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.He whirled around on his brother, who had stepped back.Alaire wanted to strangle him.Time toget out of here, he thought.I'm outnumbered.As he turned to leave the chamber, something sharp jabbed his rear end.It wasn't a knife or anarrow, or even a sword; but it was, he knew immediately, something equally familiar.It was the same now as it was then, when the Swords of the Magicians paralyzed him with a poisondart.Only this time Galdur had evidently shot him with it.Alaire collapsed, turning towards the door ashe did so, catching a glimpse of Galdur and the little reed used to launch the dart.It's the same poison, he thought, his mind darkening.In moments the paralysis took over, and hisvision faded to black.Reykir stared out the window at the invading forces for only a moment, suddenly aware of Rakdigging her claws into his shoulder.We're not getting out of this, he thought.At least not now. Holding his fist up to Rak, he said, "Up." The owl stepped onto his fist, panting with a wild look,nearly turning her head completely around.She's our only hope, Reykir thought.He looked into the owl's eyes directly, willing the creature to relax, sending her calming, tranquilizingthoughts.Soon the panting slowed, and Reykir had her full attention.:Fly.Home now: he sent.For a moment Rak's expression was strangely sad and human, as the realization seemed to sink intoher that Reykir might not survive.Reykir fought back tears.:Go.Now!: he ordered in a mindshout, taking Rak over to the window.The harshness of the words seemed to prod the bird into action.:Fly home now.Tell King Derek whathappened!:Rak hesitated, and Reykir leaned out the window.:Home! Now!: the boy commanded, pushing theowl into the sky.The gesture left a painful scratch as the owl tore off his fist and launched herself into the night, but itaccomplished the goal.He felt a thin line of blood drip down his wrist as he watched his friend swoopaway into the night, amid the wingrats and Arachnian soldiers who continued to pour in from the sky bythe hundreds.:Fly, my friend,: Reykir sent, but Rak did not reply.He watched for several long moments as Rak vanished around the corner of the palace, having noway of knowing if she made it beyond the palace grounds or not.She can't help me now.I must dealwith my present situation by myself, he thought.What did Alaire tell me to do? Stay here until hereturns? With the enemy swarming over the area, that seemed to be the wisest move.In the room was a large wardrobe with two large doors adorned with intricate wooden scrollwork.Inside hung some of the clothing given them by the king, but that wasn't what he was looking for."Not a weapon anywhere, except for this damned knife," he muttered aloud, touching the hilt of hisdagger.He was torn between joining the battle and saving his own skin.Being Alaire's apprentice hadtaught him some bravery and a sense of responsibility; they were under attack by a well armed and welltrained army, who were making mincemeat of anyone who defied them.At that moment, he saw nothingbrave about walking into a battle with only a dagger to inflict damage.Stupid, perhaps.But not brave.Reykir opened the doors and pushed past the clothes, finding a place to stash himself.Then hepulled the doors shut behind him, and began the long process of making his body and spirit completelystill.* * *Alaire opened his eyes, the only motion he was capable of.He had been dreaming about the Prisonof Souls, the crystal jail cell his soul had been stored in; as he woke, he felt the walls of a coffin at hisside, but this was only a part of the fading dream.He lay on his stomach, his face turned to the right, hischeek pressed against a cold, damp stone floor.Kai lay next to him, his eyes open, his wrists bound inshackles.He might have been unconscious, or not.The drug the wizards here seemed to favor hadsubtle, yet overwhelming effects.Somewhere above and behind him, he heard movement, and voices."We have captured the palace," an unfamiliar voice said."Except for the west wing.There is some.resistance there."West wing? Is that where Reykir was? he thought, hoping the boy had listened to him and stayedin the room.Perhaps he would find a place to hide, and perhaps he would escape.I pray to the godsthat he has.Derek must know what's going on! Once these Arachnia capture Suinomen, if they do,then Althea is certainly next!"Very well," someone replied.Alaire flinched inwardly when he recognized the voice.Craig."Su'Villtor, what do you suggest now?"A rustle, followed by an unintelligible Arachnian chitter, then, "I think we should move the prisonersas soon as possible.We may have the palace, but we do not yet have the city."At the sound of his brother's voice, Alaire withered inside.If there was any doubt about his loyalties before, his last statement laid it to rest.Why is Craig betraying us? And where the hell are theytaking us?Alaire felt some feeling return to his fingers, and he moved them tentatively.As the feeling spread, hesensed that his arms were bound behind him in shackles like Kai's."He's waking," Galdur hissed."We must keep him down," Su'Villtor said."Dose him again."A pause, followed by a sharp pain in his right leg.In moments, the darkness returned.The wardrobe made a stuffy hiding place at first, but as the boy willed his breathing to slow, hismuscles to relax, he became aware of a draft coming in from beneath him.Soon he was comfortable, anddiscovered he would be able to sit there indefinitely.As calm as he made himself on the surface, he felt as though he was on the very edge of hysteria.Though muffled, the sounds he heard coming from around him in the palace were not encouraging.Atfirst it was a frantic scraping, as though someone was dragging a sword down the hall, followed by aflurry of pecking noises.The floor vibrated with the motion, and he had to concentrate further to stillhimself.When he heard Arachnian shouts, he realized the odd sounds were Arachnians, searching.He resisted an urge to bolt out of the wardrobe and run like a frightened rabbit.This would notmake sense, he knew, even though the enemy was so close.I must remain here.If for no other reason then because Alaire told me to stay here! Whenlogic fails, submit to a higher authority.He'd heard that somewhere, but could not quite remember where.It had made no sense when he heard it, but now, as he sat on the bottom of the wardrobe, trying tobecome one with the wood, he realized the quote was the only thing keeping him sane.Someone entered the room, and then came the thud of something big and heavy falling over andbreaking.For a moment, Reykir stopped breathing, until the wardrobe doors flew open.Two armored and well armed Arachnians stood regarding him for a moment, then chittered away ateach other, sounding amused.Their suddenly relaxed stance indicated he was not the threat they hadanticipated, and he didn't know whether he should be relieved or insulted.A claw reached out and plucked the dagger from his belt, then tossed it aside."Human.Come withus," the Arachnia said.If they recognized him as a prince's assistant, they didn't show it
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