, her magic felt like water running through her fingers.


    "You''re mine, now," Ordu whispered into her ear, his green eyes sparkling with glee before rendering her unconscious.


    *~*~*


    Standing in the house, knowing there was nothing she could do to help, Sirah summoned Edan.  It would be at least a few hours before he could make it back, Sirah hoped Eva could hold on long enough.


    The person that had met Ordu and told him to wait felt his sleep spell settle on everyone outside the protection of the house.  Not willing to reveal themselves, they collapsed to the ground and, seething at this turn of events, pretended to be asleep.


    After the mage ran off into the woods with Eva, Sirah and Radin ran out to put out the fire before it could spread any further.  Once the fire was out, they went to Mila laying on the ground.  Seeing that the girl was only sleeping, Radin gently picked her up and carried her into the house.  Sirah went next to Alik and found him in the same condition.  Knowing Radin would return and take care of the young man, she searched the grounds for her husband, Taran.


    She found him out by the fence. He had collapsed while replacing a boundary post that had been broken during the winter.  She ran to him and cradled his head while looking for any injuries.  Satisfied that he was fine, she left to bring Radin to help move him.


    *~*~*


    Edan had only been in town about an hour before Sirah sent the summons indicating that there was an emergency.  "Curse it!" He grumbled as he returned the book he had been looking through to its home and set off as quickly as he could.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Pushing his horse to its limit, Edan arrived about two and a half hours later.  When Sirah saw him coming up the road, she ran out to greet him.  Alik had woken up shortly before and had their other horse ready for Edan to switch out.  Sirah explained what happened and pointed to huge gouges in the ground and the trees as evidence of Eva''s deflected attacks.


    Cursing himself for not listening to Eva that morning, he pushed the fresh horse into the woods.  He easily found the trail and followed it back to the same camp as before.


    This time, Edan rode his horse directly into camp, reaching out with his magic to look for trips or traps, but found none.  Stopping the horse right outside the circle of tents, he jumped down and pulled up the wind to knock over the two tents not protected by magic, removing the chance the other man could be hiding in one of them.  Squaring himself against the remaining tent, Edan fired a direct shot intended to break the magical shield.


    As the shield dropped, Edan heard an ear piercing scream from inside the tent. A moment later, the other man stepped out, clothes disheveled and blood splattered all over him, a sadistic smile across his face.


    "Edan! It really is you," he put his arms up as if to invite an old friend into a hug.  "Aww, you don''t recognize me? It''s me, Ordu!"


    *~*~* Flashback


    For an early spring day, it was surprisingly warm.  The birds were chirping and had been since before the sun had made its appearance, waking the young Edan early, putting him in a bad mood.  He had become an apprentice to Lord Arnor, a Master Mage, at the start of the past winter and they were on their way to the capital for the annual gathering of the Mage¡¯s Council.  He had been on the road for two days and the Master said they should arrive today.


    As they rode along, Edan wondered who he would meet and how many other apprentices would be there.  Luckily he didn¡¯t have long to wait to find out.  They arrived at the city walls a few short hours after sunrise and entered the castle just a little later.


    The afternoon was spent cleaning up from their travels and relaxing.  That evening, Lord Arnor and Edan attended dinner with the court and the other gathering mages.  Looking around the table, Edan saw about five others he guessed to be apprentices.  After the food was gone, the apprentice mages were allowed to wander freely and all found each other in one of the small gardens.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Edan, son of Lord Elix Saphest.¡± Edan proudly introduced himself to the others.  ¡°I¡¯m ten and this is my first year as an apprentice.¡±


    The others introduced themselves ¨C Eli, twelve, son of Lord Ordin Gront; Sevina, eleven, daughter of Boreck, the captain of the King¡¯s Guard; Talwar and Rawlet, fourteen, twin sons of Kairrix the blacksmith; and Ordu, twelve, son of a peasant only known as Rand.


    Showing off what they were able to do, it was quickly obvious that Edan was the youngest, but strongest of the group.  As both the strongest and a noble-born, Edan quickly assumed leadership during the time they were gathered.


    ¡°Now beg for the treat like a good little peasant boy!¡± Edan taunted Ordu with a pastry from the kitchens a week after they had first met, prompting peals of laughter from the other apprentices.  Throughout the time they were stuck at the castle together, Edan would torment and tease Ordu mercilessly.


    By the time the Mage¡¯s Council had ended, Ordu had come to hate Edan.  Over the next few years, each time the Mage¡¯s Council met, Ordu would try to hide from Edan, but, unaware of the goings on between the apprentices, Ordu¡¯s master would always give him away.  And each year, Edan¡¯s demands became more and more humiliating.


    It was the fifth year after they had first met and, rather than attend the Mage¡¯s Council and face Edan, Ordu killed his master and ran.  Planning to exact revenge, he hid along the road that he knew Edan and his master would be taking to the castle.  While Edan was away from camp and the protection of his Master, he attacked.


    It was a short fight with Edan easily overpowering the crazed Ordu.  Edan had Ordu under him, ready to strike the killing blow when he saw who it was that had attacked.  Surprised, Edan backed off, asking why the other boy would do such a thing.


    Seeing his chance to escape death, Ordu ran off without a word before Edan could do anything else.


    *~*~* End Flashback


    Edan was speechless, he hadn¡¯t even thought of the other mage in years.  The realization that he had triggered these events struck him like a blow to the chest and he took a step back.


    ¡°You should have killed me that day when you had the chance!¡± Ordu laughed as he raised his hands and fire raced towards the stunned Edan.


    Seeing the fire coming at him, Edan snapped out of his daze and dove to the side at the last moment.  Rolling out of the dodge and back to his feet, Edan called a bolt of lightning to strike the other man.  Ordu shielded against the attack with a hysterical laugh and threw yet another blast of fire.  Edan shielded and the fire ripped around him, angry it was unable to reach its intended target.  As the fire moved on to engulf the trees behind him, Edan wondered how the other man had suddenly become so powerful ¨C the last time they had faced each other, he hadn¡¯t had nearly this much power!


    The men traded attacks, Edan slowly working his way closer until he was able to lunge and tackle the other man.  The fell to the ground in a heap, fists flying.  In a matter of minutes, Edan had Ordu pinned, the same as he had when they were younger.  This time, his opponent was not a surprise to Edan and he delivered the final blow he had spared so many years prior.


    As the forest burned around him and with his horse nowhere in sight, Edan spared not even a moment before running into the tent to find Eva in a similar position, but worse condition than the last time.  Her shirt was again cut open, revealing that Ordu had repeated his past actions.  Her pants were cut in several places, her legs were spread open and bleeding from dozens of cuts.


    Seeing blood pouring from a stab wound in her stomach, he immediately went into a healing trance, even before cutting her free from the rope that bound her wrists.  Once the bleeding had stopped and the worst of the physical wounds were healed, Edan cut Eva¡¯s wrists free.  Covering her back up the best he could with what was left of her clothes, he left the unconscious Eva safe in the tent and stepped out to face the fire raging through the forest.


    Calling to the river as he had last time, he managed to contain the fire, but not put it out before his energy failed him and he collapsed to his knees.  Edan made his way back inside the tent, pulled over a chest to lean against, and sat by Eva¡¯s side while waiting for some of his physical and magical energy to return.


