Spellbinder Notes (Day 24)

Species (according to Ursa):

24) Stargazer

- Extreme pacifists

- Any type of violence and discord makes them ill

o ? – what happens when they get angry?

o ? – do they ever argue or does that make them sick?

o ? – how violent or chaotic must something be to affect them?

- Feed off star light

o Nocturnal

- Have the ability to read the stars for stories about the past and future

o The stars stories seem to change frequently but most can't see the differences

- Culturally values philosophical and existential thinking and exploration

Roque ended up being a kind, but quiet, man. It turned out that he was just a dragonrider. His mother had been a dragon, who gave up her natural form to be with a mortal man who had wandered into Taikaa during the Dark Ages. Roque built his house upon the land his parents had farmed for over a hundred years.

"I never had a knack for farming," Roque explained, "But I didn't want to lose the land so I built this house on it. Of course, this whole city used to belong to my family, but over time it was taken over and then built upon. At first, we didn't mind, but then, when it became clear what they were doing with our land, it was too late."

"After they destroyed your land," Chris asked, "Why did you stay?"

"This is my home…and I found someone to make me stay."

"The woman in the painting?" Chenoa inquired softly.

"Yes…Glitterbug…"

"She was a MagicTeller?"

"Yes. The most beautiful in her tribe."

"What happened to her?"

"She died…"

"I am sorry to hear that."

"It was her wish. She suffered a long time and then she wasn't suffering anymore."

"It is still hard to lose someone you love."

"Yes, it is."

Falling silent Roque became absorbed in patching some of his older clothes. Chenoa caught the hint and decided not to push it. Chris and Lieben killed their time by playing a game of chess on an old chess set that Roque brought out for them. Chenoa talked off and on with Roque, but none of their conversations were too personal. Roque seemed to like to keep a distance from most people. When night finally came, they ate and talked a bit more. Roque suggested they sleep early since they had to wake very early. He pulled out a few blankets and extra pillows so that they could be comfortable. Roque offered Chenoa the bed, but she declined. She didn't mind sleeping on the floor.

Curling up on a down blanket with a down pillow and a soft woven blanket, Chenoa felt that it was good as any bed. She felt warm and comfortable. There was something cozy about Roque's cabin. It took her a long to sleep despite her comfort, but when it came the sleep was absolute. In her dreams she saw a figure flashing in and out of her vision as if they were moving too fast for her to see.

"Power…power…" the figure said, sniffing the air like a bloodhound. "I smell power…"

Chenoa tried to see the figure more clearly but couldn't.

"I smell power…must find…must find…" it said and suddenly something was in front of Chenoa and she jumped back.

Bolting up Chenoa gasped and looked around, but everyone slept silently. There was no noise. Taking a deep breath, Chenoa tried to calm her firing nerves until she could sleep again. This time her sleep was dreamless until she was torn from her sleep by voices in real life.

"Chenoa! Run!" a voice screamed as something roared loudly, hurting her eardrums.

Unable to fully wake up, Chenoa struggled to sit up and open her eyes. Something was heavy on her chest. Fluttering her eyes, Chenoa forced her eyes open as another roar split the air like lightening. As her eyes opened, Chenoa saw a dark figure pinning her down. Its face was wrapped in a bandana so that only its eyes were visible and a black hood hid its hair and ears. The figure leaned down and sniffed her carefully as she screamed.

"Powers!" it hollered, throwing its head back and howling.

"Get off of her, you Bloodhunter!" Roque roared, his voice splitting Chenoa's ears.

The man on top of her just panted like a dog, his weight seeming to be far heavier on Chenoa's chest then his physique appeared. There was sharp movement and suddenly three more figures loomed in. Chenoa heard Lieben and Chris yell out to leave her alone. Hands grabbed at Chenoa, lifting her by her arms. Struggling, Chenoa fought as hands searched her.

"Does she have a powerful object, Fido? Or is it her?" a voice snarled as hands roughly searched her body.

"Her…her…" panted the first voice, who was apparently named Fido.

"Fine…get her out of the house. I want to burn this damn house down."

The rough hands pulled Chenoa out of the house. Dark shadows grunted and trudged alongside Chenoa as she found herself dragged out of the house. Thrown onto the green lawn, Chenoa gasped and cried out as a foot swiftly swung into her ribs. Curling in a ball, she didn't get what she had done to deserve it as another hand grabbed her hair and threw her a few feet across the lawn, the grass staining her clothes.

