Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze [2]

Kayla

I felt my heart expand as he threated Christian and Ramere. Wow, he was amazing. I knew I wasn't going to come out of this with my heart.

"I'll be fine," I assured him. I only wished it was true. "So what am I supposed to do?"

Ramere-

I was glad the darkness concealed my smile. I stepped forward to stand in front of Kayla.

"All you need to do is stumble into the camp like you're lost and sick. They'll take pity on you and try to help you. If you want to be dramatic, a bit of fake fainting will lessen their suspicion tremendously.

We'll be hiding in the woods around the camp, so don't worry. If anything goes wrong or if there is any sign of anything going to go wrong, we'll act immediately. There is nothing you need to fear."

Kayla

"I don't think the fainting will be a problem," I admitted suddenly terrified. But I had suggested it I wasn't going to back out.

"You don't have to," Caspan breathed in my ear slightly hopeful. I shook my head careful not to smack his nose with it.

"It was my idea, I got chosen, I'll do it."

Caspan-

I sighed sadly, casting Ramere and Christian dark glances, though I doubted they could see it in the darkness.

"So be it," I repeated.

Kayla

"Hello?" I called into the distance when I saw the glow of a fire then I started coughing loudly. It hurt my throat but it helpped. I staggered foward. Wow...Ramere's sick spell worked well.

As soon as I entered the clearing I collapsed onto my knees.

"Are you alright miss?" one of the mages asked. Fear raced through me and I managed to shake my head. I felt him grip me under the arms to heave me to my feet. As soon as I saw his face fear raced through me again, my knees went weak and I sagged into his arms, losing conciousness.

Ramere-

We crouched in the woods just outside the glow of the fire, watching the scene unfold before us. Kayla staggered into the clearing and fell to her knees, coughing violently. She was hefted to her feet by a mage. I tried to get a glimpse of his face but it was lost in the depths of his hood.

Kayla swayed on her feet and sagged against the man who caught her up and carried her back towards the fire.

"She's not a bad actress," Christian whispered from my right side.

"I don't think that was acting..." I murmured, trying desperately to get a glimpse of at least one of the faces.

"Then do something! What if it was a spell!?"

I glanced at Caspan irritably, then back at Storm, Arabella, Cara, and Richard who were all behind us, watching the people by the fire.

"It wasn't a spell, I'm sure of it. She simply fainted."

I heard him grind his teeth together. "I don't like this."

"Yes, Caspan, we heard you the first thousand times," I said, rolling my eyes. Then I saw what I was looking for. One of the hoods of the mages fell to his shoulders, revealing a mane of thick blond hair, bright blue eyes, and sharp facial features. I sighed in relief. Not someone I knew.

Then one of the mages turned to stare into the woods, looking directly at us. We held our breaths. Then he shrugged and turned away again, but not before letting his hood drop, too. I cursed.

"What?"

"Xadivn."

"Who's he?"

"Someone I was hoping not to meet."

Christian

"Why?" Caspan asked.

"He's the only one who can see through my spells."

"And that means..." Caspan said worriedly.

"He knows we're here and she's not sick."

Caspan's eyes widened panickedly.

Ramere-

I laid a hand on Caspan's shoulder. "Relax. Perhaps he can't see us..."

Though I knew it to be a lie. Of all the mages in the world, it just had to be Xadivn. Great.

"How can he see through your spells?" Arabella asked from behind me.

"Though Xadivn isn't a powerful mage by any means, he has a unique gift, the gift to see through illusions and some spells. I don't know if he can see through the cloaking spell, but he knows she isn't sick."

"Then do something! You said, at the first chance of something going wrong, we'd act!" Caspan accused, jabbing a finger in my ribs. Quite painfully, I might add.

I glared at him. "Yes, but like I said, he might not be able to see through the cloaking spell, and she really did faint, so he might still buy it..."

Christian

I knew Caspan was about to kill Ramere. And when Xadivn turned and looked directly at us, we all knew he could see us.

"Come out Ramere," He called. "Or we'll kill her."

Ramere-

"Caspan, come with me but try not to do anything utterly ridiculous. I know stupid is out of your range, but just don't get yourself killed. The rest of you, stay here until I give the signal."

Caspan, face livid with rage, stood slowly, his eyes darting back and forth between the fire and me.

"I'll go on one condition: If she dies, or even gets hurt, I'll never speak to you again."

I had to resist the temptation to laugh. He sounded like a four-year-old throwing a temper-tantrum.

"Oh, what a joy that would be. I'd never have to hear you again? I'm sorely tempted to trade my staff for that prize."

He snapped. With a wild cry, he jumped at me, teeth bared dangerously. I ducked out of the way and sidestepped, watching him crash past. I really needed to watch my comments more carefully.

"What, having a few family issues, are we, Ramere?" Xadivn's voice floated from the clearing. I ground my teeth together and threw my hand out, letting an invisible dome surround Caspan. He glared at me from within his prison, hatred burning in his eyes. I shrugged and turned, stepping away from him and into the clearing.

"Hello, Xadivn."

"Welcome, Ramere." He looked behind me. "And welcome family and friends of Ramere. Please, step out of the woods so I can see you clearly."

Nothing happened. Good, they were still watching for my signal.

"What makes you think there are more of us? It was only my cousin and I who came."

"Don't give me that, Ramere. Tell them to come out now or I will kill the girl. Please don't believe I won't."

Dropping my hand to my side, I flicked my wrist forward. Slowly the others walked out from behind the trees to be surrounded by the other mages. Kayla still lay near the fire, and Caspan was still trapped.

Great.

Kayla

I opened my eyes slowly, if I hadn't remembered where I was I would have shot straight up and into the knife that dangled slightly above me. As gently and as slowly as I could I pulled out the knife that was sticking in his stockings and rammed it into his leg.

It probably wan't the best idea, but it got him to move away a step so I could stand up and start running. Which didn't end well either, I was easily caught by two of the mages and held there.

"Okay that was stupid," I said aloud.


Christian

Before I knew what was happening Storm and Ramere flew into the circle, Storm atttacking mages with a stick or a sword, my mind didn't have time to and Ramere shooting spells off in every direction. I shoved Cara to the ground, told her to wait there and flew in to join them.

((((Someone PM me and tell me what is going on. :'( )))

Ramere-

I didn't pay attention to the spells I was casting, nor which of the mages I was attacking. Out of the corner of my eye I saw one shrink, grow warts, and turn green. Good, at least I was doing some sort of damage...

Focusing my energy, I hurled a fireball at each of the mages holding Kayla. They let go of her to throw up a protective shield around them, closing their eyes tightly.

Kayla ran into the woods, no doubt to find Caspan. I prayed she had the sense not to join the rest of us until we were finished. With Xadvin still standing, along with most of the other mages (save for two. One was now hopping about, croaking loudly. The other...ah, lets not go into details. Storms sword seemed to do the trick), she would probably be hurt.

I turned to see what the others were doing, keeping one eye on Xadvin the whole time.

Kayla

I was scared out of my wits and really wanted to find Caspan. "Caspan!" I called.

I turned around and ran right into his chest. His arms instantly came around me and mine around him. I felt safe again and the fear dissappear.

Caspan-

I sighed in relief, burying my face in her hair. "Kayla. Thank the good spirits you're alive. I thought I'd lost you..."

I could hear my voice quivering, feel my hands shaking. I didn't care. Kayla was safe, and that's all I could care about at the moment.