Young Writers Society

Taneantra’s hand groped the air for a candle on her bedside table and then froze when it slapped cold concrete. Her eyes wandered aimlessly before she began to recall where she was and let out a moan that sent chills up her spine. She hugged her bruised knees to her chest no longer feeling the comfort of sleep and shut her eyes tight.

How could she let this happen! Walking alone in the palace gardens at such a late hour, and after she had just recovered? The feeling of foolishness slithered throughout her arm and leg muscles making her feel weak and dizzy. It was beyond stupidity. She should have gone in for lunch when Jack asked her to, but no, she had to be difficult. She always had to be difficult.

The idea of a cell chilled easily through her tanned skin and seeped into her bones like a serpent. She had to get out before they came back, before he came back. She shivered and her mind glassed over in thought. If he spoke to her this next time, it could break her indefinitely. The way his body was unflawed and unaware that such injury should leave a mark disgusted her, and yet, the way his arms locked around her in an almost protecting manor… she knew she couldn’t, it was impossible. After what he had done, she could hardly speak his name let alone watch him walk before her. Almost like a ghost come to haunt her nightmares, he no longer belonged in this world, he had been lost to her.

And what was he holding her for? She knew by now that he had faked any feeling he had ever showed for her yet, was he here to seek revenge for what duty he himself thrust into her innocent hands? She couldn’t say, she didn’t know him anymore, she had never known him.

Though, regret had left similar marks on her. After his death she was to take her own life and would have done so without logical thought had Jack not stopped her. Her heart brightened in plea for his smooth reassuring tone. He was her elixir. She could drink on his warm wisdom for hours. But she wasn’t strong enough to call out for him. She could feel the limp edges of her mind still shifting unsurely to regroup. When she had strength she would call, and preferably before she had to see Kelin again.

The sound of brass keys sliding along a rusted loop began to balance against her cell walls and she did her best to huddle against the stone. They couldn’t be coming for her already, she needed some time to heal before they handled her again. But here they were. Two hardly-shaven, cold-eyed, pit-gutted officers with magick disablers and a ring of unorganized metals.

She began to whimper miserably and hugged her knees closer to what felt like several fractured ribs.

“Please,” She mouthed dryly. One officer with a long caked-over war scar on his cheek grunted and began selecting the metal that went to her cell.

“Where am I going?” She managed to squeak. The second officer smiled an idiot’s toothy grin and she knew then and there that it was too late. They were taking her to Kelin, the person she had only seen from afar after he kidnapped her.

The bars managed a depart from the lock with struggle and then she was seized by either of her shoulders. They pulled her along like a child’s rag-doll in the mud, letting her legs trail lamely behind her and almost yanking her arms out of their sockets.

No one spoke and she was sure it was getting darker in the hallways though she wasn’t sure why. Her thoughts revolved around him. What would she do when she had to stand in front of him? She had killed him once but that had certainly been luck. They were equally matched in fair combat and yet here she was, limp and disheveled without a weapon. Even if she was armed, she couldn’t do it again. No matter how much she hated him, she wouldn’t survive putting herself through it a second time.

Suddenly it was completely dark and she only realized she had been nodding off when they stopped abruptly and released her arms. Her chin slammed hard onto the cold tile and she winced, setting her arms beneath her to push up only to fall again.

Boots clicking noisily on the ground sent her heart to an unnatural pace as her body was scooped from the floor and resettled in strong arms. She could feel his warm breath on her face in careful patterns. He shivered all over and only when she was set into a cushioned chair and could feel her own unjustly movements did she open her eyes.

He sat in a chair before her with his arms folded to his chest and legs sprawled on either side of him, stretching like an arched lion on the floor. His jaw was jutted out in attempted firmness and his furrowed brows and body stature showed that he was pondering something.

She let out a breath she didn’t know that she was holding and massaged her ribs waiting for him to say the first words. She was worried, he was one for rage and then forgiveness, though she wasn’t sure forgiveness was apart of the package.

“Tane __” His voice cracked and he looked over his shoulder possibly checking if the door was closed and then faced her again. Her eyes darted from his emerald orbs and her heart squeezed tight. His eyes still had her in them. Even after his death, she was mesmerized by those eyes that had so much of her in them, she had lost them before and was glad they were back. “Tane,” He tried again only getting some of the rasp from his voice. “This is not what you think it is.”

How could you of all people know what I’m thinking?! She wanted to scream, but she could hardly talk and again, she was unarmed. She faced him instead in what she hoped was a threatening glare, even in his lies he should have picked up some of her characteristics, one being that she wasn’t the one to mess with when she was angry. He coughed into his fist and she guessed he had picked some things up.

“No, listen, I understand what you think this is, but you’re wrong, you’re not here to die.” The relief that should have been flowing through her never came. If she wasn’t here to die then what was she here for? She didn’t want to think of the possibilities and shook them from her mind. He sighed and pounded his fist to the chair’s arm.