"Stop that!" Lieben screamed.

Glancing up Chenoa saw him fighting hooded figures, who quickly struck Lieben in the stomach multiple times. Gasping he doubled over and the abusers took this time to start kicking him in a circle. Chris fought to get to Chenoa and Lieben, but a large figure held him with just one hand. Searching around, Chenoa desperately tried to find Roque. When she did, she cried out in terror. Roque had seven figures around him. They each held a long rope that connected to a net. The net held Roque down as if he were a wild animal being caught for sport. The figures jeered and stabbed at him with long sharp rods, tearing his wings and flesh.

"Stop that!" she cried, tearing pricking at her eyes.

No one listened to her as they continued to torture the poor man and her friends. Someone grabbed for her again, but this time Chenoa reacted. Scampering out of the way, she dodged a kick, grabbing the leg in her arm and yanking it to her body. Once the leg was against her chest and the person was caught off guard, Chenoa slammed her shoulder into his chest. From there Chenoa jammed her elbow up into the person's jaw. The person gurgled a cry of alarm as he fell back.

Panting, Chenoa straightened and looked around as several more people surrounded her. Her body flared with defensive power causing the group to take a step back. Gathering their courage, they closed in again. A few of them swung ropes like lassos. Grinding her teeth, Chenoa tried to find a way out. There was a loud boom as Roque's house exploded in a giant ball of fire.

"No!" Chenoa gasped, stunned for a long moment.

This moment resulted in someone tackling her. Screaming, Chenoa fought like a cornered animal as her friends did the same. In the blaze of the fire two figures walked toward Chenoa, who ended up being restrained by two large assailants. The two commanding figures approached Chenoa and, as she opened her mouth to scream, one of them waved a hand. Her voice caught and she tried again, but nothing came out. Firelight illuminated their faces and Chenoa found death in their eyes.

The taller of the two, standing at about six feet five inches, stared down at Chenoa with black eyes that seemed fathomless and freezing cold. His roughly cut black hair spiked out in all directions with bangs hanging innocently over his eyes. A thin nose made an upside-down T with his lips with only a fraction of space between them. His skin was silvery tan, rippling with feline like muscles. Several solid gold loops decorated each ear and black stripes decorated his body at random intervals like tattoos. Despite the chill in the air, the man was shirtless in pants that looked similar to the ones Chenoa saw in movies like Aladdin and Arabian Nights. Black lines started at his wrists and ran down his hands, up each finger, elongating his fingers in two to three-inch claws. With close observation Chenoa saw that the black claws were real and part of his hands. It was as if there were no fingertips, just the long frightening claws.

The other man, who was only an inch or two shorter, had eyes that were sparkling silver with thick dark blue eyelashes that flashed in the firelight, drawing Chenoa's attention. His skin was a mix of soft pink and purple, delicate and supple looking. Wild waves of turquoise blue hair cascaded down his shoulders, holding tree leaves in its masses, as baby fine strands fell across his face. His nose was perfectly straight and sized for his face just above lips that were a natural metallic purple tinted red. Around his eyes, reaching down towards his chin, were slightly darker patterns of skin, almost like make-up or face paint, creating leaf designs. His hands, unlike his companion's, were pampered and tender looking, with manicured nails and no hint of even a wrinkle. From a circlet made of a fine silver chain hung a waning crescent moon on his forehead as large copper waning moons hung from his ears.

Struggling Chenoa didn't like the way the two men were looking at her. They approached and examined her with interest. The panting man, Fido, who had sniffed her, approached as well cautiously. The delicate man flipped what looked like a dog treat into the air and the panting man caught it before retreating to eat it.

"What have we got here, Relyt?" the delicate man whispered almost seductively, his fingertips inches from Chenoa's face.

"Touch me and I'll bite you," Chenoa snarled aggressively.

"Then I'll return the favor," the man smiled, exposing large sharp canine teeth.

Chenoa instantly thought of a vampire.

"Leave her alone, Shoj!" Roque called from his net. "She has nothing to do with this city!"

"Oh, but Roque," the man named Shoj said, his smile still in place, "she only has nothing to do with our city because she has not been claimed yet."

"Claimed?" Chenoa spat in disgust. "No one is claiming me."

"I am surprised that the Unos did not sense your power," Shoj continued ignoring Chenoa. "It is quite potent."

"How do you know?"

