I tried to cast but my vision just spun and spun and a sharp pain probed at my head until I was forced to vomit the contents of my breakfast onto the sand beside me.
I couldn't escape: I needed to do exactly what the Caltothians feared. I needed to create more pain. I blinked at the shaft in my leg. If I could just roll myself onto my side.
I shifted just slightly and pain tore into my thigh. I screamed. Magic came rushing out and I thrust as much of it as I could muster into the band of enemies racing toward me.
But I missed. My lightning missed its mark.
And now I didn't even have pain magic. Not unless I wanted to kill myself summoning more.
Two sets of hands pinned my arms and legs to the ground. My hands and feet were bound in a matter of seconds and then an oily cloth was shoved into my mouth as another wrapped it in place.
A face entered my vision and I saw the same woman who had killed the knight squinting down at me. Her lip was curled in disgust.
"Who else is with you?" she demanded. A large wad of saliva landed on the side of my cheek. "Hold up your fingers for the count of your men."
I trembled. I would not tell her anything. From Derrick's past accounts I knew I was going to die no matter what. Caltothians never kept prisoners. But at least I would not die a traitor.
The woman slapped me hard across the face. My lip split open from the sting of her impact.
"Tell me and I will let you live."
Never. I shook my head and tried to ignore its unwelcome spinning.
"Kinsey, shouldn't we keep this one?" one of the men probed. "She put up a good fight. If we break her, I bet it would be worth our time. We could use another mage-"
"You know the orders as well as I do, Wade, no survivors."
"Not if we don't tell them."
"Do you really want to take that chance?" Kinsey drawled. "Two times a traitor would only bring a slow and painful death."
The woman pulled out a curved dagger. It was the same blade she had used to slit the knight's throat. She cradled it against the side of my face. "One more chance before I gut you like a fish," she crooned. Her blade carved a shallow cut across my neck.
Be brave, Ryiah. I shut my eyes. I would spend my last moments of life envisioning something more pleasant than the ugly face of my enemy.
What would I see in my last breath, I wondered, Derrick's laugh, Alex's crooked grin, or my parents' kind smiles?
Kinsey cackled. "Enjoy the Realm of the Dead."
Darren.
In my last moments I saw Darren.
A sharp sting was followed by the withdrawal of pain and the shrill sound of a woman's scream. I opened my eyes and realized that I was not, in fact, dead. I touched my throat and realized the blade had only nicked it.
I was very much alive.
The woman who had been brandishing the knife was not so fortunate. Kinsey lay face down in the sand next to me, dead. A javelin was in her back.
All around me was panicked yelling.
Sensation returned to my limbs. I propped myself up with my elbows so that I could take in the scene around me. Was it too much to hope? Had someone seen my casting?
All around me were great flashes of light and smoke. The heat from the forest fire was growing: the air was sweltering. Any residual cold from my icy bath had faded quickly in its presence.
The Caltothians guarding me were busy, engaged in a battle of sorts with two others in the clearing ahead. It was hard to make out my rescuers' faces but I could tell from the way they fought that they were winning.
Only three of the Caltothians were mages and one of them – the woman who had threatened me - was already dead. The enemy soldiers were hiding behind their mages – only one of them was an archer, the rest carried swords.
There was another great blast of magic and a storm of knives rained down from the sky. The enemy shrieked and scattered. The only two still standing were the Caltothian mages.
Another great blast of magic and the mages were forced to flee – leaving me behind as they relocated to the opposite side of the forest. As they traded sides my rescuers drew forward, one leading the way while the other guarded his back.
I choked back a cry of relief. It was Darren and Eve.
He had come back for me.
The prince set to work on my bonds. "Just couldn't stay out of trouble, could you, Ryiah?"
"Mmmph." The gag was still in my mouth. When it finally came free I turned to Eve. "How did you find me?"
"I went looking for the two of you when you never returned. Then I saw the fire and decided to investigate." Eve shot out another barrage of weaponry at the enemy mages and checked Darren's progress. "How are those ropes coming?"
"Not fast enough," he said through gritted teeth. "Whoever bound them wanted to make sure she stayed that way."
"Well, make it faster." Eve's skin – already so pale - was even more so. There were beads of sweat trailing down from her brow to her chin. Her violet eyes were bloodshot and I could tell from her stance it was costing her a great deal to continue to hold the two mages off.