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Four figures melted into the shadows as a noise echoed in the hall in front of them. Breaths held, they listened intently as the noise advanced in the opposite direction. Grydin glanced behind him to give an ‘all clear’ signal and stopped as it suddenly occurred to him that this day might be the last one that he saw these three alive. He crouched close to the ground while turning back, and cautiously peeked around the corner.2
"All clear," he whispered as he stood.3
"Where to now?" one of them asked.4
Grydin closed his eyes as he tried to remember. "I don’t know where they would be keeping her, but I’m going to the main room."5
"And us?"6
"You three stay here," he said. "There’s no need to risk your lives when I’m not even sure about this."7
"We are not just going to stay here," Karro whispered harshly. "You need a distraction to find Marienda, and we’re it." She motioned to the other two with her.8
Grydin pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Fine, fine…you’re the distraction." He lowered his hand. "Just don’t get killed."9
~~~~~~~~~~~10
Yanuia walked straight through the halls in her search for the killer of her mate. She did not know where Isiru might be, and temporarily thought about seeking out someone to ask. She didn't have to wait long.11
The three men that walked around a corner ahead stopped in surprise at seeing her, and shouted out a warning down the hall behind them before approaching her. One grabbed her in an invisible grasp as the other two made it to her location and took an arm in each hand. Yanuia smiled to herself as a figure stopped in front of her, and she looked into eyes that she had not seen in a few years.12
"My, my, my," Pontage said as he folded his arms across his chest, bringing one of the hands up to place on his chin as he studied her. "Grydin must be fairly desperate for help if he brought you with him. Where is he." He motioned for her to be released, and watched as she pulled her arms out of those holding her.13
"I have no idea," she replied calmly. "I did not come with Grydin."14
"No?"15
"If you must know, I came to see Isiru." She stared defiantly into his eyes. "So, if you would kindly tell me where she is, I'll be on my way."16
Pontage laughed curtly at her bravado. "She is around." He motioned to the men beside her. "Bring her. She is here, Grydin is here." He turned and walked back in the direction he had come from.17
Yanuia allowed herself to be led in the same direction, knowing that eventually she would see the woman she had come to kill.18
~~~~~~~~~~19
Marienda's muscles flexed lightly as she put her body through a series of stretches, her forehead touching her knees as her hands wrapped around her ankles. She exhaled as the tightness sent a gratifying feeling to the back of her body. Letting go, she reached towards the rock ceiling, feeling the pull in different muscles, before gently shaking her body to move everything at once.20
Today was the day. She would live or she would die, and she wanted to be physically ready for what lay ahead. She had spent too long not utilizing the one weapon she had at her beck and call, her body. She didn't have the magical energy at her fingertips, but she did have her training and her knowledge that she could, if needed, kill someone with her bare hands.21
She ignored the small part of her brain that was chiding her for thinking in such a way. Now was not the time to be nice and diplomatic. 22
Now was the time to be cold and calculating.23
~~~~~~~~~~24
Karro stopped walking as she saw shadows coming towards her from the hallway. She turned to Lagen and Trishu. "Time to distract." She stepped out long enough to be seen, then ducked back to the safety of the shadows. The three of them stood side by side in the hallway and were ready when the people who spotted her came running. The men went flying backwards as they were met by three energy shoves, and quickly got up as Karro, Lagen and Trishu turned and ran, leading them further away from where Grydin had gone.25
Trishu stopped suddenly and would have fallen on her face had she not been held in a grasp by one of the people chasing her. Lagen skidded to a stop and turned to help her, only to be caught in a grasp of his own. Karro made it around another corner just as something slammed into her shoulder, and she stumbled slightly before picking herself up and continuing to run. She could hear no one behind her, and fearing the worse, paused long enough to take a look. Sighing and breathing heavy, she realized that she was alone, and took a few moments to weigh her options.26
She leaned against the stone wall as she panted, thinking about how insane she was to be here. She should be on the other side of the mountain, enjoying herself with her friends...they all should be. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Being called to the mountains was a special event that lead someone to journey to their higher personal self, something that resulted in a better understanding of mind and body. It wasn't supposed to end up in possible death while helping a friend.27
But she would not change her choice for anything. Grydin had been a special part in her life at the mountain, and had been there for her through one of the worse times of her life. When her mate had been caught in a rockslide, Grydin stayed with her at his side. While everyone else gave her reassurances that things would be fine, Grydin had remained quiet, his silent strength giving her more hope than anyone could realize. When her mate finally succumbed to his injuries, Grydin held her through the night as she cried, talked when she needed to hear a voice, and remained silent when she didn't.28
He had helped her a lot, and had been there as a friend throughout the years after that. The least she could do was help him avoid the same heartache that she had faced.29
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"30
Karro jumped at the female voice that filtered around the corner. Standing straight, she quietly turned and ran away from the person coming, pausing long enough to scrape a stone against the wall, the noise loud enough to be heard. She had to make sure she was still being pursued, still leading people away from Grydin. She thought that she should be scared, but somehow she felt more alive than she had felt in years.31