"I can taste it," Relyt explained, his own sharp teeth bared. "I am part MagicTeller and it wafts off you like a flower's scent. That is why Fido here could smell you out."

Relyt nodded to the panting man who bobbed his head up and down eagerly. Relyt moved closer this time, something swinging out behind him. Startled Chenoa moved her head to the right to see what it was and realized that it was a tail − long, blue and striped like a tiger. Her eyes snapping up to Relyt, Chenoa recalled a lesson from Ursa. A man who looked like a man but had a tail. Skin crawling, Chenoa knew as if by instinct that Relyt was a Morgrif. Not good. Not good at all.

"I see my reputation precedes me," Relyt chuckled as he watched Chenoa's expression change.

"I have never heard of you, but I have heard of your kind."

"What kind is that?"

"You are a Morgrif."

"You are correct. My father was a Morgrif, thus I am, though I did inherit my mother's MagicTeller abilities as well. I am a very talented boy."

Placing one of his long nails under Chenoa's chin, he dragged it gently along her flesh. He was teasing her, and she knew it. Being a Morgrif, Relyt had animal desires. Fear in his prey would be one of them. Shoj placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair. It felt almost like a competition. If one touched her, then the other did. A strange quality in a friendship.

"Relyt, you may taste her power, but I can see her soul. It is beautiful like a black hot flame dancing with streaks of red. I would love it for my collection," Shoj said, his eyes locked with Chenoa's.

"You are a SoulEater?" Chenoa asked, though she knew the answer.

"Part…my mother was a Tameren, who chose a SoulEater to bed her so that I could be even more powerful."

"Sounds romantic."

"If romance is what you desire, I shall show you romance…"

He edged Relyt out of the way, cupping her face in his hands. Running his lips down her forehead, nose and lips, Shoj breathed in as if he was inhaling part of her. His body hummed as it felt as if he was sucking her very breath away. Relyt pushed his friend to the side quickly.

"No souleating!" he growled. "We don't even know what she is."

"Touch her then and tell us."

"I am getting to that!"

Shoj bowed, taking a step back. He was clearly the calmer of the two. Relyt appeared to have a short fuse. Stepping forward, Relyt looked her over again as she struggled against the men that held her. Her power seemed blocked inside of her. The build of it was making her muscles ache. Something was blocking it.

"How should I read her power?" Relyt asked aloud.

The group shouted out several answers, some which made Chenoa turn scarlet and the boys scream in anger. Coming very close, Relyt licked his thin lips, though he had not touched her yet. Holding his hand up, he followed the curve of her face and body, still not touching her. Then in the blink of an eye, he snatched her by the neck with his left hand, his long fingers encircling her neck completely. His right hand took her left wrist, yanking it to him and wrapping his mouth around the space between her thumb and forefinger. A bolt of electricity shot through Chenoa and she felt as if she was being sucking into a vacuum. Her body shook alongside his.

Everyone fell silent as the two of them glowed white hot before he wrenched himself away from her, gasping for air. Slicking his hair, Relyt smiled shakily, though his eyes glinted maliciously. Running the back of his hand along her cheek, he softly laughed.

Suddenly he struck her hard across the cheek, snapping her head sideways as blood splashed into her mouth and she crashed to the ground. The men that had held her had released her when Relyt had grabbed her. Chenoa blinked furiously as she stood. Straightening, Chenoa stood defensively as Relyt patted Shoj on the back.

"What a rare find, my friend," he guffawed. "She is a Spellbinder. One of the only two left."

"A Spellbinder? Really…how delicious," Shoj purred, watching Chenoa with even more interest.

"Yes and very powerful one, though there is something blocking her power. She has a binding on it."

"Shall we break it?"

"I think we should, but it will take time. We would hate to destroy her body and mind."

Swiveling her head to look at them both as they talked, Chenoa felt pure frustration at the way they talked about her as if she were not there or like she was a small child. Again, Chenoa tried to flex her power but she felt it hit an invisible wall inside of her and become blocked. Shoj waggled a finger at her.

"No, no, precious. No powers now. That is why we have a MagicBlocker in our family," he told her condescendingly.

Pointing to Fido, Shoj smiled cruelly.

"A Bloodhunter-MagicBlocker hybrid. Fido is the full package."

"A what and a what?" Chenoa gasped.

"Oh, you are so new to this world that it is precious! You really are our precious."

He turned to Relyt.

"Should I bind her, Relyt?"

"Yes. That would be best."

"What should we do with her mutts?"

