She hovered in a sort of cosmic waiting room, really. Nothing but pure spirit, she thought bitterly. Nothing to anyone, anymore.
She'd tried so hard, that was what hurt the most. And she'd been doing a fair job of it. Until that sudden terrible shock of betrayal and pain and realization.
I'm dead, she told herself grimly. And this is no heaven. This is no hell, either. In fact...I don't know what this is...
She sensed other presences nearby, reached for their minds without knowing she did it. Others, dead and confused. Even as she attuned her mind to theirs, she felt one, then another, pop out of wherever it was they were. Was this judgment, then?
She sighed. Things didn't look so good, then. Not after what she had done.
I did it for their own good.
That doesn't make me not a murderer.
And the dream ended as it always did, with her waking up.
Kitana jerked awake, pale hands clutching at her blankets, a scream threatening to rise from her throat. Why, why did it scare her so? She'd experienced it, after all. She knew that it hadn't been death at all, but limbo. Nothing strange about that, since she had returned to Earth, and maybe God didn't want her to know what heaven looked like.
Or hell.
Maybe that was what drew her screams, on the nights she lost all control of her emotions. She had been in limbo. She didn't know where she belonged, after death. Perhaps the agonized wait for the inevitable death...perhaps that was what she feared. Not waking up to Avrien, nor to the cool grey expanse of limbo, but to something different.
Something with demons.
She got out of bed, shaking, which happened more and more often lately. Even Imarath could not tell the nineteen-year-old mage what it was that plagued her, what illness made her tremble and ache so often. It had started, she reflected, when she had been resurrected.
And, dammit, as always, every night, the thought of her death and subsequent revival made her think of her friends.
She flung the window open with her will alone and leaned out, balancing her weight carefully so not to fall. She stared up at the sky, the unfamiliar constellations driving her further into misery.
Why? she thought despairingly. Why, after five years, am I still drawn to them? I thought we were finished...I thought...
I thought I'd never have to see them again.
She turned away. Without bothering to take off her pajamas, she threw on her black mage's robes. She then reached into the drawer on her nightstand, tapped the bottom twice, and took the items that materialized.
A strangely shaped key. A black Disk. A necklace with a sapphire dangling from it.
She grabbed her swordbelt where she'd thrown it the evening before, and strapped it on, then whistled her sword into existence. The necklace went around her throat, the Disk and key into pouches on the belt specially shaped for them.
Her mind reached out almost before she knew it did, questing and finding. Her three children were asleep in the next room, Imarath in his. The other mages were harder to find, as usual, but some slight probing reassured her that no one would see her flight from the Tower.
A note...she should leave a note. She smiled bitterly. Just going to go talk to the Oracles, up in the frigid north. If I don't come back, I've either frozen or gone to Earth. Sorry. By the way, please don't forget to wash the dishes tomorrow, it doesn't take that much effort...
In the end, that was exactly what she wrote.
*
Meg, also nineteen and absolutely exhausted, fully expected to sleep until noon every day until classes started again in September. Thus, when her doorbell rang at half past two on a morning that would completely change everything, her first impulse was to roll over and mumble.
Cassie, her roommate, was a night owl. Rolling over brought the blue glow from the computer into Meg's eyes and startled her awake. "Gyaah," she squealed, sitting up and flinging her arms over her eyes. "Gyaah," she cried again, louder, just to tell Cassie how much she disliked young women who stayed up all night to play Solitaire.
Thrusting her chair back, Cassie stood and automatically buzzed whoever it was up. They always did that, because they always had friends coming over. "Going to win this game," Cassie said simply, sitting back down. "You're awake, you answer it."
Meg struggled to stand, sleep casting a haze over her vision. She was cold. This was the first thought that penetrated her brain. After that had been taken care of, by shoving her slippers on and drawing her blanket close around her shoulders, she came to the second thought.
Who on Earth did they know who would visit at this time of night?
When the knock came, soft and hesitant, Meg felt composed enough to open the door. That composure vanished immediately when she saw who stood there.
"Gyaah!" she shrieked, stumbling backwards, the blanket falling from her shoulders to pool at her feet. Cassie, completely absorbed in the game (which she would win, five moves later), didn't turn around, figuring this to be merely a reprimand to whatever idiot had woken Meg in the first place.
