Chapter 12

Jinx

"You need my help?" I asked shocked by what Zachary just said.

"Yes," he replies, "You are a very gifted mage, in many things that is"

"Well, say I was in the helping mood, what would you need me to help you with?" i ask curious. Maybe if I can find out what Zachary is up too, I can warn Fiona.

Zachary stands, "Follow me."

I oblige and follow Zachary out the room. We walk down a hallway and enter one of the counsel rooms, instead it has been modified to look like a forgery. I know what he wants.

"I want you to make me swords made from Silver dust to arm my army. In return, I'll let you kill the king. I know what he has done to you and your camp" I scoff.

"No." I answer. Zachary looks annoyed and snaps his fingers and the king, Azriel and Lilo are brought into the room. Dark circles colour Azriel's eyes. The king was bleeding from several cuts on his face and arms and Lilo looked drained. Tears sting my eyes as I feel the suffering from the men before me.

"Make the blades, or I kill them. In front of you." Zachary's venomous voice pierced my ears. I nod and he smiles, "Good." Zachary leaves and the men are dragged out. Once I am alone, I start looking around me for a way out or a way for me to send a signal.

Jinx? I hear a familiar voice call.

Yashi? I call back, where are you? Are you okay?

Yeah, just great. What are you doing here?

What am I doing here? What are you still doing here? I ask furious.

I can't leave. I tried but Zachary has some kind of barrier around the castle.

Yashi, are you hurt? I ask worried. Yashi must have hit the barrier trying to get to me.

No, I'm fine. I've been keeping Azriel company.

What happened to him?

Zachary has been trying to get him to use his magic but Azriel won't budge. Lilo heals him everytime they bring him back from their torture chamber, but his magic is running low. Jinx I don't know how much longer they will last here.

Where's Lilo and the King?

In another room, the king is hurt pretty bad but refuses to let Lilo heal him.

I sigh, while Ariel and I have been working through our problems, his family has been suffering. I have to do something.

Jinx?

Yeah?

Azriel says not to make the weapons. Zachary will use it to kill all the mages that follow Fiona.

And if I don't he will kill Azriel and his father.

Jinx, he's begging you.

I sigh, okay, our only hope is for Fiona to get here as soon as possible. I look around me and try to find something to use as a weapon. I find a small knife in the toolbox. It probably belonged to the previous forger, whatever happened to him. I spent the rest of the day just pacing around the room when finally Zachary comes back. When he sees that nothing has been made he looks furious. I rush to him with the small knife and try to stab him, but he twists to the side, dodging it. I swipe againt but he grabs my forearm and looks at the small blade. He makes the blade disintegrate in my hands. I watch as the ashes fall to the floor.

"I wonder if you underestimate me." Zachary says. Two guards enter and grab either of my arms. There's something wrong with the guards. Their eyes, they looked soulless. I gasp, I look over to Zachary and can see he knows that I know what he did.

"You didn't." I whispered.

"I did. Humans, they make a great army when they are not in control of their actions. You should see my Magen army." Zachary's eyes glint. I look down at my feet, tears slip free from my eyes and I sob. Zachary banished the souls to Quanta, a realm of the damned. It was the worst crime to commit, even among the mages.

A finger under my chin forces me to look up. I stare into Zachary's eyes, "You're next if you don't do as I ask." When he sees the defiance in my eyes, he adds, "After Azriel, of course."

I am then led to a dark room. I struggle to see in the dark when suddenly the room lights up. Azriel hangs from chains with his head bowed.

"Azriel!" I call and try to break free of the iron grips on my arms. Zachary chuckles he walks over to Azriel who flinches. Zachary hovers his hand over Azriel's head and looks at me with a wicked smile. Azriel cries out in pain and arches his back before falling limp from the chains. Zachary lifts his eyebrow at me. I pant as I look at the ground. I promised Fiona that I would protect her sons if I found them. I never break my promises.

Another ear piercing scream rings throughout the air before I yell,

"Alright!" I sob, "Let me heal him and I will make you your swords. Please."

Zachary looks pleased and nods at the two guards. They let me go and I rush over to Azriel. Zachary and the two men leave the room, "I'll be back by dawn." he says.

I unbuckled the restraints around Azriel's wrists and he falls into my arms.

"Jinx, you can't." Azriel says weakly. I brush his hair from his face once I lay him down.

"Shh, everything is going to be fine." i whisper back. I place my hand on his forehead and close my eyes. I conjure a delicate amount of magic towards my fingertips and spread it throughout Azriel's body. He groans in my lap at the discomfort before he finally relaxes. Colour returns to his face and he begins to heal. I sigh from relief and move myself to the wall with Azriel's head in my lap, "Rest now." I say, "You are going to need it."

***

Dawn breaks and I look down at Azriel who is staring up at me. He lifts himself and sits next to me against the wall with a groan.

"Ariel?" he asks.

"Safe with your mother. They're on their way here, we just have to sit tight." i reply.

"What are you going to do about he swords? Zachary's men will be here any minute."

I sigh, "Take as long as I can." I close my eyes and appreciate the quiet, "Why won't you use your magic?"

"I can't," Azriel replies, "Zachary wants me to use my magic to undo the charm my mother placed on a door that leads to the mountain."

"Well, where does it lead?" I ask looking at him.

"I don't know, but if my mother wanted to keep people out, I should do the same." Azriel replies. The door to the room opens and four guards enter. They grab me and Azriel and lead us out the room. I thought they were leading us back to the forgery when we took a different turn than we did yesterday. We walk down a spiral staircase which opens into a large room with a arched door at the end. This must be the door Azriel was talking about.

"It seems I won't be needing your help, Jinx," Zachary says, "everything I need is just behind this door."

"All the more reason for me not to open it!" spat Azriel. Zachary smiles and gestures for the guards to bring me closer to him and they force me to turn and face Azriel.

"I take it back, Jinx. I do need your help." Zachary says behind me. Suddenly a searing pain explodes in my head. I cry out and grab my head. As quick as it came, it left and I pant from relief, but it wss short lived as the pain returned. I dropped to the floor, my head and in my hands and I bend over, the pain causing me to scream again. It was like every nerve in my brain was on fire. The pain stopped again and I couldn't stop the sobs escaping my lips. Zachary grabs my hair and forces me to look up into Azriel's eyes. I shake my head slightly at him. No matter what, Zachary can't get his hands on the swords behind the door. Pain explodes once more and Azriel looks away from my squinting his eyes. My screams bouncing against the walls.

"Alright!" Azriel yells, "I'll open it, just please, stop." Zachary looks pleased and the guards grab me again. I struggle to breath from all the screaming, my throat ripped raw and my head pounding. I'm pulled to the side, my arms held behind me as Azriel is shoved towards the door. Zachary comes and stands next to me, threatening Azriel who looks back to me. He turns to the door and his hand glows orange. He places his hand on the door and a click echoes throughout the room. Zachary smiles and walks to the door as Azriel to pulled away. Zachary walks through the door and emerges a few se

conds later with a sword in his hands.

"The battle begins." he says smiling at me.