"Take them to the river border and kill them."

"No!" Chenoa screamed, lunging towards her friends as if her mere presence would save them.

Shoj was in front of her before she had even taking a step. How he had moved so quickly, she did not know, but he held her tight by her shoulder. His grip, while delicate looking, felt like steel on her arms. Thrashing around, Chenoa could not shake him. Shoj barked an order that everyone needed to leave and to take the three mongrels with them. Relyt stayed there, watching hungrily.

"Do you wish to watch, my friend?" Shoj moaned as he ran his lips against Chenoa's rapidly turning face.

"I do, my friend. I have a feeling this will be quiet a wondrous soul binding," Relyt replied, running the long nails of his left hand across his chest sensually.

"You don't mind, do you, Precious? It's more fun when there is an audience."

"Let me go!" Chenoa shrieked, trying to kick him between the legs in his special place, but he had already moved.

Shoj held her from behind, pressing himself against her back. Taking a shuddering breath, he dragged his sharp canines down her neck. Coming closer, Relyt stayed out of Chenoa's reach, yet close enough to have a front row seat.

"Now, Precious," Shoj said. "Have you ever had your soul bound before?"

"What? No!"

"Hmm, good…I love being a woman's first. There are two ways this can go. It can be soft and sensual, or it can be hard, painful, and exciting. Which do you prefer?"

"Bite me! You are not binding my soul!"

"Oh wonderful. I hoped it would be the hard way. It is so much more titillating. And Relyt really gets into hard soul bindings."

A creepy, tight sensation started between Chenoa legs and run up through her gut. They may have been saying soul binding, but it sounded almost sexual to her. What was wrong with these guys?

"Let's begin."

Spinning her around, Shoj wrapped his fingers in her hair and pulled her close. His lips rested a hair away from hers as he took a deep breath in. Unable to look away, Chenoa felt his sparkling silver eyes ensnare her like a fly in a web. A mellowness filled her, and her body felt like it was floating away. All she could see were his eyes.

Something tugged inside of her as if her breath was being taken from her. At first it felt weird but then it started to hurt. The dull pain turned sharp as the pulling increased. Something was being pulled from her body. Tensing Chenoa naturally fought against it, trying to breathe again, trying to keep whatever was being pulled inside of her. As her body fought it, her mind felt the sharp pain as if someone was prying her open. Gasping, her body shook. Suddenly she could see colors around everything. Buildings had auras of red, blue, green and yellow. Relyt had a silver and black aura while Shoj shimmered sparkling silver with streaks of blood red. Her own aura danced around her, a hot black woven together with two threads of red and outlined in burning white. It was then that she saw Shoj inhaling her aura.

Scrunching her face up, Chenoa pulled away. A horrible pain shot through her chest. She let out a small cry and Chenoa saw Relyt's aura jump up in excitement.

"Relax, Precious," Shoj's voice echoed, though his lips never moved. "Let me hold your soul. Let me keep it. I will protect it. I will protect you."

His words sounded sweet but more sharp pain followed as if ten sharp, little knives had been jammed into Chenoa's body. Relyt fidgeted excitedly as he watched. Biting her lip, Chenoa fought the screams and cries of pain that were building up in her chest. Still Shoj pulled and coaxed her soul from her body. Chenoa could see it separating from herself. As it did, Shoj waved his hand and a strange clay jar appeared with hieroglyphics written on it.

"Come now," he whispered lovingly. "Your soul wants to be mine. Stop fighting it."

"Go to hell, you vampric loser!" Chenoa managed to spit on him.

Flaring up, Shoj wiped the spit from his face as his eyes narrowed. Practically bouncing on his toes, Relyt leaned forward, thoroughly enjoying the show.

"Fine, you wish to be so prideful, I will show you pain," Shoj growled, opening the lid of the jar, slamming Chenoa against him and clamping his jaws around the base of her neck.

This time there was no stopping the scream that tore her body apart. It split the sky with a bolt of light as it left her body. Her nerves and tissues were on fire. His sharp teeth clamped deeper into her flesh as he drank her blood and soul as one. Nothing had ever compared to this pain, not even the fire that consumed her flesh in Quälen's encampment. Releasing the jar, which floated in the air, Shoj grabbed both of her shoulders and clenched her so close, Chenoa was sure they were melding into one person. With each long drag he took of her blood, Chenoa screamed louder and louder as her every being felt as if it were being ripped to shreds. Her aura flickered and writhed as if it too were in pain, yet Chenoa would not release her soul. She could not.