    ¡°Edan?¡± Eva¡¯s voice cracked a few hours later.


    Edan sat up, suddenly aware that he had dozed off and it was now dark.  ¡°Eva!¡± he turned to her and grabbed her hand.


    Flinching at the touch, Eva looked at him, barely able to believe he was there.  ¡°He said you¡­¡± she paused as tears began to fall from her eyes.  ¡°That you wouldn¡¯t come.  You didn¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Of course I care!¡± Edan lifted her into a sitting position and hugged her tightly.  A few minutes later, Edan carried Eva out of the tent and started on the path back to his home.  Not knowing where the horse had run off to, he hoped she had made it home without injury.


    He made it to the riverbed, currently dry from his call to the magic to put out the fire, before gently setting Eva down to rest for a minute.  As he was picking her back up to continue on, he heard others in distance making their way towards him.  Recognizing the voices, Edan continued until he saw them.  Radin took Eva from Edan¡¯s arms while Taran supported Edan from the side.

 No More

    Sensing that Eva¡¯s magic was not under her control, Edan set up a makeshift bed in the study and placed her there, where the protective barrier was the strongest in the house, before retiring to his own bed.


    She couldn¡¯t tell what time it was when she awoke, except it had to be some time at night. Looking around, Eva saw that she was on a bed set up in the study and there was no light coming from the window. There was a small fire going in the fireplace and by its light, she could see a plate of food on a chest near where she was laying. At the sight of the food, her stomach grumbled to remind her it had been too long since her last meal.


    The throbbing in her groin matched that in her head. Sitting up slowly and moving within reach of the food, Eva saw that she was still wearing the torn clothes Edan had found her in. Disgust overwhelmed her and she clawed at the clothes to get them off and away from her. Tears streamed down her face as she huddled under the blankets she had been provided and tried to prevent her stomach from rejecting the food she was giving it. Once the pangs of hunger died down, Eva laid back down, cocooned in the blanket.


    Deep within her mind, Eva was standing back next to the well of her magic. It used to be pure white, but now she thought she saw a strand of black flicker here and there. This was from that other mage. Though she tried, there was no way to extract it and the memory bubbles showing him crowded around her.


    Waking up with him on top of her, him again attacking her with both his magic and a knife, him drinking her blood and dropping his in her open mouth, him ripping her clothes apart; it was too much! She turned on the bubbles and tried grabbing them and popping them. That didn¡¯t work. She reached for the magic and tried to pop them with that, but yet they couldn¡¯t be destroyed. Then she saw him standing in front of her.


    The only way to escape them was to hide. She found a dark corner and closed the door that just appeared behind her, blocking away everything.


    Several hours later, Edan entered the room with a fresh plate of food. The old plate finally had a few bites taken from it. He looked over and saw Eva laying in the bed, eyes open, staring at nothing and the torn clothes on the floor by the fireplace as if thrown.


    ¡°Eva, how are you feeling?¡± He knelt down next to her.


    Her eyes flicked to him and then back to nothingness, but he received no other response.


    ¡°You slept for four days,¡± he pressed on. ¡°I see you took off the clothes. Would you like me to send Sirah in with fresh ones to help you clean up and dress?¡± When she continued to not respond, Edan turned her chin to face him. ¡°Snap out of this! Talk to me!¡±


    Still hiding in her own mind, Eva just stared at him blankly but her magic lashed out at him angrily. He easily blocked it, never breaking eye contact.


    ¡°Do you mind if I clean you up and dress you? I can¡¯t allow Sirah in here if you will not even try to control your magic,¡± he sighed.


    Unwilling to allow the others near her, Edan took on the duty of caretaker for Eva. After getting her cleaned and dressed, he sat by her side and just talked. He continued the following day, changing up general conversation with reading books.


    During the afternoon of that second day, Eva sat up on her own and looked at him. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, barely above a whisper.


    Edan had paused in his reading as she sat up and smiled at her words. When she didn¡¯t continue, he picked up reading where he had left off.


    The following morning, Edan walked into the room to find Eva sitting against the wall with her legs crossed and eyes closed, much like the first time he had helped guide her to her magic. Not wanting to disrupt her, he set the food down, picked up a book and sat down to read to himself. He had barely gotten comfortable, however, when he felt Eva¡¯s magic start randomly lashing out like whips being snapped against the ground.


    Having Edan sitting there, talking, reading, even without a response pulled Eva from her dark little corner. Facing her well and the ghost of Ordu once again, she decided that the only way to be rid of him was to stop the magic all together ¨C if there was no magic for him to feed off of, he would disappear. She looked around the room and found a new-looking cover that would fit perfectly over the well. She picked it up, surprised at how light it was, hoping that it would work.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Eva quickly carried the cover to the well, doing her best not to look at the figure next to it, smiling, laughing at her. She placed the cover over the well. It was a perfect fit! Until it flew off, the magic too powerful to be contained so easily. Collecting the cover again, Eva found some large rocks that she piled on top, hoping the extra weight would be enough.


    Again the cover flew off. Another try and Eva found a hammer and nails. Eva was about half way around with the nails and was becoming excited when the cover flew off again, this time the magic flailed about, tentacles whipping around the room.


    The violent reaction of the magic knocked her over, pulling her back to the real world to find a startled Edan standing up from his chair. She sat back up and rubbed at her head where it had hit the floor.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked as he quickly closed the space between them.


    ¡°I¡­was trying to¡­stop my magic,¡± Eva confessed as she stood.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t possible,¡± Edan reached for Eva¡¯s arm to help her stand. Eva pulled away from his touch without thinking.


    ¡°It has to be! There has to be a way to get him out!¡± Eva let the anger take control. ¡°My magic is not pure anymore. He is there, twisting it.¡±


    ¡°Ordu is dead,¡± Edan was confused by Eva¡¯s outburst. ¡°I killed him myself. There is no way for him to be anywhere near you.¡±


    ¡°Inside,¡± Eva yelled. ¡°He forced his blood down my throat and now he is in there, by my well. There is black in my magic, I have to get rid of it!¡±


    Understanding dawned on Edan when she said Ordu had forced his blood on her. ¡°Did he also drink yours?¡± he asked, realizing how Ordu had seemed so strong at the end. ¡°Did he use your magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eva cringed.


    Edan tried to pry more information from Eva to no avail. She refused to talk about what happened so Edan just settled back into reading.


    ''I have to get rid of him. I can''t live like this anymore,'' dark thoughts haunted Eva that night after Edan had retired to his own bed. ''Maybe I just have to be rid of myself. I''m not any closer to making my way home. Hell, I think I''m even forgetting what the boys look like!'' Eva stood up and started pacing the room. ''And I''m just a burden here, having to be rescued all the time and taking up all of Edan''s time. I don''t deserve it. They would all be better if I just left. But I can''t just walk out to the woods; without control of my magic, I''d be a danger to anyone I came across.'' Eva''s thoughts continued to become darker through the night until she had convinced herself there was only one thing to do and it was best for everyone.


