"–ttle Star?", a voice sounded in the darkness.
That voice. I knew it. It felt so familiar. I had not heard it in so many years that I had almost forgotten what it sounded like. That warm-hearted, honey-sweet tone she had always saved just for me. It was so beautiful to hear it again. But at the same time it hurt. It hurt so much it felt as if it tore a hole right through my chest. I did not want this. I did not want to think about her.
"Little Star?", it sounded again. It belonged to my protector. My absolute favorite person. My sun.
I opened my eyes. And there she was. Just like that. As if she had never left.
My sister tilted her head and studied me with concern in her emerald-green eyes. One of the last rays of the setting sun cast a golden shimmer over her copper-red hair, while the wind played with her curls.
My throat felt completely closed off.
Her hand touched my cheek. A smile lay on her lips, then she asked:
"You didn't get yourself into trouble again, did you? Or?"
At her "or" she lowered her chin and raised one eyebrow.
I tried to speak, but no sound came out. I wanted to tell her how much I had missed her. Then something warm ran down my cheek.
She suddenly laughed, just like she used to when she thought I had done something mischievous again. For her it was harmless fun. But for me… that laugh meant the world.
Her laughter faded into the distance like an echo. Her face slowly blurred before my eyes. I wanted to cling to that moment. I did not want her to leave me again. But then her image disappeared completely, and the darkness took its place. She slipped away from me like sand running through my fingers. I called her name.
"Sol…," I heard myself murmur. Why did my voice sound so muffled?
My eyelids fluttered, but I saw nothing but darkness. Where was I? Why did everything hurt? Why did my cheek feel so wet? Why was it so dark here?
A sharp pain suddenly flared in my head, making me flinch. But I could not move freely. It felt as if I were being pressed against a wall.
Then my head throbbed as if someone had struck it with a hammer. Instinctively I tried to reach for my temple, but I could not move my hand. Again I was held back. Something cold and hard encircled my wrist and restricted my movements. My legs were too weak to stand. Something covered my mouth and nose. I could not breathe well. As if I had a pillow over my face. Only this one sat tightly against my skin.
What had happened? How had I ended up in this dark place?
Fragmented memories broke over me. Hadn't I just been at a river? No. I had been in a shop. There was tea. Right, tea. Tea!
The memory hit me like a blow. My heart, which had been beating steadily, sped up so violently that I jolted wide awake.
Panicked, I tried to pull myself free from whatever held me. A metallic sound rang out, but no matter how hard I struggled, the cold grip around my wrist did not loosen. My lungs burned because they were not getting enough air ever since I had begun to yank and pull. I wanted to remove whatever was covering half my face. But it would not budge. I tried to move my fingers, to at least produce sparks. Whenever I focused and tried to stir the heat and summon fire, it faded instantly inside me before I could push it outward. My fingertips moved, but the attempt to summon my flame magic failed again and again.
I am trapped!
With my heart pounding loudly, I looked around. The harder I breathed, the less air I got.
You have to calm down. Then it will get better.
Suddenly Artur's face appeared before my inner eye. His calm nod, his quiet 'all right.' How he had made a fool of me…
A stab pierced my chest. Worse than the lack of air, it made my heart race even faster. I gasped for breath.
"Hmphelp!" I screamed, but my voice was muffled by the covering on my face.
I called for help several times. No one heard me. No one freed me. Was anyone even nearby? I did not even know who I was calling to.
Who would save me anyway? That was it. If they found out I was not Sol, they would certainly not let me live.
A knot formed in my throat. In the middle of the darkness I broke into tears. At first it was only a single one running down my cheek. Then I began to sob, and as soon as I allowed the pain and fear in, I could no longer stop the tears. I cried and I screamed while every breath grew harder. My whole body trembled. Countless times I pulled at my restraints until my skin grew raw, and exhausted, I tried to catch my breath again.
Loudly I cried out:
"Sol!"
And then I kept crying. I do not know how long I sat in the darkness, crying bitterly and pleading for help.