"Do not kill her," Relyt's smooth voice wove in. "We still need her and we both will want to play with her."

"I am not killing her," Shoj replied, lifting his head, his mouth dripping with Chenoa's blood. "She is stronger than that. I can feel it. Her blood is nothing like I have ever tasted. It is as if bits of her soul are in her blood."

Weak, Chenoa wobbled in her place, held up only by Shoj. Her vision was fuzzy.

"Please," she whispered, her throat dry and cracking.

"What was that, Precious?" Shoj grinned.

"Please…"

"Stop? Go on? What do you want?" he groaned, stroking her hair. Affectionately he kissed her briefly.

"Please…please…"

"Tell me what you want. I want to hear you say it."

"Please…go to hell."

Using the last of her strength, Chenoa lifted her lead weighted arms up and held them palms out at Shoj and Relyt. A shot of woven red and black power blasted out at them like wrecking balls. Taken by surprise, both barely managed to dodge them before the power destroyed a whole row of buildings. Collapsing, Chenoa heard a sharp cracking noise in her mind. Then darkness consumed her.

Pain and pleasure comingled in Chenoa. She could not see but she felt everything. Someone's hands caressed her body as her mind and soul were pried apart. Kisses graced her neck and so did teeth. Someone called to her; however, she could not answer. Until one day the dull silver haired man from the amulet appeared. He looked at her as she lay in darkness and scowled.

Is this what has become of you? His voice spoke softly though to Chenoa it cracked against her skin like a whip. You fall so easily to a Tameren mutt?

Help me, Chenoa begged wordlessly.

You never needed my help before. Help yourself.

Please.

You are suffering for no reason. He cannot take your soul.

It hurts so badly.

You have become weak in my absence. Pain is nothing more than pleasure without the desire.

Help me.

Help yourself. I told you he cannot bind your soul. Stop fighting it.

Why?

Because your soul is not yours to give. Stop fighting it and he will discover this.

How?

Relax. Relax your body and mind. Relax your soul.

In the darkness Chenoa tried, but pain had caused her body to become hard as rock. The man bent down and laid a single finger on her. Power rushed through Chenoa's body and then melted her muscles like a marshmallow in a fire. There was the now familiar feel of the tugging of her soul, but Chenoa did not fight it. Her soul was pulled and pulled. It never seemed to end, as if her soul expanded forever.

The tugging stopped. Then started again. This time her soul did disappear, but then reappeared like a rubber band snapping back. This event occurred several times until it stopped out of frustration. Chenoa relaxed in the darkness as the man watched her.

Thank you, she thought.

I didn't do anything. You did it all yourself. It is sad that you have become so weak.

I am just a kid. How am I supposed to be so strong?

You will be stronger when the seal breaks. When you remember it all.

Why does everyone keep talking about remembering?

Because no matter how much you wish to escape Darc, you cannot.

The man turned and started to fade. One last question escaped Chenoa.

Why can't he bind my soul? She inquired, scared of the answer.

Because it does not belong to you…your heart, soul and body belong to me…forever and always.

Disappearing the man left a heavy chill in the darkness, which caused Chenoa to bolt upright. Looking around, Chenoa found herself on a king-sized bed with black silk sheets. The sheets were freezing under fingers. The room she was in was barren with plain walls and only two lights overhead, one regular and one red. Standing, Chenoa shivered as her feet touched a cold floor. Looking down, Chenoa gasped to see that her clothes were gone and she was in a black lace teddy. Wrenching a sheet from the bed, Chenoa wrapped herself in it before exploring the room. There was single door and a single mirror in the room. The mirror was floor length and as she peered into it, Chenoa had a flashback. Shoj holding her back against his chest as he feasted on her blood. He had been clothed in only pants and she in the teddy.

Had he done anything to her other than feast on her blood and try to bind her soul? Although it seemed silly, she placed her hand between her legs. Nothing felt different, but that didn't mean anything. Searching for clothes, Chenoa found none, not even her own. Damn it, she thought. Yet she didn't want to stay in the room longer than necessary in case someone came back. Trying the door, she found it unlocked and scooted out of it. The hallway was also cold, but she forced herself down it. No one was around to be seen or heard.

Managing to make it down the hall, Chenoa still didn't see anyone. Unease slipped in as she continued to wander without meeting anyone. While she should have been grateful, she felt as if it was wrong. After about half an hour, Chenoa saw windows that led to the outside. They were large and clear. Scampering to them, she peeked outside to see the mass of Kuolema standing in a large yard that faced a huge river.