Kitana took a single step in, sidled out of the way, and quietly closed the door. She was disheveled, her dark hair floating in tangled clouds around her pale face, and there was a desperate, pained light glowing in her blue eyes.
Cassie, turning from her newly-won game, saw a sight she had never expected to see, at least not on a night when neither of them had come home drunk; she saw a strange woman collapse, coughing violently, and Meg caught her with an agile, delicate ease that was more reflex than anything else. More worrying was the look on Meg's face when she glanced up. Fear, confusion - and determination.
As though, Cassie reflected, Meg dared anyone, anyone at all, to take away whatever this woman had brought her.
"Er," she said, looking longingly at the new game. "Do you want help? She can stay in my bed..."
*
It happened that Jared was also not a morning person. Especially not a three-in-the-morning person.
When his phone rang, he raised a touseled head. "I'll only hurt myself if I try," he called, trying to sound pitiful.
After perhaps half a minute of ringing, his girlfriend, who also happened to live in his apartment, who also happened to be named Allison, dashed in and snatched up the phone. "Honestly," she snapped; then, covering the phone for the express purpose of making a snide comment, she added, "And some thief you'd make - couldn't stay up to rob a bank in the middle of the night."
"You know," Meg said conversationally, "you're holding the wrong end of the phone, Al." This came out muffled, as Allison's hand was clapped over the receiving end, but both understood it clearly.
Jared smirked, rolled over, and crossed his arms behind his head. "Guess we're lucky it's me, 'stead of you."
"It's late, I'm tired, and Meg - what are you doing?"
Meg's voice kept that casualness, something Allison knew instantly was false. She could sense the undercurrent of fear and concern. "I'm sitting here, on my roommate's bed, watching Kitana sleep and wondering what the hell is going on, that's what."
Jared, whose ears were sharp enough to pick up everything Meg said, jerked up. "Kitana?" he whispered, paling. "Hang on - extension - " And he ran across the hall into Allison's room, wide awake. There was a click as he picked up, then his slightly breathless, ironic voice: "You know, I'm in Al's room and she's in mine. Why did you pick up in my room, Alli?"
She grinned, though neither of her friends could see her. "To annoy you."
"Ah. I see. Now, Meg. Story. In detail."
"The bell rang and woke me up. Cassie beeped Kit up - I mean, we didn't know it was Kit, we never check - and made me get the door. And she just...came in. Cass might have been shocked, but she was playing solitaire, and - and she doesn't know, of course, who Kit is - and I don't know what to do! She's so pale and she looks just awful - "
"Cassie, or Kitana?" Jared interrupted.
"Kit, of course. She's sick. And she fainted almost right away, so I don't know what she's doing here, and I need help and your number is the only one I know."
Allison took a deep breath, tried to calm down, failed. "Oh, God. It can't be starting up again. Not after five years. I thought - I thought we were past this."
Jared sighed. Now he sounded drained, and more than a little horrified. "We always knew that it wasn't over. If it was over, the magic would have faded. It didn't. It intensified, in fact. What are we going to do about it? That's what we should have asked ourselves, ages ago, when we got back. I mean, I can't control it - it's this weird urge to steal things, and no one ever knows I stole them. And Al, you can't keep acing your language classes. And Meg - "
"Meg is just fine," she snapped. "I always liked it. So what? Do we call a - a conference? Because I'm scared. And I don't like being here alone - well, except Cass, but she doesn't count. And I don't relish the thought of being controlled again."
She didn't have to say it, because they all remembered it: what had happened the last time Meg had been controlled.
For a minute that seemed to stretch into eons, the three sat there, silent as the grave. Then, slowly, Allison said, "You're in Minneapolis?"
"Yes."
"All right. We'll be there in the morning. We'll call the others. Just - be careful."
"You too."
The three clicks were simultaneous.
Jared returned to his room and sat down next to his girlfriend, throwing his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close, so that he could rest his chin on her blonde hair. "We don't have money for a plane," he said softly.
"No," she agreed. "Which is why, of course, we won't be taking a plane, at least not the one you're thinking of."
His eyes widened in shock and he pushed her away. "Al, no! For one thing, it's not here. For another, you don't play the pipes. For yet another - "
Her eyes fixed steadfastly on the floor, she said, "It's here."
He whistled. "You're full of surprises."
"I know." She raised her head. "It's not about the pipes, it's about the music. I think my violin will work just as well. And I love you."
