He’s gone The figure let out a choked laugh Jal-Maktar is gone Asra felt faint she dreaded the words she knew were coming His time ran out before he could take me You heard him say that he had to work fast don’t you remember I kept him talking and his time in this world ran out He’s gone He’s disembodied once more He can’t hurt either of us he can’t hurt anyone anymore We’re safe Asra What were the chances of that You Tis I said the figure and in the feeble light Asra could see the glee in his eyes Tis I Macta I’m alive Asra I’m alive piece of lung or liver but so be it She would do anything sacrifice anything to get away Asra’s eyes blinked open at the sound of approaching footsteps In the dim light she was shocked to see that Jal-Maktar was still impersonating King Macta He had to have known how much this would hurt her It would have been so easy for him to change his shape to something less emotionally charged Jal-Maktar could after all become anything anyone at all Is this some kind of joke Asra hissed Then she noted that the figure shambling toward her was not dressed in royal finery but was as battered and disheveled looking as Asra herself The figure’s right arm was missing and there were Bloodstains on his torn shirt Why would you choose to appear like this Asra demanded Does it please you to wound me Now that you’ve killed Macta must you go on pretending to be him Macta drew the little book from his pocket found a bit of charcoal and squatted on the floor In a trembling hand he began to write I’ll calculate the odds if I can I’ll make a bet as to the chances of us getting out of here Luck is with us again Asra I can feel it Asra’s spirits sank at the realization that once again she was trapped with the Elfin prince who not that long ago had nearly become her husband How could fate be so cruel She got to her feet and pressed her body against the wall as if she could dissolve into the stone Then it wasn’t you who screamed No no Macta giggled almost hysterical It was that monster Jal Maktar When he looked down and saw himself disappearing he let out a roar but that’s all There was nothing he could do he was completely helpless Helpless like me Asra thought struggling to rein in her growing sense of panic Macta’s scratching in his little book was driving her mad Stop that
she cried Stop Macta looked up eyes wide He wasn’t used to being told what to do Asra glared at him Put away your stupid book and think for a minute You grew up in the palace above us Isn’t there any way out of here The moon its pockmarked face pale and full hung sullenly over the towers of Helfratheim Prashta head of Dockalfar Security Operations was in the midst of his speech He stood in the high tower window explaining to the citizens why the thousand Human children had not in the end been sacrificed to the Gods according to Brahja-Chi’s Acquisition He said that the Gods were appeased merely by the offer of the sacrifice and that the heavenly hosts had made it clear there was no need for the plan to be carried to its Bloody conclusion The risk of contamination from the foul Human children would have been high after all and the Gods love for the Elves was far far greater than their thirst for Human Blood How comforted the Elves should be Prashta assured them to know that he was there to relay the glad tidings of the Gods What of our Mage Jardaine a peasant called from the crowd And our King someone else shouted Why are our leaders not here to speak to us Prashta cleared his throat The only thing he knew for certain was that Brahja-Chi had died at the hands of the shape-shifter Jal-Maktar It seemed likely that Jal-Maktar and Jardaine were still together plotting their revenge against him and the Council He had no idea what might have become of Macta Nervously he fingered the medallions around his neck Jardaine and King Macta are understandably tired after the events of this busy day and have retired to their quarters Rest assured that all is well in Helfratheim and that the Gods are smiling down on each of you grateful for your love and devotion Good night gentle Elves and may you rest peacefully this night beyond the Gates of Vattar Prashta turned from the tower window and wiped the sweat from his brow He’d be lucky if his flimsy wall of lies and evasions got him through the night Guards he called as half a dozen Elves in maroon uniforms snapped to attention I want you to find Jardaine and bring her to me The guards hesitated one of them stepped forward and bowed his head Sir he gulped if Jardaine is with that shape-shifting monster our weapons will be no match for Our weapons are the best in all the realm Prashta bellowed Each of you
take a Dragon Thunderbus and do what must be done If Jardaine resists arrest shoot her Shoot Jal-Maktar too In the grand ballroom upstairs Jardaine and her underling Nick the Troll were hurriedly moving chairs from the plush carpet so that Becky could lie down Fire Sprites flickered in their sconces casting shadows into the high rafters Becky yawned and sat down on the carpet Jardaine glanced at the girl with an anxious grin We’ll have this cleared away in no time she said You’ll get a good night’s sleep and tomorrow we’ll begin our preparations to leave for the Pole How long do you think it will take Becky asked wearily The Elf’s name was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn’t quite recall it She lay on her side with the mossy carpet pressed against her cheek I’ve forgotten what to call you she murmured You can call me Astrid Jardaine said and my friend’s name is Nicholas of time I prefer Nick the dark-haired Elf piped in like how I arrived in the nick How long will it take before we can go after my brother Becky asked If those Elves Tuava-Li and her Mage want to hurt him we’d better hurry Jardaine turned and swept across the carpet to where Becky lay I know how worried you are she said But we must be properly prepared for the journey While you sleep we’ll work on acquiring the maps cold-weather provisions weapons and the Arvada for travel We’ll be on our way as soon as we can
There’s something else Becky said Princess Asra she’s my friend and she’s here in the palace somewhere Do you think you could find her and tell her I’m okay Asra you say Jardaine said through gritted teeth You know an Elfin Princess called Asra Becky nodded Uh-huh She’s my best friend I’ll look into it Jardaine said and if she’s here I’ll do what I can to find her for you In the meantime though I want you to close your eyes and not give it another thought Thank you Becky said with a sleepy smile I’m really glad to know that