    Edan had been restless all morning. He wasn''t sure why, but he ate his breakfast faster than normal and took Eva''s plate to her early. He walked in to find her sitting in front of the fire on her knees. He didn''t see it right away, but after setting the food down and looking at her again, he saw the fire reaching out of the fireplace, just touching her outstretched hands. He sensed her magic pulling at the fire, pulling it closer to her, into her.


    "No!" Edan darted over and pulled her away. "What do you think you were doing? That would have killed you!¡±


    Hurt, anger, and despair flashed across Eva¡¯s face as she realized the door to her escape was just slammed in her face and locked from the other side. Settling on anger, Eva turned on Edan. ¡°That was the point,¡± She snarled. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t have to see him anymore, my magic wouldn¡¯t be a danger to everyone, and I wouldn¡¯t be a burden for you!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, Eva!¡± Edan returned anger for anger. ¡°If you would just control your magic, it wouldn¡¯t be a danger to anyone and who said you were a burden? If I felt you were just a burden, we wouldn¡¯t be here right now. Now give me a chance to help you! Together we can overcome him and banish him from your mind. That is what I was trying to tell you yesterday when you shut me out!¡±


    Her anger sputtered out and she just stared at him, surprise written across her face.


    After a few minutes of a tense silence, Edan abruptly sat down on the floor and held his hands out, palms up, to Eva. Unsure what he wanted, she slowly reached out and took his hands. He pulled her down so she was sitting on the floor facing him and closed his eyes. Following his example, Eva found herself back next to her well, this time with Edan by her side.


    ¡°How?¡± She asked, surprised to see him there.


    ¡°Magic,¡± he winked at her, a smirk playing on his lips. ¡°Now, let¡¯s deal with him.¡± Allowing Edan full control of the situation, Eva watched as he carefully pulled the fire in and used it to burn the specter of Ordu and burn away the tainted strands in her magic. Without his presence, the memory bubbles of Ordu backed off, going to mingle with the rest. Grabbing one before it could float out of reach, Eva offered it up for Edan to burn as well, but the bubble remained untouched.


    His task finished, Edan opened his eyes and released Eva¡¯s hands. ¡°Now, before you leave, reestablish your control,¡± he instructed before Eva opened her eyes.


    The two of them spent the morning in the study, Eva working to reestablish her control of her magic with Edan guiding her, explaining what she needed to do. When it was time for lunch, Eva was back in control so they took lunch with the others. After the meal, Edan took Eva outside to walk in the sun and fresh air. He didn¡¯t pry for her story, he had seen how dark and painful those memories were, but allowed her to decide the direction of their conversation.


    *~*~*


    The hooded figure, known as The Voice, paced their room, infuriated at Ordu¡¯s incompetence. He had been told that the girl was not for him, yet he still tried to take her. He had died for his pains, but that was the only consolation the Voice had. They hadn¡¯t even been able to deliver the punishment themselves.


    But what was done was done and now they needed to find another servant for the Masters. Then they remembered the man that had run during the first attack ¨C the masters could easily give him powers and they could use him to fulfill their plans. The only thing needed was to find him and bring him to the masters.

 Summons

    The next two months for Eva were filled with learning what she could do with magic and growing stronger in her use of it. During that time, she discovered that she was able to use her magic to charge her phone, enabling her to see pictures of her kids.


    Edan continued to search for answers both on how to send her back home and how she had ended up there in the first place. Having exhausted his resources, he was about to send a letter to the King requesting access to the library in the palace when a message arrived from the King.


    Arriving late afternoon, Sirah refused to find Lord Edan until the man had agreed to stay the night and taken a minute to sit down. Once she was satisfied, Sirah found Edan and informed him of their visitor waiting in the front reception room.


    After meeting with the messenger, Edan led the man to a spare bedroom to rest and went to find Sirah. ¡°I have been summoned to King Kyden¡¯s side. I do not know the details why, so don¡¯t ask. I will be taking Eva with me, but the rest of you will remain here unless it turns into an extended stay. Please help Eva pack for the trip, I will go tell her about it now.¡±


    The King¡¯s messenger had departed early the following day with Edan and Eva following him a few hours later.


    ¡°How long did you say it will take to get to the castle again, My Lord?¡± Eva asked when they stopped for lunch, stretching stiff muscles. They had already passed through the first town and expected to reach the next one in a couple of hours.


    ¡°Three days.¡± Edan laughed at the look of dread that crossed Eva¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to the riding quickly enough. Didn¡¯t you say you rode before?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it has been over ten years,¡± Eva looked at the horse, Ruby, dubiously, rubbing at her legs.


    After they finished their meal, they continued on, passing through the second town Edan had told her about before stopping in a third town. That night, they found a tavern with overnight rooms and Edan found a room with two beds.


    The second day of their journey led them out of the forest they had been traveling through and into farmland spread across low, rolling hills. Eva could see a random house in the distance and every once in a while someone in the field. They stopped for lunch in the first town they reached but continued on into mountainous foothills until they made it to the next town just after dark. That night they found another tavern to stay in, this time with separate rooms.


    The third day of their journey, Eva could barely move as they got up and went for breakfast. Laughing, Edan reassured her that they would reach the castle that day. They set out shortly after sunrise and, following the road, came upon a river about two hours later as they made their way into the mountains.


    About an hour of following the river led them to a sharp curve in the road and when they rounded the corner, the city was directly in front of them, barely more than a kilometer away.


    Suddenly, as if they had just walked through some kind of barrier, the scents and sounds of a bustling city reached them. Eva could smell food, drinks, flowers and all sorts of scents all mixed together as they approached. She could hear what sounded like hundreds of people talking in the distance. Books and movies from back home prepared Eva for either a bustling marketplace or small, dirty houses just inside the city gates, so she was expecting just as much.


    But she was not expecting and was most mesmerized by the walls. They looked to be made of stone, but had a deep blue shimmer in the sunlight. Above the city wall, Eva could see the castle overlooking the city. The wall around the castle had a rose gold shimmer while the castle itself had a deep red shimmer.


    As they approached the city, Edan suddenly turned down a path, back into the trees, cutting off the sights and sounds of the city just beyond.


    "But-" Eva looked between the city and him questioningly.


    "You will see. Now, follow me." Edan smiled and continued on.


    Following the path, they approached the city walls again, but this time it was much quieter as there were only a few people around. Edan showed his letter to the guards and the two were waved through and made their way through the city streets to the castle.


    Edan chuckled at her look of awe and explained that they had entered through the Noble¡¯s Gate because he was not in the mood for the markets crowding the other gate.


    As they approached the castle, Edan again pulled out the letter he had received and showed it to the guards who then waved him by. They took the horses to the stables and walked the remainder of the way to the castle itself.


    Seeing Eva staring at the beautiful castle, Edan told her that the shimmer was a magic effect and they could change it for special events or even remove it if the need arose.


    They were greeted by a doorman who summoned a servant when shown the letter. The servant, a boy of no more than twelve, led them through several corridors until they arrived at a guests¡¯ suite.


    The boy unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a comfortable sitting room. There was a large sofa in the center facing the left wall which held an elegant fireplace. Against the right wall stood a small bookshelf and writing table. A couple of comfortable looking chairs were placed near the window, perfect for curling up with a great book, Eva thought. The rug covering the floor was thick and shimmered blue like the city wall.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    As Edan and Eva stepped through, the boy handed Edan the key and told him how to summon a guide if needed and that someone would be by to guide them to dinner when the time came. Edan thanked the boy and closed the door behind him.