~~~~~~~~~~32
Grydin walked into the main chamber, his amulet already glowing a soft white under his tunic. His eyes widened momentarily when he noticed the area empty, and smiled as he walked the length to the small raised section at the front. He took the small rock he had gotten from the floor in his quarters, and held it between his finger and thumb for a few moments.33
Sitting in Pontage's stone 'throne', he leaned forward into the light and studied the rock closely, nodding at the idea he had. His head came up as he heard voices in the hall, and he quickly tied the cord holding the stone around his neck as he leaned back into the shadows surrounding the chair.34
His breath caught in his throat as he watched the people enter and he noticed Yanuia with them. He was certain that he could not be seen since his clothes matched the general look of the stone chair, and he had to stop himself from sending energy at the men that shoved Yanuia against one of the walls.35
A thousand questions ran through his mind in the short time that it took Pontage to order his followers to spread out to look for him, most centering on how he was going to add this unexpected addition into his solution. Part of him knew that Yanuia would be looking for revenge, but he assumed she would achieve her goal through his dealing with Pontage. His eyes narrowed slightly as he realized that she had used his mission to save Marienda as a cover for her revenge.36
"Now," Pontage said. "Were is Grydin?" He sighed when all he got in reply was a stony stare. "Put her in the room with Marienda," he said to one of his men. "I'll deal with them both later."37
Grydin had to hold himself in place at the mention of his mate's name, and as he watched Yanuia leaving, hoped that she would let go of her anger and help the woman he loved. He quietly shifted his position on the chair as a few more people entered the area, and decided it was time to announce himself. 38
"You wanted to talk to me?"39
Pontage swung around at the voice, startled to see Grydin sitting in his chair, leg over one arm in a pose of relaxed indifference. His hands were clasped behind his head, and he had a smirk on his face.40
"So nice of you to visit," Pontage said in a guarded voice.41
"How could I refuse such an invitation." Grydin stretched lightly, the picture of complete content. "Sorry that I cannot stay long. I’ll be taking my mate and leaving."42
"She’s not going anywhere," Pontage said. "I like her. I’ll return her body to your people when I’m tired of her."43
"Over my dead body."44
Pontage coughed slightly. "That's the whole point." He leaned against the corner of the table behind him. "Get out of my chair."45
"I rather like it." Grydin remained where he was. "Although, since you did go through the trouble to request my presence..." he trailed off, motioning for the other man to talk. He could see the anger in his eyes, and knew that his imperious tones were hitting the correct nerves. 46
"You think you are perfect," Pontage said in a low voice. "You have the weaklings you live with completely in the dark to your real self."47
Grydin shrugged, unconcerned. "I've made amends for that which I have done."48
"That I highly doubt."49
"Regardless," Grydin said. "That is the past, and you really should learn to leave things there." He stood and motioned to the door. "It has been a pleasure, but I really must be leaving."50
"I have to commend you on your choice of woman," Pontage said in a casual voice. "She’s very…limber."51
Grydin’s jaw set at the remark and his gray eyes darkened as his one time comment to Dorran about Marienda being limber surfaced. He bit down on the anger. "What happened?" he asked. "She kick your ass?"52
Pontage tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Not mine, no." He glanced as a woman rushed in, her eyes widening at the sight of Grydin. "What?"53
She whispered something to Pontage, who whispered something back, then she left. Pontage looked at Grydin with a small smile. "Before you leave, I have a proposition for you." He motioned to the door, and two figures were forced in. Grydin's eyes closed briefly as he took in the ties and gagged figures of Lagen and Trishu, and watched as someone placed two pendants on the table behind Pontage.54
"Seems that there's one more person running around...don't worry, we'll catch her." Pontage smiled in delight. He looked at the figures, then back at Grydin. "Looks like you have a problem. But I have a solution."55
"Which is?"56
"You...for them."57
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Comments
1 - 5 of 5
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I wonder what's going to happen next. Something tells me that they'll both come out alive, and devoted shocking everyone. But yet I wonder if one of them really is going to get killed.
I loved the way you ended this chapter.
The tension builds...
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Thank you for returning to read the novel
> I have been trying to write the next chapter, but I keep deleting it(I do have the one after THAT one written though 
). Hopefully I'll be able to get my brain in gear and finish it!
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Ahhh! I come to find some more, re-read the last chapter so I know what's going on, but it ends again. Nooo! You can't do this to me! Oh, I just love your vocabulary in this. It's simple enough for me to understand, but still contains words that make me feel smart and describe the scene vividly. Can't wait for more when it comes.
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The story continues to grip the reader with so much vivid action and detailed suspense.. I can't wait to see how this ends, and hoping there will be no more deaths of the "good" side LOL.. the characters are so endearing, you can't help but root for them!!! Keep up the great writing!!!
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Ms Barbara, Thank you I still like. More please, more often.
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