But why would she help me? Did she even mean to help me, or was it an accident? Some kind of unintended consequence of her performance, perhaps?
Somehow, that rings true.
I don’t like that she is locked up down here. That she might be punished for helping me. I’m sure she will be.
The thought gnaws at me. She doesn’t deserve this. Even if she didn’t mean to break the spell, she gave me back my life.
What will become of her?
If they think she’s practicing black magic, working with a supposed sorcerer…she is done for.
Someone clears their throat.
I freeze.
I turn toward the barred opening in the door. A face appears there, partially obscured by shadow.
I know that face.
“Belen,” I say.
He looks a little older. There are crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes that weren’t there before.
“Open the door,” he instructs someone I can’t see.
“Sir, I have orders to—” a guard starts to protest.
“I said to open it. Do it now!” Belen’s voice is steel.
There’s a pause. Then the sound of a key turning in a lock. The door swings open, and Belen steps inside.
The guard hovers in the doorway. “General, I don’t think—”
“Give us space. Go!” Belen doesn’t even look at him.
The guard shifts his weight, clearly uncomfortable. “My orders were to—”
“I outrank whoever gave you those orders.” Belen turns to face him now.
“They came from the Ruler General, my Lord.”
“I insist. I will go and clear it up with her straight after this,” he says, in a deep voice. Even I can feel the weight of his stare.
“Yes, my Lord.” The male bows his head for a moment.
“Leave now. I want a moment alone with the prisoner.”
The guard swallows hard and backs away. “Yes, sir.”
I stand.
Belen waits until the footsteps fade, then he lifts his hands. Shadows pour from him like water, flowing across the floor and up the walls. They swirl around us, creating a cocoon that blocks out everything beyond.
For a long moment, Belen says nothing. He just stares at me, his eyes moving over my face as if he’s trying to memorize every detail.
“Is it really you?” he finally says.
“Yes.” I nod. “When we first met, it was to interview you for the position as general. The first thing I asked you was why you never married.” I smile. “You told me that youweremarried…just not to a woman, but to the job…to serving the people of this court.”