    An open door in the wall to the left revealed a spacious bedroom. Eva looked through the doorway and saw a bed that looked to be bigger than even the king size she was familiar with back home. In one corner stood what had to be a closet, several times larger than the one she was used to. There was also a small vanity table with a matching chair next to the closet. All three items were painted the same pure white with gold trim. The rug in the bedroom was like the one in the sitting room except the same beautiful red as the outside of the castle. Through one final door in the bedroom, Eva found the washroom, looking more refined than the one Edan had, but still not the same as what she knew from before.


    Edan smiled as Eva took in the luxurious rooms, her eyes as wide as possible. "Do you like it?" He asked.


    "So gorgeous!" was all Eva could say at first.


    The next hour was spent with them taking turns in the washroom to clean up and putting on fresh clothes. Edan had his own clothes that he had brought with him that were up to the standards of a court visit, but since he had never had a wife, he didn''t have anything for Eva. Summoning a servant while Eva bathed, Edan explained the problem and a seamstress arrived shortly after with a pile of gowns in various colors and sizes.


    Eva walked out of the washroom, wearing the nicest dress that Sirah had given her and hoping it was enough, when she saw Edan talking to another woman in the sitting room. Seeing the other woman''s dress, Eva knew the one she wore would not suffice. Suddenly self-conscious about it, she ducked back into the washroom, hoping she hadn''t been seen.


    Edan had seen her though and went to the door. "Eva? Please come back out. Rhun is here for you. She is a seamstress and needs to see you if she''s going to make you any new dresses."


    "Oh," Eva slowly opened the door and stepped out. "I''m sorry, My Lord."


    Edan led her to Rhun who had her stand on a stool. She quickly got to work taking measurements and holding different colors next to Eva''s face. When she seemed satisfied with her notes, she turned to the pile of gowns she had brought with her and pulled one out. Handing it to Eva, she directed her to change so she could see it on her.


    Eva took the gown to the bedroom and changed. When she returned, it was Edan''s turn to be in awe. The light pink dress hugged her torso, accentuating her curves. The sleeves hugged her arms until the elbow where they opened up and flowed loosely around her arms. The full skirt hovered just above the floor and moved around her like water as she walked over to him. Embellished with lace and crystals, the gown sparkled in the light as she spun around to show him the entire thing.


    "That will suffice for now. You will have two more by morning and the other three by day''s end," Rhun declared, looking Eva up and down with a critical eye. She then gathered up her supplies and the other dresses she had brought with her and left the two alone in the room.


    "Thank you, my Lord," Eva said as she twirled around in the gown. "Do you think it would go with this dress if I were to put my hair in a half-up, half-down bun? I really don''t know any fancy hairstyles - especially anything that would truly complement this dress."


    Edan assured her that she need not worry - they had full access to the castle staff, including someone to put her hair up properly and someone to apply makeup. As he was saying just that, there was a knock on the door.


    When Edan opened it, two young girls curtsied and, giggling, introduced themselves as Ariann and Lira, the ones sent to assist Lady Evailia in preparing for the evening. Edan moved to the side to allow them in the room and they bounded in, sweeping Eva up between them as they made their way into the bedroom.


    Sooner than he had expected, Eva walked out of the bedroom, seeming unsure of the results. "What do you think, my Lord?"


    "Breathtaking," Edan said.


    "I look like I fit in now, hopefully I can act like it." Eva said, as much to herself as to Edan.


    "You will be fine. And if you are not comfortable, you don''t have to talk to anyone." Edan put his arm around her waist and led her to the door where a servant was waiting to guide them to the dining hall.


    When they entered the hall, everyone was gathered into groups, talking. Edan made his way across the room, greeting this person and that until he stopped at a group of five near the front of the room. He quickly went around the circle and introduced each to Eva; Sir Eli and Lady Sevina, now married, Talwar and Rawlet, the twins, and Lady Kilarra. Eva greeted each before allowing her attention to wander about the room.


    There were enormous tapestries covering the walls depicting scenes of battle mixed in with scenes of feasts and images of mythological creatures such as unicorns and fairies. Tables lined the walls with everyone standing in the open center. At the very front of the room was a raised dais with an elegant table that Eva guessed would be where the King sat.


    "You''re new here." Kilarra popped into Eva''s line of sight, a grin reaching from one ear to the other.


    Startled out of her reverie, Eva stuttered, "Y-yes."


    "That wasn''t a question, Lady Evailia," Kilarra giggled. "What country are you from? How did you meet Lord Edan? Are you two, you know?" She asked in quick succession.


    When Kilarra asked about Edan, Eva glanced his way and blushed before quickly looking away. "I-I am from another world actually. And Lord Edan was kind enough to take me in."


    Before Lady Kilarra could bombard Eva with any further questions, the King arrived and it was time for everyone to be seated for the meal. As they sat down, Kilarra made sure to sit next to Eva and continued to rain questions on her through the meal - about what her world was like, what the people were like, if there was magic, how things were done without magic, and everything else she could think of.


    Eva did her best to answer as well as throw in questions of her own about Kilarra. Before the meal was over, the two women were talking and giggling like old friends.


    After the meal, the group went for a walk through the castle gardens. As they walked along, Edan''s friends slowly disappeared, starting with Lord Eli and Lady Sevina. Kilarra made an excuse to wander off next and the twins just melted into the background as they walked.


    Once he was satisfied that they were alone, Edan stopped where he was and pulled Eva close to him. Before she had a chance to say anything, he turned her face up to his and gave her a kiss. He was happy when she closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. As he opened his eyes, he slowly loosened his grip on her, but didn''t let her go completely.


    "My Lord?" Eva wasn''t sure how to react.


    "Eva, I want you to stay here. With me." Edan searched her eyes for a matching desire. "I love you."


    "But," Eva didn''t know what to say. She wasn''t sure how she felt. "I need to get back to my kids. But I-I love you, too." She said the last as it dawned even on her, a blush rushing to her cheeks. Eva looked into his eyes as she repeated, "I love you too," barely above a whisper.


    Edan smiled as he pulled her back in as close as possible and leaned down for another kiss. They spent the rest of the night enjoying each other''s company, not worrying about anything else.

 Business

    It had been two months since Ordu had messed everything up.  The Voice had just recently found their new target - the man that had run from Ordu''s camp during the first fight - and just needed the time to approach him and show him to the Masters.  A couple days later, Lord Edan received a summons from the King and headed off with Eva in tow.  This was the perfect time to take care of business.


    The Voice waited until the third night Edan was gone and snuck out as soon as everyone was in bed.  Using magic to track the man, The Voice was able to find him in a matter of hours.


    "Moron- er, Morloc" The Voice appeared seemingly out of nowhere in front of the dirty man poking at a small fire.


    At the sudden appearance, the man fell backwards, landing heavily on his backside. "Wha''? Who ya?"


    "I am The Voice.  Ordu was working for me and the Masters before he met his untimely death.  I am here to give you the opportunity to wield magic and pick up the task that he left unfinished." The Voice explained.


