Orbs of Power

Chapter Eight

They still had a few hours of daylight before the city, Munich, locked them out. Sapphire and Sean trailed Allison as she made her way to the public library. The library was one of the only public buildings allowed a computer.

She walked up to the desk calmly as the two took in the beauty. To those who had lived in basically a shack their entire lives, the high ceilings with iron supports and hardwood floors were the most stunning things they had ever seen. Allison seemed oblivious to the quality around her. Either that, or she was unimpressed.

The librarian looked up. "Can I help you?"

Allison nodded. "I would like to check the clearance alloted to my name."

The man bobbed his head. "Name, please."

"Allison Evergleam."

The only sound was the clacking of keys and the whir of the machine.

The man's eyes widened. "Hello Frau Evergleam. You have access to all the information we have on the Orbs that concerns the noble children, including records of previous Power Pacts and House history. Was there something spesific you needed? You could request it, but being, erm, retired means you lost most access."

Allison nodded curtly. "No, thank you though. Just wanted to check what our glorious leader," and here she paused for half a second, "entightled me to. Guten Tag, Herr."Good day, sir.

Without another word, she turned and left, Sapphire and Sean hurrying after.

----

"So I take that as a no, we cannot access the Lists."

Allison nodded.

"But was all that back there?" Sean demanded.

Sapphire jumped ahead of him a bit. "Might as well tell you now, since it doesn't matter anyway. Allison had a cool job of teaching the noble kids how to not get each other killed on accident." She grinned.

"Instead they can kill each other on purpose!"

Allison rolled her eyes. "Dear, you know I just taught them not to kill each other, period." She turned to Sean. "It's true; I taught the nobles all they know about Orbs, including their abilities and limits."

Sean frowned. "Why wasn't I taught these things?"

Allison looked away, but Sapphire beat her to it.

"Because you, cousin, are a peasant."

He whirled on her and she shrugged. "I am a peasant too, so don't get too upset. Allison taught me everything I know, free of charge." She grinned at Sean's angry face.

He rolled his eyes and looked away.

He looked up, at Allison. "What was the 'Power Pact' or whatever?"

Allison looked into the distance, towards the gates of Munich. The sun was setting soon.

"A Power Pact is a pledge, a promise, that two users can make. It's more like a competion though, a challenge. Say you think they cannot lift 100 Kg. You can make a Power Pact with them, meaning money isn't on the line, but your Orb power is. If you lose the bet, you not only lose all your power, you lose any ability to get any more. Even if you only had one hand of power, you would not be able to take another orb into your other hand. Does that make sense?"

Sean looked confused. "So you make a promise and if you can't keep it you lose your powers?"

Allison nodded happily. "Yes, I think you got it."

Sapphire groaned. "Ugh you guys are boring!"

Allison frowned. "I know I taught you this long ago, but that is no reason to act like a child. You are a 23 year old woman, almost 24, now act like it."

Sean chuckled. "You got owned."

Allison got to him before Sapphire had the chance. "Sean, others' embarassment is not an excuse to be rude. You are acting just as bad as she is. Have you forgotten why we were making this journey at all?"

Sean looked down. "Yeah I know. Max. Not that it matters. They are probably sending someone to get us as we speak. Remeber the Air user? Now we have a spy, and we don't even know who it is."

"Actually, we do."

Sapphire and Sean stared at her.

She stopped and looked back. "What? I wasn't too hard. I wonder why we didn't think of it sooner. It's Ty Croman."

They both started. "Wait, what?"

"How do you know that?"

"The same guy who had Max taken?"

Allison blinked at the assault of questions. "Yes, and because he is one of the only Air users, and the power level needed to control an animal he most definitly has."

Sean and Sapphire pulled a blank.

Allison sighed. "He's a Celestial."

No response.

Allison rolled her eyes and kept walking. "It's a-"

"HALT!"

They whirled around to see a guard racing after them.

They checked the distance from them to guard and them to the gate. The gate was closer.

They ran.

"CLOSE THE GATE!"

The gate started to lower, and quick math on Allison's part told them they might, might, make it.

"Run as if your life depends on it!"

It probably did.

They were ten feet from the gate and it was far lower than Allison would have liked it to be. The guards were gaining, and Allison's lungs wanted to give out.

There were a few feet left and the gate was almost down.

Allison pushed them through, to safety.

She didn't quite make it though.

Sean and Sapphire whirled around when hey felt her presence dissapear from behind them. Sapphire's look of horror and betrayal, thought Sean, must have matched his not a few days ago, with Max.

Allison was roughly apprehended.

"Go! Don't let them catch you! Remeber Sapphire, rememb-"

The guards hauled her away.

And with it, their will, and possibly their last chance to even have a chance against Croman.

They left, Sapphire looking back as one cry rang through the night.

"GO!"