"Ditto. Now can we sleep?"
Allison smiled and pushed him, hard enough that he overbalanced and fell backwards onto the bed. "Naturally. For two hours. Then we leave. I'll make the calls."
As he stared after her, he wondered, yet again, exactly how she could bear to be up this late. Early. Whatever.
*
It was six-thirty when they arrived. Meg was half-asleep in the chair she'd set up next to Cassie's bed, where Kit still slept, shivering even under the quilt and coughing occasionally.
Cassie stuck her head into the room, wide awake and completely bewildered. "Your friends are here," she announced.
"Oh!" Meg said, lifting her head with a supreme effort. "All right."
"You have weird friends," Cassie noted. "I took the liberty of opening the closet door, since you'll need the towels and you're in no condition to open doors."
"Mm," Meg said, getting up and immediately half-collapsing, clinging to the doorknob. She staggered into the hall, and Cassie hung back to watch her, amused. Without bothering to wonder why, Meg grabbed several towels. It took three tries to get the door open, and then she was snapped awake.
All five of the others stood there, in varying stages of wetness. Jared, Allison, and Mary were soaked, and Allison was being supported by the other two. Ashton's gold-brown skirt was damp at the hem, and her sneakers squished as she stepped inside, followed by Shannon, who attempted to mop her glasses off on a damp, wrinkled shirt.
"Meh?" Meg asked as they all grabbed towels from the pile in her arms.
Allison lifted her head, eyes slightly unfocused. "Someone thinks she plays the violin better than me, so someone flew the plane, and that same someone crashed it into a pool and turned into a bird before she could even get wet!"
Ashton laughed. "I didn't know you can't swim," she pointed out. "And I was fine until we tried to land." She adopted a calculating look. "Of course, I did miss the roof."
"And the next one," Jared added.
"And the following ten or so," Mary noted.
"But at least," Jared said with some finality, "you almost made the twelfth. You chipped the glass, that shows some improvement..."
Meg's head spun. "Roommate," she managed, feebly waving in Cassie's direction. "Plane? In a pool? Did you take it out?"
"No, we need Kitana for that," Ashton said, good humor gone instantly. "I hope the owners don't like a morning swim..."
Meg led them into Cassie's bedroom. Her roommate grinned, eyes glassy with complete confusion, and returned to the game of chess she was playing on the Internet.
When they entered, Kitana was awake, blinking sleepily at all of them. "How long have I been here?" she asked.
"Five hours," Meg replied. "And I'm tired, so please explain quickly."
Kitana bit her lip. Meg absently noticed that there was a small white scar there, and Kitana's teeth automatically caught in the small groove. "Well," she said finally. "One: I was attacked by ninjas. Here. In Wisconsin, actually. Two: They took my Disk. Three: We have two weeks to get it back. Four: If we don't, I'm going to die."
There was silence; then Ashton spoke. "That was melodramatic. And why, pray tell, are you going to die?"
"It's your damn world," Kitana snapped. "It's the atmosphere. Maybe you can breathe it, but I can't anymore. It's burning my lungs. And in two weeks, it will kill me. So I need the Disk, to go home."
"Why'd you come here in the first place?"
"The Oracles told me to."
"Why were you - "
"No," Meg moaned. "No more. Enough info. Now sleep."
Kitana blinked. "Oh, right. I must have kept you up all night. Sorry."
Ashton smirked. "The Dark Mage Kitana apologizing? Quick, camera! It's a Kodak moment."
Kitana shot the other girl a withering look. "You can't take a picture of an apology, Ash."
"Ah, and I suppose somehow it would have been better if I'd taken a picture of you murdering those barbarians?"
"Gyaah," Meg shrieked, loud enough to make everyone turn and look at her. "Too much talking! Need to sleep. Get the plane back. Then I'll get up and we can go. Somewhere. Anywhere. Just...sleep." She wandered out and into her own room, slamming the door.
It took only ten minutes to run over to the pool, retrieve the glass plane that was powered only by music, and drag it into Meg's apartment. Cassie watched them, eyes unreadable, and eventually went to bed, leaving the six to lounge around, chatting almost amiably. The coldness in the room seemed to come solely from the dark looks and occasional sardonic lines from Kitana and Ashton.
At noon, Meg reappeared, looking rested and fresh. "All right," she said. "So, where do we go to look for the Disk?"