“Have you lost such trust in me Tane?” She raised an eyebrow. Now she knew why she hated him.

“Yes!” She yelled, grabbing the jug of water with her frail arm and tilting it to her mouth. After her dry throat was soothed enough to talk and shout without pain she set it back on the table and wiped her lips. “I don’t know who you think you are Kelin, talking to me in this manor, like nothing ever happened!”

“This is what you don’t understand! Tane, if you would just let me explain this_” She picked up the jug again and threw it to the floor so it shattered shard pieces all over her lap. She had a long cut on her leg but ignored it. She was vexed! He couldn’t do this to her, he couldn’t, not again.

“You don’t know what I think, and you’re not going to explain! I understand all I need to know, and that is I hate you! You treat me like this and then expect me to listen?” Everything came out in a snarl of anger and her bony knuckles flushed white as she clutched the couch firmly.

Kelin gasped obviously hurt at her remark. She guessed it hadn’t occurred to him that after trying to kill her, she would show a high level of hate.

“Tane, you don’t hate me?” He said suddenly calm. Her jaw dropped and she let out a small almost maniacal giggle.

“Kelin, I can hardly stand to look at you.” She could feel tears tugging at her eyelid and attempted to gulp them back. “I just want to die.” She said in a faint whisper. She didn’t care whether he heard or not, he was a liar. The version of Kelin that she knew, the one that worked hard to keep her safe at all times was gone if he ever had existed. But she was wrong, she did care if he heard.

He rushed over to her and pried her fingers from the cushions taking her firmly by the shoulders. She shuddered with impact as well as his touch.

“You’re not listening to me Tane! You’re here to make a deal, you won’t die… if you follow procedure.” She had to bite the side of her cheek until if bled to keep herself for cracking his skull with her own. He was too close, once that had been a good thing, now it made her wriggle with disgust and hate.

“A deal?! With you? I’d rather die Kelin, are you understanding that?”

“Tane_” She plugged her ears and shook her head wildly from side to side.

“Stop calling me that! You’ve lost my respect let alone the right to keep me from my death.”

“You don’t mean that, if you would just__”

“I’ve meant every word that has come from my lips traitor. I’ve asked for my death, now give it to me. One of has to die, and since you seem to defy such matters I’ve given up! That is what you’d wanted, isn’t it?”

He stayed silent for a while and then leaned his forehead against hers, cradling her neck in his hands to support them both. She was too weak to pull away, she was already low on energy.

“I need you.” He whispered. Her eyes shut and she took in his strong scent. Even with his normal forest and new cloth aroma, she could smell fear. Whether she really knew him or not, he was afraid and she could feel it.

“What’s going on Kel?” She said a bit shocked by the use of his nickname and that it came out in a gasp.

“I couldn’t tell you.” He was uneven and nerved. “But you must cooperate, then we can let you go unharmed.” She came to her senses and pushed his shoulders so that he was off of her.

“I won’t let you do this to me again Kelin.” She coughed to clear her throat and then attended to her leg with the little magick she had regained.

“Do what again?” She glared.

“Break my heart, break me. My life was all I had left and I didn’t even feel I deserved it.”

“What do you mean by that? You killed me!”

“I was going to kill myself to be with you again! Jack had to stop me!” She sobbed. She had gotten rid of her insanity and rough temper, ready to turn over a new leaf when she recovered. Somehow he had brought it all back in a matter of minutes.

“You’re lying.” His hands curled into fists and took a step towards her.

“I’m not and you very well know it. I’m only glad that Jack convinced me you weren’t worth it.” she spat. His eyes filled with rage and he lifted her from the chair and back into his arms. She struggled to free herself by kicking her legs high in the air and shaking around furiously but he only threw her over his shoulder and held down her legs. He walked angrily down the hallway squeezing her thighs tight against his shoulder as she was jostled. Then, when she was about to ask where he was taking her she was thrown in the air and then caught again only to be thrown back in her cell.

She fell to the floor and crawled helplessly to the bars just as they were locked. Tears sprung from her eyes and she backed against the corner. Kelin shuddered and leaned his back against them, sliding down so that he sat on the floor with his back to her.

“You can’t be trusted.” He spoke finally after catching his breath. “Suicide is never an option Tane, do you hear me? I’m not worth your life.” He seemed to have trouble saying it and she had just as much trouble saying yes. He asked again more forcefully.

“Yes, I hear you.” She gulped. He turned his neck to look at her and frowned.

“You have to listen to me Tane. You don’t know these people, they want you dead, it’s up to me to save you and the only way is if you cooperate.” She almost felt pity for him, but instead her head filled with the questions she had wanted to ask him after he died.

“Why am I really here Kelin?” Her voice shook. He looked back away from her and took a minute to answer.

“You’re here to die… and to be reborn again, just like the others.”