    At the mention of being given power, Morloc''s eyes lit up gleefully and he quickly agreed.


    The Voice held out their hand and cut a thin slice down the middle of their palm.  Holding their hand over the small fire, they allowed the blood to drip down until it sizzled and red smoke rose.  "Masters, I, The Voice, have a new servant for you to test.  If you deem him worthy, give him your power and he will do your bidding."


    The smoke formed into the shape of a man''s face hovering above the fire.  "Do you swear fealty to the Masters until the day you die?  To do as you are told and work our will?"


    Speechless at the magical display before him, Morloc simply nodded so hard The Voice thought his head might fall off.  Suddenly, Morloc burst into flames.  As the flames died out, the man lay still on the ground, dead, unable to handle the power the Masters had tried to give him.


    "Curses!" The Voice spat.  "He would have been easier to control than a true mage."


    "Good try, but he just couldn''t handle it," the face in the smoke turned towards The Voice.  "You will be joining Lord Edan in the capital soon.  You will be able to find those to do our bidding easily enough there."


    The face in the smoke vanished and The Voice put out the small fire and walked away, leaving the dead Morloc where he lay.


    *~*~* Break


    It was the day after they had arrived and Edan woke up to a knock on the door.  When he got up and made his way there, he was greeted by a castle servant carrying a tray of food for their breakfast.  Edan accepted the tray and the servant promptly vanished down the hall.  Edan arranged the food on the writing table and took what he wanted to sit in one of the large chairs and contemplate the prior evening.


    A little later, Eva walked out of the bedroom still wearing her nightshirt and her hair tousled.  "Good morning, my Lord...I mean, Edan." Eva blushed.  Edan pointed out the tray of food and Eva selected some items for her breakfast and sat down in the chair opposite Edan.  ¡°Do you know when you will have an audience with the King?¡±


    ¡°No.  It could be today, tomorrow, the day after ¨C it depends on when he has the time,¡± Edan answered.  ¡°But while we are here, we will still continue your lessons.  And there is a library here we should be able to look through for information.¡±


    They had just began a lesson in magic when there was another knock at the door.  Edan answered to find two people waiting.  One was carrying the dresses promised by the seamstress for Eva, along with an outfit for him, and the other was a messenger from the King.  He was to meet the King in his private audience chamber in two hours.


    ¡°There we go.  Here, put on this dress and I will take you to the library while I meet with the King,¡± Edan selected one of the dresses that had been brought and handed it to Eva.


    As Eva was putting on the dress, Edan summoned a servant to lead them to the library and then take him to the King.


    *~*~* Break


    The library was the largest Eva had ever seen.  It reached at least three stories high and out as far as she could see.  Edan left her with the library¡¯s keeper and left for his meeting with the King.  Eva asked the Keeper to guide her to the books that covered magic and spells, thinking to look there for a way to return to her kids.


    As they were walking past the history section, a painting on the wall caught Eva¡¯s eye and she suddenly had an urge to look through the history books instead.  ¡°Can you tell me, who is that woman?¡± Eva pointed at the painting that had caught her attention.


    ¡°That is the Lost Queen,¡± the Keeper replied.  ¡°Legends say that around 500 years ago the country was under attack and about to fall.  She had done everything in her power to save the kingdom from the invaders but it was not enough.  As the invaders reached the great hall where she sat, a bright light enveloped her and she vanished before they could take her or kill her.  No one knows where she went.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.  I¡¯m going to look through the history books instead.¡± Eva said as she followed the pull she felt.  Fine with whatever she wanted to look at, the Keeper simply told her the instructions for removing a book for the shelf and pointed out the table she could sit at to look through it.  Eva followed the pull until she was standing in front of a section of older books.  She carefully removed one and took it to the table the Keeper had indicated.


    The book she had selected showed signs of charring and seemed to be missing several pages.  Turning to the first page, Eva discovered that she was looking at a personal journal.  Around torn and burnt pages, Eva was able to make out that the journal had belonged to that of a court Mage during the reign of Queen Breena the second.  It didn¡¯t say explicitly, but Eva gathered that the owner of the journal had not only been a mage in the Queen¡¯s court, but also her lover.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Flipping through pages that she could only make out a word or two on, Eva found a couple pages that were in strangely better condition.  She stopped and read the few passages she could make out:


    The end is coming, I can feel it.  The mages from Bantar have a strange magic that is too powerful for us to defeat ¨C like their Gods are fighting with them!  But it is too late to change the course of events as they are about to play out.  The queen is pregnant with our child, she doesn¡¯t know it yet, but I felt the child¡¯s presence beginning to grow a week ago now.


    We received the battle reports from the field today ¨C defeat.  The queen cried and was angry that she hadn¡¯t been out there.  But it wouldn¡¯t have mattered ¨C she would have just lost her own life had she been on the field.  Along with that of our child.  I still have not told her about the child she carries, but the child would be very powerful if they were to have had a chance in this world.


    I spent the rest of yesterday looking for a way to save my Queen¡¯s life and found one way.  My Gods have agreed with the plan so I will be enacting it as the invaders arrive to the palace.  I will be sending Queen Breena and our child through time and space to another world.  I wish I could accompany them, but the one that opens the portal cannot step through.  So I will gladly sacrifice my life for hers.  She will not know what I am doing until it is done ¨C there is no way she would agree to this plan ¨C it¡¯s too close to running away for her, but I love her too much to let her stay here and die.


    There were no other entries after that last passage and Eva just sat there, staring at the pages.  ¡®Could this Queen have been mother?¡¯ Eva¡¯s thoughts returned slowly.  Eva looked again at the painting labeled Queen Breena the second.  It had caught her eye at first because it looked like her mother, and now, after reading the journal, Eva couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the woman pictured didn¡¯t just resemble her mother, but was her mother.


    ¡®But that would mean,¡¯ Eva¡¯s thoughts swirled.  Her mother had never told her anything about her father besides that he had abandoned them.  Eva wondered, had her mother not died when she was only thirteen years old, would she have told her about her father and this world?  ¡°Oh, Eva!  Stop your dreaming.  This Queen lived about five HUNDRED years ago,¡± Eva snapped out of her reverie.  ¡°There is no way mother was that old.  But the journal said ¡®through time and space¡¯¡­so what if.¡±


    ¡°My Lady, do you need any assistance?¡± The Keeper popped around the corner, making Eva jump in her seat.  ¡°I heard you talking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m fine.¡± Eva answered.  Before the Keeper could leave, Eva changed her mind.  ¡°Actually, can you help me find any books that cover the Kingdom¡¯s history during the time immediately after Queen Breena¡¯s disappearance?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lady, but there are none.  The Kingdom was under the control of evil mages from Bantar.  Only a few relics managed to survive the destruction they brought with them, like that picture.  They didn¡¯t allow the recording of any history during their reign so there is no information until the time they were defeated.¡±  The Keeper replied sadly.


    Eva no longer felt the pull of magic, but asked to keep the journal for the duration of their visit to the capital.  When the Keeper agreed, Eva tucked it against her and moved on to the books concerning magic.