Kitana sighed. "That's the point. I don't know. It can't be teleported, but by this time it could be anywhere, including Avrien."
"In which case you die," Jared said.
"Good riddance," Ashton muttered.
"Shut up," the other six said absently.
"But I suppose," Kitana went on, as though there had been no interruption, "that the best way to find something is to use a dragon."
Ashton forgot her animosity, her eyes glittering. "A dragon?"
"Yes," Kitana said, deliberately staring at a wall. "Remarkable sniffers. A small one would do. However, I don't have one..."
"Pick me," Ashton whined.
"Well, who else would we pick?" Shannon questioned sensibly. "You're the only shapeshifter here."
Cassie, passing by on her way to the kitchen, snorted. "God, Meg, where do you pick up these freaks?"
"The Internet, actually."
"So!" Mary said. "Back to Wisconsin, then, to pick up the trail?"
Kitana nodded wearily and fiddled with the sapphire that hung around her neck. "Home again," she muttered. "What a joyous occasion..."
"Yes, well," Ashton said, the light gone from her eyes. "I would expect as much from you. Maybe you wouldn't have left in such a hurry if you weren't such a vicious, cold-blooded - "
"Piece of toast?" Cassie interrupted, sticking her head in.
Ashton and Kitana exchanged glances, then burst out laughing, both falling off of their chairs in their shared mirth.
Chapter 2: Sorcery
The seven stood in the small garden in what could possibly be referred to as Meg's backyard. They stared at the plane.
"I'm not getting in that thing if Ashton is going to fly it," Mary said suddenly.
"Here, here," Shannon added, a touch of fervor creeping into her tone.
Kitana scrambled into the plane and muttered something, vanishing. "Invisibility spell," she explained. "Since it's not wise to be in a glass plane and visible - people might start to wonder why we're seemingly floating in midair."
"We still haven't decided who's flying this thing," Jared noted calmly. "Allison, with her questionable violin skills, or Ashton and her excellent playing but inability to grasp the nuances of flying."
Meg stepped into the plane and disappeared. "I can see you now," her disembodied voice said in Kit's direction.
"Like can see like," the mage replied.
"Where'd you get the book?"
"It's easy to transport inanimate objects between worlds. Just not living creatures."
"'Sorcery and the Ramifications of Sourcing and True-Magic On the Magical-Political System.' What's true-magic?"
"Fourth kind. It's really odd, and you can only do it by Sourcing two people with powerful real-magic, or a willing creature with either inherent or unbound magic."
Meg made a sound that might have been the vocalization of "?"
Shannon jumped into the plane, her foot catching, sending her crashing into the bottom, at which point she vanished. "That's a huge book!" she shrieked.
The four still-visible companions glanced at each other, then resignedly climbed in. After a moment, the other three shimmered into view. Kitana had the book open on her lap and had begun reading aloud, completely ignoring the fierce scuffle for the violin that instantly ensued.
"'Sourcing is a relatively new phenomenon. In it, two mages with any of a variety of skills pass on control to a Mage of Class Kappa-Beta-Gamma or above.'" Kit paused to look thoughtful. "I'm Alpha-Alpha-Omega, I think. That's well above the restrictions. So if I had two of you Source for me..."
"Nothing doing," Allison said firmly. "I don't like giving my magic away."
"Haven't got any," Shannon said glumly.
"Nor do I," Jared said. "If I did, I wouldn't fancy letting it go."
"Bah," Ashton said succintly, winning control of the violin. She took it out and balanced it between chin and shoulder while carefully closing the case. As she played, the plane rose up, accompanied by Kitana's continued reading.
"'The power gained by such an exchange causes all power to change into true-magic, thus giving the ultimate Sorcerer-slash-Sorceress complete and as yet not fully explored power over the elements, the Gateways, and - "
"Gateways," Mary interrupted. "If two of us Source for you, then you can go home, even if we can't get the Disk."
Ashton stopped playing long enough to hiss, "She's an Earthling. Her home is here." She might have said more, but the plane had begun to plummet and her voice was drowned out by screams and pleas for her to start playing again.
*
Two hours passed in near-silence, broken only by Kitana's occasional reading out loud and Jared's delighted comment, "I can see my house from here!" At that point, Ashton handed the violin over to Allison and rubbed her shoulder.
"Ouch," she mumbled. "Fingers...hurt..."
