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“I will personally petition her to spare you.” Wren threw her head back and sucked in a ragged breath. She had nearly died and the energy of surviving it now thrummed in her veins.
“Get up, both of you.” The voice was unfamiliar with a nasally tone that she was sure she would have remembered.
Alarm flared in her and in Cara as she felt the other woman tense on top of her. The energy flowing through her veins, once triumphant, turned to fear. They were both soaking wet and vulnerable in the middle of the night. Any man who roamed these parts at night was likely not their friend especially when they spoke like that.
Wren looked up and was startled to see a short statured man in a brown robe. Of everything his voice had conjured in her mind, that was not it. Cara apparently thought the same as her body relaxed slightly. The man was past middle age, and the reality that he was likely in a bad humor seemed more possible than him being a threat.
Cara stood and offered a hand to Wren. Wren stood on shaking, burning legs, but she quickly lost her balance, falling back into the wet grass.
“I will not ask you again, girl,” repeated the strange man as she stood and regained her balance.
“Give her a minute, you ass. She almost drowned back there.” Cara glared at the man even as she helped Wren to her feet.
“What are your names?” There was an eerie tone to his voice that had Wren wrapping her arm around Cara’s waist and pulling her towards her.
Never one to be intimidated, Cara straightened. “We are fine and you should be on your way.”
A dark chuckle radiated from the man sending ice through Wren, paralyzing her. The man held out a single hand and energy seemed to radiate from the palm of his hands. It was similar to the pull she had felt in the lake, but this was more like pressure that poked and prodded at her. As soon as it had begun it was gone.
Before relief could find her, a cry ripped from Cara and her body was pulled from Wren. Wren shouted as she bent down reaching for her friend who was now kneeling on the ground, her eyes pressed together as her face contorted in pain.
“I will not ask for your name again,” the man said with a smile that showed yellowing teeth.
Wren ignored him as she leaned down and tried to help Cara up. She froze as Cara let out a cry of pain and doubled over. Though it was impossible, Wren knew the man standing over them was the reason for this pain.
“Wren,” she choked out, her voice hoarse from the near drowning. “Wren Hayden. Please. I don’t know what you are doing to her, but please stop.”
As if fulfilling his request had been the cure, Cara’s cries stopped and she reached for Wren, her chest heaving with effort. As soon as Cara was upright she threw her arms around Wren’s waist and buried her face into Wren’s neck.
“Run.” Cara’s breath was hot against Wren’s cool skin, but the determination in that one word held her focus.
The man laughed and a new sort of panic filled her. “There will be none of that.”
Wren tried to take a step back, but her feet seemed rooted in the ground. Despite knowing there was no help nearby she looked around and let out a gasp when she found her surroundings were entirely different and she was not at all where she had been before. There was a large stone building in the distance eerily similar to the castles in Georgie’s stories. She turned towards the lake and only saw greenery in the distance surrounding the water. She was accosted by the thought that she was unconscious and dreaming, but the solidness of Cara next to her told her she was not.
“What are you doing? Why can’t I move?” Cara’s body thrashed against the power that held them.
“Cara, stop,” Wren whispered.
Whatever Cara heard in her voice was enough to ground her. “Look around.”
Moments and eternities flashed between them as she waited for her friend to confirm their reality or to condemn her madness.
“Goddess. Where are we?” Cara’s voice held a touch of awe where there should have only been fear, but that had always been her way.
“Come with me, Wren Hayden. I want to make one thing very clear to you.” The man paused, allowing their attention to flow back to him. When he was satisfied, he brought his hands together. “Should you disobey me or act in any way against me, I will kill you right where you stand. Is that quite clear?”
Wren snorted despite the panic rolling in her. “I am not going anywhere with you.” She backed away a step for good measure and before she could rejoice at the freedom of movement her feet hit cold water and she recoiled immediately. Icy steel appeared against her throat and Wren sucked in a breath. She tried to make sense of this reality as she realized there was a dagger to her throat.
Fear paralyzed her.
“You will come with me and you will do exactly as I say.” He held the dagger tight enough to her throat Wren was sure if she spoke it would draw blood.
“Don’t hurt her!” Cara screamed. “Whatever you want, I can do it. Just don’t hurt her.”
The man sneered at her. “You can’t give me what I want, you stupid girl.”
As if to prove his point, he stretched out his free hand towards Cara and she screamed in agony, clutching her head.