    *~*~* Break


    ¡°My King,¡± Edan bowed as he was escorted into the King¡¯s chamber.  The room was cozy, with an expansive window behind a large, solid oak desk.  A fireplace with an elegant marble mantle was set into the wall to the right of the desk while two inviting chairs faced it and the King behind it.


    ¡°Lord Edan.  Please have a seat.¡± King Kyden greeted.  ¡°We have much to discuss.¡±  As Edan took his seat, Kyden continued.  ¡°But first, how have you been?  You arrived with a pretty lady by your side ¨C I was not expecting that.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Your Majesty, had your messenger not arrived the day he had, I would have been writing to you asking for an audience and for use of your library on her behalf,¡± Edan answered.  He then went on to explain how Eva had arrived and her desire to return home to her children.


    Kyden listened to the story quietly, thoughtful as Edan went on, ¡°I wonder if her appearance has anything to do with the reason I summoned you here,¡± he said when Edan had finished.


    Kyden then explained that he sensed trouble on the Northern borders.  He wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but he feared it was just as powerful as the force Queen Breena the second had faced before her disappearance.  As the strongest mage in the Kingdom, he wanted Edan to look into the disturbances and, if necessary, summon the Mage¡¯s Council to deal with the threat.


    ¡°There is something else, is there not, my King?¡± Edan narrowed his eyes on the other man.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kyden sighed.  ¡°As you know, I have no children.  Normally this wouldn¡¯t be a problem for a man my age, but next winter could be my last.¡±  Edan sat silent, shocked at the news.  Kyden continued on, ¡°The healers have promised to make sure I am able to function as long as possible and that I am not able to pass it to anyone else, but they were not able to heal me.


    I have had a dream that someone who is a direct descendent of one of the ancient lines will be revealed soon.  If this turns out to be simply wishful thinking rather than a message sent by our Gods, it will be up to you and the council to select the next ruler.¡±  Kyden finished and sat quietly, waiting for Edan¡¯s response.


    They sat quietly for several minutes before Edan nodded and asked to be excused to prepare.


    *~*~* Break


    Eva was still hunched over a book, looking through the pages when Edan walked up.  ¡°Have you had any luck yet?¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Eva jumped and spun around.  ¡°My Lord!  You scared me.  And no,¡± she turned back to the book she had been looking at and put it away.  ¡°How was your meeting with the King?¡±


    ¡°Interesting.  Let¡¯s go for a little walk.¡± Edan held out his arm for her.  Eva grabbed the journal that she wanted to hold onto before accepting Edan¡¯s arm.  ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°A journal I found that I want to hold onto while we are here.¡±  Eva explained.


    The two walked along quietly, enjoying the peace until they reached the gardens.  Walking the paths outside, Edan told Eva what Kyden had said about trouble in the north and the need to investigate it.  Eva found a bench to sit and show Edan the journal she had found.


    When Edan didn¡¯t seem to understand the importance of the journal after reading the passages Eva had pointed out, she explained, ¡°My mother¡¯s name was Breeanne.  All she ever told me about my father was that he abandoned us.  The more I think about it, the more I remember her telling me stories of a far off land; I had always thought they were just made up, but I¡¯m starting to think she was telling me her history.¡±


    Kyden¡¯s words about an heir from an ancient ruler flashed into Edan¡¯s mind.


    ¡°But even if that connection isn¡¯t right, now I have proof that travel between this world and the one I grew up in is possible.  I have to find the way,¡± Eva continued.  ¡°I would also like to know who pulled me here, why they did, and most importantly, how.¡±


    ¡°But if your mother truly is the ancient Queen, then you will be needed here,¡± Edan was trying to put his thoughts together.


    ¡°Why?  You have a King.  Even if I am right about her being my mother, that was about five hundred years ago,¡± Eva reminded him.  ¡°And I can¡¯t help with any threat that might or might not be the same.  I wasn¡¯t actually here when she faced it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Edan turned back to the journal in his hands.  He had to figure out if Eva was right about her mother.  The Kingdom depended on it.  But what would he do if she was but still refused to give up her goal of returning to the other world?

 Memories

    Lord Edan had been gone for a week when a second messenger from the King arrived at the house.  With Lord Edan not there, Sirah accepted the message.  Edan was requesting that she send Mila and Alik to attend him at the castle while she, Radin, and Taran remained home to tend to the house and daily business.  The messenger had arrived with both of their horses in tow, so Mila and Alik were not left walking.


    ¡®This is what the master was talking about the other night.  I wonder, how did he know?¡¯ The Voice thought to themselves when Sirah told them they were to travel to the castle.


    Edan and Eva had moved to a larger suite when it was determined that they would be staying longer than originally planned.  The new suite included two small bedrooms, one for Mila and one for Alik, and a separate study for Edan to do the work that was being asked of him.


    By the time Mila and Alik arrived, there was a palpable tension between Eva and Edan.  They had been able to verify that Eva¡¯s mother was, indeed, the ancient Queen Breena the second.  Edan had told her about Kyden¡¯s health and premonition and was insisting that she stay and help the Kingdom.  Eva accepted the fact that her mother was the Queen and felt bad about the current state of affairs, but insisted that she still return to her own children as soon as possible.


    One afternoon, about a month after she had first arrived at the castle, Eva was looking through a book in the library when she came across a spell that would lock away unwanted memories.  When she saw it, she glanced at the phone she always kept nearby.  ¡®I have been here for nearly six months now and still am not any closer to returning.  If I can lock away the memories, maybe I could be happy just staying here with Edan.¡¯  She decided to take the book with her so she could consider her options and study the book further.


    A few days after finding the book, Eva decided to go for it.  The book said that the person the spell was used on may not remember it so with that in mind, Eva wrote a note for Edan explaining what she was going to do and why she was doing it.  Starting early in the morning, she sat on the bed with the book in front of her and went over the instructions one final time.  Once she was satisfied that she knew what to do, she placed her folded letter on top of the book, picked up her phone, and fell into a trance.


    She was back in the room standing next to her well.  Memory bubbles were drifting around, replaying everything from her life.  Eva reached out with her sense to find the phone and once she had, called all the memories of the kids to her so she could funnel them into the phone.  Before passing each bubble on, she inspected it to make sure it was one with the boys and pushed any that weren¡¯t back up to continue floating around.


    It felt like it had taken hours, but Eva was finally sure that she had captured all the memories and laid a seal on the phone.  As long as she left it turned off, the memories that caused her so much pain and heartache would no longer bother her.


    She opened her eyes and look down at the phone in her hands.  Normally she would turn it on, but she had the strongest feeling telling her not to so she set it aside.  Having forgotten what she was doing, Eva went to find Edan, leaving the book on the bed, open to the last page she had looked at.