"Where are we going?" Allison asked, drawing the bow across the strings in a light, simple tune that held the plane steady.
Kitana glanced up from her reading. "The trail starts at my aunt's farm, so we have to go there. Just fly to Milwaukee. Then I can give better directions."
"Ouch," Ashton said again, then examined her fingers. "I'm bleeding. Stupid strings."
Kitana coughed and shut the book, rubbing at her eyes. "Ugh. This is so useless. Not like any of you would Source for me anyway."
"I would," Meg said immediately.
"Yes, but I need two."
"You don't need any Sources," Ashton pointed out. "Not yet. And the way magic follows us around, you'll have more than enough volunteers when you need it. Not all of them willing, I expect."
"You have to be willing to Source. Don't be an idiot."
"When do I get to be a dragon?"
"When we get there."
Another two hours passed rapidly, and after several confusing minutes while Kitana attempted to remember where the farm was, Allison succeeded in landing the plane. They climbed out, not noticing when they became visible again, as none of them could see any difference.
Since none of them had gotten a good night's sleep the night before, it was generally agreed that they would spend the night. Kitana's aunt was away on business, and her farmhand worked the night shift at a factory twenty miles away. They hovered, yawning, behind the barn for two hours until he left, and then Jared broke into the house.
He and Allison ended up sharing the master bedroom, while Meg locked herself into the smaller one. Shannon and Mary chose separate couches, and Kitana vanished mysteriously.
Ashton, who had nowhere to go and was making an attempt to sleep on the floor with a thin blanket and a pillow, eventually decided that she didn't actually need the sleep, and her time was better put to use tormenting Kitana.
She slipped outside, the cool wind brushing her hair away from her face. The moon glowed full in the night sky, bathing the yard with soft silver light. She took a few steps on the dew-wet grass, then turned and looked up, at where Kitana was lying, apparently asleep, on the roof.
It was second nature to her now; she thought herself into the form of a red bird and took to the skies. At first, the pleasure of flying left her worries behind; then she lit on the roof and changed back, and stared for a moment at Kitana.
The mage was indeed sleeping, her arms stretched languidly over her head, her legs curled back slightly. Her eyelashes cut dark lines in her pale, unmarked face, and the moonlight caught the scar on her lip and made it glow. Her sapphire necklace hung out of her robes, glittering dark blue. The air around her seemed to crackle with the intense loveliness she radiated.
It was more than that, Ashton realized, more than the purely aesthetic beauty that marked the girl. It was more than the calmness and peace of sleep. It was the darkness, in its uncomfortable attractiveness. The darkness that hovered like a hawk, poised to strike.
I thought he would save her, Ashton thought. He hasn't. So I suppose...she can't be saved.
The silvery light caught Ashton's hair, drawing out the golden highlights, shimmering on her skirt. She did not see the fiery power that blazed in herself, the flames that provided such a contrast to Kitana's darkness. Only one person saw it, watching, invisible, from his position only yards away.
Kitana opened her eyes and stared at the sky, not at all shocked to find Ashton beside her. "If it came down to it," she said calmly, "would you Source for me?"
"Probably."
"I thought so."
The silence descended again. Ashton drew her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them and gazing out at the landscape, startlingly highlighted by the moon. Kitana turned her head and gazed at her former best friend.
"I think something's going to happen."
Ashton sighed. "I know. Something always happens."
"It's always us."
"Yes, yes it is."
"Ashton."
"Mm?"
"Is this our destiny?"
Ashton shrugged and leaned back, putting her weight on her arms so that she could look up without craning her neck so much. "Depends. On whether you believe in destiny."
"Well, real magic is just a subset of inherent magic. Which means we were born with it. If we weren't born to save Avrien and Earth, then isn't it a big coincidence that...well, you know, that our talents are so perfectly suited to our situation?"
Ashton shrugged again. "Perhaps."
After a minute, Kitana said softly, "I doubt very much that we'll all survive this time."
"Mm."
"If we're the only ones left, would you still Source for me?"
Ashton glanced over at Kitana. "You need two."
Kitana caught her eyes, then dropped her gaze abruptly. "There's - another way. But it's harder. It's based on an old principle that love is the greatest power. That, if you love someone enough that you'd die for them, in your death you can transfer your powers to them. It's a different way of Sourcing - and always fatal."