I cried until I could not anymore. Until all my tears had dried up. Until my eyes burned. I had not even known I was still capable of crying. The last time had been over nine years ago.
After my strength was nearly gone, I grew calmer. Despite the exhaustion, I forced myself to think.
Stay calm. Look around. Find something useful.
I looked around. Still nothing but darkness. But I was sitting with my back against a wall. My legs had fallen asleep, because I could no longer feel them. Yet I could move them. I noticed that from the sound and the prickling that began to stir. My arms felt the same now. They were fixed above me against the wall. That made it impossible for me to use my flames in any controlled way.
Wherever I was, it was cold. My cloak, which could have kept me warm, was gone. The wall behind me was cool and felt hard. The floor too. The covering over my face and the restraints suggested that they knew the weakness of my magic. Without proper breath control, strong focus, and a lot of energy, I would not be able to use magic.
If I had been more experienced, perhaps I would have had a chance. But not like this. Besides, the strain and the lack of proper food during the past two weeks had weakened me. All three conditions were absolutely necessary.
Further thinking brought no new insights. Eventually exhaustion took over. My body gave in and I sank helplessly into a restless sleep.
*********************************************************************
It was a gray, bleak day. Rain drummed with a monotonous sound against their hoods and almost drowned out the dull clatter of hooves on the wet streets. A few drops ran down Lucian's face, gathered at his neck and seeped under his cloak.
He sighed quietly. Even though he was warm despite the cool weather and the rain, he wished he had not been sent on this assignment. It was not unusual for him to receive missions unrelated to his rank, but this was something entirely different.
Ever since that time, he had learned what had happened in the kingdom, his blood had been boiling without pause. The first moments had been especially terrible. He had almost done something incredibly stupid. If Jarek had not been there…
To chase away the negative thoughts, he focused his eyes on his hands, which were wrapped tightly around the reins.
Suddenly Lucian's horse slipped in the mud, pulling him out of his thoughts. It caught its balance at the last moment and let out an unhappy snort before continuing more cautiously.
He patted the brown horse's neck and murmured to it:
"I know, I know. What awful weather today, right?"
Jarek, who was riding ahead of him, turned his head in Lucian's direction and said:
"It is only a horse. It does not understand what you are saying."
Before Lucian could shoot him an annoyed look, Jarek faced forward again.
"Do not take it personally, Nouri. He is always in a bad mood. It is not your fault," Lucian whispered into his horse's ear.
"I heard that," Jarek muttered from under his hood.
How, please?!
Lucian clicked his tongue and pressed his heels into Nouri's flank. The horse reluctantly sped up until it caught up with Jarek.
Behind them rode three others whom Aurel had assigned to accompany them. Lucian found it interesting to have met people like them, but at the same time their mere presence made him deeply uneasy. Mercenaries were not exactly the kind of travel companions he wanted around.
On the main road toward Truwenreuth, an apparent merchant passed them with his wagon. He was accompanied by a rider.
Uncertain, Lucian glanced over his shoulder at the others. They pulled their hoods deeper over their faces and lowered their heads so that their features were hidden beneath a dark shadow.
As the small group passed the merchant, Lucian greeted them and offered a mild smile. It was all he could manage in that instant.
The two nodded back in greeting.
Then the merchant urged his horse forward:
"Hyah, Berta!"
As soon as the wagon was out of earshot, Jarek muttered, his gaze fixed on the road ahead:
"Well, let us hope things go well with those figures Aurel simply saddled us with. We do need the reinforcements, since my family will not help, but Aurel is a few years too early with ideas like this. It may work with people who outrank me, but we have to make sure the common folk do not see their dreadful faces. Even if I have to admit that Aurel is not wrong about opening the country little by little."
"Not so loud, they have good ears," Lucian warned in a hushed voice, speaking behind his raised hand.
A loud laugh came from one of the mercenaries behind them. Then a Drakanian woman broke away from the group of three riders and pulled up beside the two knights on her black horse.
Casually leaning over, she said with a rough accent:
"You Yionzhna are amusing. Is this how you always treat your esteemed guests?"