In the middle of the mass was Chris, Lieben and Roque, bound, bloody and bruised. Chenoa did not know how long she had been fighting for her soul, but she could tell her friends were in horrible condition. Scared, Chenoa fought back tears. How was she going to save them? She couldn't even save herself. Willing herself as hard as she could, Chenoa willed that she could hear them. Ears tingling, she felt her hearing sharpen.

"Which of you is it?" Shoj shouted, his voice like razors. "I know it is one of you!"

"Even if we knew, we wouldn't tell you," Chris spat, his teeth red from blood in his mouth.

Shoj slammed his fist into Chris's mouth. So much for Shoj's gentlemanly demeanor. Lieben and Roque stood stoically.

"We have kept you alive solely to help us bind that girl's soul and yet you have been of no use," Relyt snarled venomously. "Now answer his question if you wish to die quickly, otherwise our men will have their fun and it will be long and slow."

"We do not hold the answer you are looking for," Roque said slowly, his voice thick.

"You lie!" Shoj shrieked. "I have spent days pulling and playing with her soul. When it finally did pull free, it kept returning to her. That can only happen under three circumstances. One, her soul was already bound, which, if it were, I would have seen a binding mark. Two, she is the walking dead, which from her body is not true…"

Shoj threw in a dirty sneer, which caused Lieben to lunge forward, though he was quickly struck down.

"Or, three, she is in love so deeply that her soul belongs to that person. Since it cannot be the first two, it must be the love one. So, which of you does she love?"

"Even if ve knew vhat you vere talking about, ve vould never help you capture her soul," Lieben said, his eyes dead and resigned to a horrible fate.

"You will help, my imp friend, because, unlike your father, you can die and in a most painful way. If I have to, I will kill all three of you until her soul is released again."

No one said anything. They were all willing to die for Chenoa. Choking Chenoa felt her heart stagger in her chest. They couldn't die for her. It wasn't right. She cared for them, but she didn't love any of them. It would be a pointless death. Chenoa wouldn't let it happen just for her. Without a second thought, she dashed out of the building. Tearing across the rough yard, she slipped and slid on the hard, weed covered ground. Pushing through the group, Chenoa called for them to stop.

"Please! Please!" she begged, falling to her knees in front of Shoj. "I do not love any of them. Please do not hurt them anymore!"

"Chenoa!" Chris and Lieben called, their eyes wide.

Relyt appeared next to her and he struck her to the ground. He bared his teeth in dominance.

"How dare you leave your room!" he barked at her.

"How did you wake from my sleeping bind?" Shoj paused, bewildered.

"I dunno. I just woke up, I swear, but please don't hurt my friends," she begged again, shakily rising to her knees.

"While I do love a begging woman in such sexy lingerie," Relyt smirked, "I hate women interfering with our business."

Half consciously, Chenoa tightened the sheet around her body.

"I will do whatever you want! Just stop hurting my friends!"

"You will do whatever we want no matter what," Relyt snarled, his teeth baring even more.

"Relyt, calm yourself," Shoj smiled coolly.

Taking Chenoa by the hand, Shoj lifted her to her feet and placed an arm around her. Sniffing her, he caught the scent of something or someone he did not know but it was faint. Patting her head, Shoj looked her over as her body trembled with cold.

"They mean that much to you, Precious?" he asked sweetly.

"Yes, please…I'll do anything you want. Just please don't hurt them anymore."

"Chenoa, no! You can't give in to them! Think of Gabby and Nick!" Chris yelled out, his eyes watering. "They need you!"

"You will do anything?" Shoj ignored Chris, forcing Chenoa to look only at him.

"Yes…"

"You will be my woman? Serve my every wish?"

"Y... y... yes…"

Bile rose in her throat as she agreed. Chris screamed at her to take it back. It hurt her but if they could go free…if she could save them, then one day she'd free herself and they would be okay. Cor and Ursa would find them and they could go home and be safe and she would escape one day. Shoj wiped away the small tears that had slipped down her face.

"You are so precious," he said kindly. "Relyt, kill them all."

"No!" Chenoa screamed, spinning around just in time to see Relyt in a flash flip out a long, sharp knife.

She dove, but Shoj grabbed her tightly as Relyt flickered faster than a blink to all three of her friends and carved out their hearts.