Ashton reached out and tugged a fraying thread from Kitana's robes. "Maybe once I would have died for you. Not anymore."
"I understand." No emotion filtered into her voice. "I wouldn't die for anyone, not in a million years." She sighed and swept a strand of dark hair back. "And there's no one left who loves me enough to Source for me that way."
Ashton touched Kitana's hand. "That's not true. Meg, and Imarath - "
"Meg barely knows me, and Imarath...well, he's not here, is he. And once I'm home, sorcery won't be necessary."
"It might." Ashton tilted her head back again. "If you're out to conquer, you'll probably need the extra help."
The silence stretched out for awhile, broken finally by Kitana's soft voice. "I'm sorry."
"I know."
"You still won't forgive me."
"I can't."
"Non sum quails eram."
It took Ashton a moment to remember the reference, and what it meant. A sardonic smile twisted her lips.
"No, you're not what you used to be. And you never will be again."
"Odio et amo: quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
Nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior."
"What's with all the Latin?" Ashton struggled to remember, and in the end could not. "In English, please."
Kitana laid back and shut her eyes. The silence stretched longer than ever, and Ashton began to wonder if the mage was asleep again. Then her lips parted and she spoke again.
"I love and I hate. You ask me why this is so; I do not know, but I feel it, and it torments me."
"Somehow, I can't imagine you loving anyone anymore."
"I love you," Kitana said, and hastened to add, "In a platonic, friendly sort of way."
Ashton grinned. "I know. Can't imagine why, though, since I hate you."
"That's just it. I hate you. And I love you. And I don't know why, but I know that it's a paradox and it tortures me. I dream - " Her voice trembled. "I dream of being dead. But I also dream of us. And the others. And I hate you all, but I love you, and I don't think I could live without knowing I can find you if I need to. It doesn't make sense and I can't stand it and there's nothing I'd like more than to keep chatting, but suddenly I can't breathe." She sat up abruptly, shaking, and coughed harshly, hand going protectively to her necklace.
"What's that?" Ashton asked, trying to hide her sudden concern.
"It's sorcery, of a sort. True-magic. Binding my essence into it. As long as it exists, I can draw energy from it, if I need to. Not much, but enough. If it breaks - well, I don't think I'd die, but it would hurt."
Ashton searched the mage's eyes and found what she hadn't wanted to see. "It's all that's keeping you alive."
The nod was immediate and rueful. "It protects me. But it can't forever - just for two weeks."
"Don't break it."
*
The watching figure slipped off the barn roof and floated gently to the ground, then turned to gaze thoughtfully at the building.
It was set some six feet off the ground, with a grass-covered ramp leading up to the main doors. The wood was old, feeble protection against the environment, and would probably be replaced soon. Terribly good timing for him.
He glanced toward the house, where he could see the two girls clearly on the roof, one cold and translucent, the other touched with bright flame, both glowing slightly to his eyes. So, they had magic. Well, he'd just have to take them alive.
*
Jared, Allison, Mary, Meg, and Shannon stood outside the house, staring bemusedly up at the roof, where Kitana and Ashton still slept. "I can't believe they didn't fall," Meg said in wonder.
"I can't believe Kit's uncle isn't back yet," Shannon said, checking Jared's watch again. "She did say six, right? Because, it's almost seven."
Jared thought about that, then calmly took a knife out of his sleeve and flipped it at the roof. It stuck, quivering, in the shingles next to Kitana's head.
She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and stared. "Nice aim, but...wouldn't some sort of meteor have worked? And been less dangerous?"
"My aim is impeccable." Jared smiled brightly as Kitana idly kicked Ashton, retrieved the knife, and jumped down. She handed the knife back and jumped back to avoid Ashton, who slipped and saved herself from a painful landing by slipping into cat form.
"Trail starts in the barn," Kitana said. "Someone grab the plane and let's go."
Allison volunteered, and the other six headed for the barn, up the ramp, and inside.
It was dark, the early-morning light filtering through dusty windows. Strewn hay littered the floor, and one of the horses woke with a start to gaze at these intruders upon its solitude.
"Dragon time?" Ashton asked, her eagerness finding its way into her voice.
"Whenever you want..."
The man jumped lightly to the floor from his place in the rafters, and proceeded to slam a black-booted foot into Kitana's stomach, sending her flying to strike the side of the stall and crumple to the ground.