She gave a crooked grin, revealing one of her fangs. Her yellow eyes examined Lucian and Jarek with amusement.
Jarek shot her a sharp glance from the corner of his eye and raised an eyebrow while Lucian's jaw tightened.
Then Jarek asked calmly:
"And what exactly are 'Ionschna', or whatever that is supposed to mean?"
Their companion smirked and brushed a dark, pearl-decorated strand out of her face:
"Hm, how to translate it best… Ah, you could say it means soft bones."
A small crease formed between Jarek's eyebrows. Lucian grimaced, because he knew exactly what the Drakanian meant.
"It is their word for weaklings," Lucian explained in an irritated tone.
"It is a compliment," she added with feigned innocence and a wide grin.
"Sure. And here I thought respect for others was so important to Drakanians," Lucian grumbled. "Now go and do not cause trouble."
"That only applies to people at head height," she said as she slowed her horse.
"You mean eye level," Lucian corrected her as she let her horse fall back and rejoined her two companions.
Jarek's mouth twitched as he said:
"And you are the one who always tells me I am in a bad mood."
"No worries, I will not outrank you that easily," Lucian joked with a forced smile.
He had to think of the three mercenaries behind him, and his fingers tightened around the reins. Lucian sincerely hoped that at least the other two did not display the same condescending attitude toward others.
"Are you worried?" he heard Jarek ask beside him. His voice did not sound mocking, unlike what Lucian was used to.
Irritated, Lucian looked up.
Jarek sighed:
"Do not make such a stupid face, you idiot."
"Am I not allowed to be touched when I receive such caring attention? That must be the first time in eight years," he laughed.
The fact that Jarek of all people was cheering him up in his own way meant a lot. It did not ease the anger that had built up inside him, but at least he felt better for the moment.
For a heartbeat, Jarek turned his face away. Lucian assumed it was out of embarrassment, which made him grin to himself in satisfaction.
Finally, Jarek cleared his throat and spoke again:
"Listen. We will reach Truwenreuth tomorrow. So far the Flame Hunter, the princess and Kiyan have been successfully held, but the transport will be dangerous even with two Drakanians and an arcanist."
Lucian tensed visibly, said nothing and looked to the side. The information was not new to him, but he did not like the kingdom's approach at all. He had always despised Grania and its social structure, but since Aurel had seized power, much had changed. Not only for Lucian and his family. For Jarek, and now for Kiyan as well. Just the thought of the next day sent a wave of nausea through him.
"That she has not freed herself since her capture a few days ago is more than strange. Or the fact that she could be captured at all. But since I survived an encounter with her, I already assume that most of the rumors surrounding her are probably false. I first thought she spared my life because she wanted to. Now I am not so sure. Still, we have to act with caution. Despite everything, we still know nothing certain about her. No more reckless actions, understood?" Jarek said.
Lucian replied:
"What does Aurel even want with someone like her?"
When Jarek did not answer, he looked at him. Jarek's eyes were fixed on the road, his expression unmoving.
Lucian straightened in the saddle while waiting for an answer. But Jarek remained silent and seemed to ignore him.
"Chief?" Lucian asked.
Jarek coughed and then sighed:
"Where did you pick up that unusual title? Address me by my rank."
Lucian waited for a moment, hoping that Jarek would finally give him an answer. But Jarek remained stubbornly silent, even between the coughing fits that overtook him.
"Jarek?" Lucian pressed impatiently.
Jarek shot him an annoyed look.
"You do not need to know that yet," he said afterwards.
Lucian did not understand why Jarek refused to explain further. But over the years he had learned that Jarek was always reliable, so he did not bring the subject up again. His stomach pains reminded him instead of another matter.
"And Kiyan?" he asked hesitantly.
He did not really want to hear the answer, because he already suspected what it would be.
Jarek pressed his lips together.
Lucian's breath caught for a heartbeat. He did not dare ask again. With a huge lump in his throat, he nudged Nouri to move a little ahead. The wind blew the hood from his head, but he left it where it was so the rain could run freely over his face.