    ¡°Edan,¡± Eva popped her head into the study where Edan was working.  ¡°Do you have a minute?¡±


    Looking up, annoyed at being interrupted, Edan asked her to wait until he had finished the task he was in the middle of.  When he had finished, he walked out of the study to find Eva sitting by the window, just admiring view.  ¡°Yes, Eva?¡±


    Without turning away from the window, ¡°I was going to ask if you remembered what I was supposed to be researching in the library today ¨C I can¡¯t seem to remember.  But sitting here thinking, I remembered that a few weeks ago you had said something about me and the King having some sort of connection ¨C I can¡¯t remember what it was right now, but I realized that I haven¡¯t yet met the King.  If we have some sort of connection, shouldn¡¯t I meet him?¡±  Eva finally turned to gaze up at Edan.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±  Edan all but yelled.  ¡°You¡¯ve been doing your own research in the library.  And I¡¯ve tried to get you to meet with the King, but you have always refused because you didn¡¯t¡¯ think it was worth it since you weren¡¯t planning on staying here longer than you had to.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Eva turned towards the window again.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my Lord.  I seem to have forgotten.¡±


    ¡°What did you do this morning?¡± Edan was suspicious of her sudden forgetfulness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Eva looked back to him.  ¡°I remember waking up this morning, but then I don¡¯t know what happened until I found myself sitting on the bed with my phone in my hands.  I wanted to turn it on ¨C I guess more out of habit than anything ¨C but couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so.  So I set it down and came to find you because I know I was supposed to be looking for something in the library but can¡¯t remember what.¡±


    Edan went into the bedroom and returned with the book that Eva had been looking at previously.  Reading the note Eva had left and the page with the instructions on how to lock away memories, understanding dawned on him.  ¡°Eva, do you remember anything about your life before coming here?¡±


    Eva thought back and explained that she remembered everything pretty well until about ten years prior.  After that, she could only remember bits and pieces clearly.  Other things were fuzzy and a lot of it seemed to be completely forgotten.  She remembered most of everything since she had arrived at his house, but even then, some things were fuzzy or, like that morning, blank.


    Sitting in the chair opposite Eva, Edan quietly contemplated what this would mean.  ¡°Do you still desire to return to the world you grew up in?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Eva replied, ¡°No.¡±


    *~*~* Break


    Edan didn¡¯t require much of Mila or Alik.  He had requested they come to the castle as much for their help as to give them the opportunity to see the castle and the city.  Alik spent his mornings tending to their horses and helping around, learning from the others.  Mila spent her mornings making sure the living quarters were tidy and learning from the castle staff.  They both had the afternoons off and could spend them how they pleased.


    The Voice was enjoying the time in the city.  Each afternoon, they went down to walk the streets and observe the people to see if they could find any decent recruits.


    The tension between Edan and Eva was also perfect.  With Eva¡¯s emerging powers, the Masters had said either to bring her to their side or be rid of her by assisting her return.  Either course of action would be much easier with the two of them not getting along.


    As the weeks went by, the Voice fed the tension, making a comment here to Eva about how unfair Edan was being or a comment there to Edan about how Eva didn¡¯t actually care about anyone besides herself.  Things were going great until one day Eva seemed to have just forgotten everything.  When everyone gathered in the sitting room for lunch, Edan explained that Eva had decided she no was no longer going to try and leave.


    That afternoon, while down walking around town, the Voice was quietly seething.  They found a small pub and sat in the corner to go over the situation and come up with ways to make it work.  When the Voice was about halfway done with their drink, an older man walked in with a sword on his hip.  This man wasn¡¯t from the city if he was carrying his weapon around ¨C the Voice wondered if he was any good with that sword.  The Voice waved the man over and paid for his drink and food.


    ¡°I¡¯n¡¯t it a bit hot to be werin¡¯ a cloak like that¡¯un?¡± The man asked as he sat down.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the Voice replied.  ¡°What is your line of profession, my good man?¡±


    ¡°Sell sword,¡± he answered around the food in his mouth.


    ¡°Good, I would like to hire you then.¡±  The plan formed quickly in the Voice¡¯s head and they spelled out what they required of the man.  Once he agreed and they settled on a price, the Voice handed him a ring the masters had given them and explained that it had to be kept covered until the time to use it came.  After the man agreed, the Voice returned to the castle to prepare.


    *~*~* Break


    The day after Eva lost her memories, Edan took her to see the King.  Edan had met with Kyden the prior afternoon to explain what Eva had done and discuss what they should do next so he was not unaware of Eva¡¯s lost memories.


    ¡°Good Morning, Lady Evailia,¡± Kyden greeted as the servant escorted them into the room.  ¡°How are you feeling this day?¡±


    ¡°Good Morning, Majesty.¡± Eva curtsied.  ¡°I am great this morning, thank you for asking.  And how are you?¡±


    ¡°I am wonderful!  And very happy that you have finally agreed to meet,¡± Kyden motioned for Eva and Edan to each take a seat.


    After a bit more small talk, Edan placed Eva¡¯s phone on the desk in front of her.  Eva looked between it and him, unsure of why he had done that.  He then handed her the note she had written before her spell.  ¡°We want to make sure that you know what you did and give you the option to undo it.  If you choose to stick with the decision you made, we will honor that, but do not want this to be something you are unaware of.¡±


    Eva read over the note and looked at the phone again.  After a moment¡¯s thought, Eva shook her head.  ¡°I locked away memories that were painful and causing trouble.  I do not want to remember, at least not right now.  Maybe in the future, but I just want to be happy for now.¡±


    Edan looked at Kyden who nodded and tucked the phone and letter away safely.


    Kyden then asked Eva about her mother ¨C what she had been like, if the pictures of her really did look like her, what had happened to her.  He then moved on to Eva herself ¨C what her life had been like, what her mother had told her about their world, what she wanted to do with the rest of her life now.


    By the time Kyden had run out of questions, the servants informed them all that it was time to prepare for the evening meal.

 Sell Sword

    Edan spent the next few days in Kyden¡¯s study, planning how they would proceed.  Since Eva no longer had a need to spend all her time in the library, she spent her time with Lady Kilarra learning more about the country and hearing all the gossip.


    One afternoon, Eva decided to go down around the city with Mila and Alik.  Since Alik had different interests in the city than the women, he broke off to do his own thing.  Eva allowed Mila to show her where to find the best food and her favorite shops.  The shopkeepers were friendly as Eva browsed through the jewelry at one stand or the scents at another.


    Mila was in a shop that Eva had little interest in when a little boy approached Eva, asking for some help.  Expecting it to be quick, Eva followed the boy down an ally.


    Mila had left Eva standing just outside while she purchased a small trinket.  She walked back out, ready to show Eva the trinket but couldn¡¯t find her anywhere.  After searching frantically for several minutes, a little girl approached and tugged at her skirt.


    ¡°I seen,¡± the girl said solemnly and held out her hand.  When Mila placed a coin in her hand, she quickly tucked it away and led Mila to the ally that Eva had been taken down.  ¡°Tak¡¯n.¡±  The little girl then ran off into the crowd.


    Mila, knowing that she couldn¡¯t do anything alone, ran back to the castle and demanded to see Lord Edan immediately ¨C Lady Evailia¡¯s life depended on it.


    *~*~* Break


    As Mila made a commotion in the streets running back to the castle, the Voice couldn¡¯t help but think how perfect this plan was working out.  The sell sword would kill Edan and bring Eva to them to take to the masters!


    *~*~* Break


    Her head pounded as she began to come to.  ¡®What happened?¡¯  The last thing Eva could remember was following the little boy into the ally.  Then a sharp pain in the back of her head.  She tried to move and found that her ankles were bound together and her hands were bound behind her back.  A thick piece of cloth was tied around her mouth, preventing her from screaming.  Flashbacks of Ordu hit and she began struggling against the bonds as her heart pounded in her chest.


    ¡°Tahk!¡± A man ordered from somewhere behind where she lay on the floor.  He then walked over and grabbed her by the hair to turn her face towards his.  Once she stopped struggling, he let her go and walked away.


    Doing her best to overcome her panic, Eva reached for her magic to undo the bonds so she could escape.  But when she tried to find it, there was a barrier over the mouth of the well preventing her from being able to use it.  She sat there trying to figure out what the barrier was from when it suddenly vanished.  Unsure what had caused it in the first place and not willing to waste her chance, Eva quickly used her magic to untie the ropes around her wrists and ankles.


    Watching to make sure the man¡¯s back was still to her, Eva quickly got up as quietly as she could and tried to take him by surprise by throwing magic energy at him like she had done against Ordu, but much more controlled, and running towards the door.  But when the magical attacks got within a few meters of him, they vanished as if they had never been.  He turned and stepped in her path to the door and once she was within those same few meters, the barrier was again over her magic.


    She tried to dodge around him, but he was quicker and grabbed her arm.  ¡°Ahhhh!¡± She screamed as the ring he wore burned her upon contact.  Taken by surprise, she collapsed to the floor as he let go, clutching at her arm.  Frowning, he looked at the ring on his hand and shrugged.  As she tried to still make her way to the exit, he grabbed her again and threw her against the back wall.  Hitting the wall hard, she crumpled in a heap, seemingly unconscious.


    The person that had identified themselves as the Voice had told him that the ring would prevent the mages from using their magic.  They hadn¡¯t said anything about a limited distance, but he knew now.  With the girl now lying unconscious next to the wall, it was time to prepare for her rescuer.  The Voice said he should be easy enough to kill without his magic and then he was to take the girl to a meeting point outside the city walls ¨C easy enough.


    Eva lay still for several minutes until the man walked out of range again.  Knowing that magical attacks wouldn¡¯t be able to hit him directly, Eva looked around to see if she could throw any objects.  She saw that she was in a warehouse of some sort with large creates and barrels piled everywhere.  She lifted one of the crates just a few centimeters to see how hard it would be.  She could feel the weight, but it wasn¡¯t too much for her to throw with magic. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    With as little movement as she could manage, Eva flung the crate at the man, followed by several others.  He managed to dodge the first couple, but one eventually hit him in the back, knocking him on his face.  When he went down, Eva kept dropping crates and barrels until there was no more movement.  She held one last crate over where he lay as she made her way towards the exit.  Once she was as close as she could be before having to enter the range of the ring, she set the crate down gently and bolted for the door.


    She threw the door open, still running, and crashed right into Edan.  The two tumbled to the ground as the guards around them jumped out of the way.  Not aware who it was she had crashed into, Eva struggled to return to her feet and continue her escape.  When she realized who it was though, she stopped her scrambling and threw her arms around his neck.


    Edan was just as surprised to see Eva barreling out the door as she had been to see him.  She quickly told him about the ring and showed the burn on her arm.  The guards carefully entered the warehouse to find the man still unconscious, barely alive.  They quickly removed the weapons he was carrying and searched for any hidden ones.  During their search, they found the bag the ring had originally been kept in and slipped it off the man¡¯s finger and into the bag.


    Once it was in the bag, its effect on magic ceased.  Edan took possession of it and walked with Eva back to the castle as the guards took the man into custody.


    *~*~* Break


    Watching Edan¡¯s arrival and the immediate aftermath from a safe distance, the Voice cursed under their breath.  ¡°Curse that man!  Curse the Masters!  Curse the Gods!  Curse everyone!¡±  They knew it was risky, but were hoping Edan wouldn¡¯t be able to take the sell sword without his magic to aid him.  They had never expected Eva to manage to escape without help.


    As the group started back towards the castle, the Voice blended into the crowds and made their way back before anyone would know they had been missing.


    That night, after inquiring where the man was being kept, they slipped down into the dungeon to speak with him.  When the man demanded to be gotten out of there, threatening to tell everyone about them, the Voice slid a small dagger through his neck, silencing him for good.


    *~*~* Break


    That evening, the court was buzzing with the news of what had happened that day.  Everyone wanted a chance to talk to Eva and Edan and ask about the details.  Knowing this, Edan decided that they would have their dinner in a private suite with only their friends to spare Eva the unwanted attention.


    ¡°So, will you tell us exactly how things happened?¡± Kilarra was instantly glued to Eva¡¯s side.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Eva laughed.  ¡°So I was enjoying the market with Mila.  She was looking at some trinkets or something while I chose to stay out of the shop.¡±  Eva told the story about what had happened, showing everyone the bandage on her arm where she was burned.  ¡°When Edan tried to heal the burn, it just made it hurt worse.  Same with the other healers.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea why he tried to kidnap you?¡± Kilarra had listened to the entire story, eyes wide in astonishment.


    ¡°No,¡± Edan answered.  ¡°But the man will be questioned tomorrow.  Tonight, he should be thinking over his options as he sits in the dungeon.¡±


    The following morning, Edan woke up early and headed down towards the dungeon.  On his way there, a guard came running down the hall to him, ¡°My Lord!  The prisoner!  He¡¯s dead!¡±  Edan ran the rest of the way to see the dead man for himself.


    ¡°Who was on duty last night?¡± Edan turned on the guards, furious.  When two guards came forward, ¡°Who came here last night?  How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Only the servant that brought his food, My Lord,¡± the guard pointed to the tray of untouched food in the corner.


    Edan turned on his heel and made his way to the kitchens.  ¡°Who took the meal to the man in the dungeon last night?¡±  He demanded of the head cook.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lord, but no one took anything down to the dungeons.¡±  The man answered.  ¡°Since the healers had been with him, I figured he would be fine until this morning.¡±


    ¡°Question everyone and report to me at lunch.  Someone went down there with food, with or without your permission.¡± Edan ordered.  He then headed back to his suite.  When he opened the door and stepped in, he found Eva sitting in one of the chairs looking out the window.


    ¡°What happened?¡± She asked when she saw anger etched across his face.


    Edan quickly told her what had happened to the man that had attacked her.  ¡°How are you feeling this morning?  How is your arm?¡±


    After a pause, Eva answered.  ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere outside today,¡± she forced a small laugh.  ¡°But it wasn¡¯t as bad as,¡± she stopped and looked away, unable to finish the thought.  ¡°And my arm looks and feels even worse than yesterday.  It was the reason I couldn¡¯t sleep any longer.¡±


    Edan spent the rest of his morning in his study, trying to see into the past to see what had happened to the prisoner.  He managed to see someone walking to his cell carrying the tray of food, but no matter how he tried to move his point of view, the figure was disguised by dark magic.  He watched as the two exchanged their few words and the figure slipped a small knife into the man¡¯s throat.  Edan¡¯s hope of tracing the man¡¯s blood on the dagger evaporated quickly as the figure thoroughly cleaned the knife.


    The report from the kitchen arrived shortly before noon with exactly what Edan had expected after seeing what happened for himself ¨C no one from the kitchens had been to the dungeon.