Magic Meets Might

Does She Stay?

Seto's POV

"We can't let her go. She could be a valuable ally and her magic interests me. An aura I have never encountered before." The girl's eyes were far to similar to the ones I knew. With the sheathe she never let out of her sight and those eyes, there was no doubt in my mind who the girl was. I just had to convince the others to let her stay under my protection.

"So you want her as a science project?" Deadlox asked, bored.

"Sky?" I turned to the king, "What do you think? My main concern is how you, Deadlox, and MU will handle it. You three have all had some evil spirit of one thing or another. Will her presence affect you three?"

"No." They chorused.

"So we keep her then?" I asked hopefully. There was no doubt he'd be still looking for the young sorceress. I had to keep Cassandra safe, even if she didn't know why.

"Yes. We have to. But she has hidden alot from us. She needs to tell us everything."

River's POV

They told me I had to answer some questions tomorrow. What if I don't know the answers? What will happen? Will they lock me up in a light-less cell? In my new form, I have to hang onto what little light I have. If they take that, they take my hope. Hope is all I have.

I paced the garden with these troubling thoughts. They allowed me freedom but I could tell I was still a prisoner. Two heavily armored guards stood at the edge of the garden clearing and another two had crossbows loaded, aiming at me from the turrets. Clamps were latched onto my wings every couple inches or so and a small current ran through them, numbing my wings. Even if I knew how to fly away, I wasn't able to.

What will they do to me if I can't tell them what they want to hear? I'm just a lost little girl, now dragon beast, who got pushed around by a road raider.

And Seto. He said I'm interesting and special but he won't tell me why. I couldn't shake the feeling he knew much more about me than he let on. He called me Cassandra even after I told him my name was River. Did he see the magic I used against the forest man? Was he keeping me here because of how I defended myself? That magic? That was just a fluke, a blind reaction, it's not like I can call it back at will!

I rested my head on the old wood of the garden tree, on the verge of tears. I still don't know who I am. River Walters may not be my real name, I may not know my real parents, I can't remember anything from before that night in the forest!

I punched the wood and instantly regretted the act of anger asu knuckles began to bleed. I wrapped my hand in my sweater, sitting against the tree sobbing. The other hand stroked the leather sheathe strap and the name printed on it.

Sometime later, a guard must've taken me out of the garden because I awoke on a soft couch. My hand was bandaged and the clamps on my wings were gone.

I settled in a more comfortable bed, careful not to strain them as a dull ache had set in, turning them stiff.

A knock sounded on the oaken door across from the bed.

"Come in," I called, reaching for a hair brush they'd given me that rested on the night stand.

The door knob jiggled and the door swung open to reveal Seto Sorcerer.

I didn't meet his gaze, focusing instead on running the brush through my black hair. "What news from the Team?"

I left the large windows open and the cool night wind rustled the silk curtains slightly. Stars glittered outside, scattered among a jet black sky. A song bird chirped its good night and almost like magic, the buzzing bugs and animal chatter quieted.

"Your interrogation is tomorrow morning. I told them you'd come quietly and answer honestly."

"And if I don't?" I finished getting rid of all the knots and rested my hands in my lap. "If I can't satisfy your questions?"

He sucked in a breath and I could feel his gaze burning into me. The temperature of the room dropped, along with his attitude. "We won't have to worry about that because I trust you won't make any trouble." Seto released his breath and took a step closer to me. "I don't know what your game is, Cassandra, but cut the crap and tell me what happened- then we can skip all of this."

I bolted up from the bed and glared up at the wizard, cheeks hot with anger. "My name is River Walters and if you insist I am anything different one more time," I allowed my wings to spread menacingly, "I swear to Notch I will toss you off the castle walls."

A rune circle flashes around Seto and he grinned, "I'd like to see you try, Cassandra."

I growled and hurled myself at him, fingers elongating into claws. The sorcerer sidestepped and I went flying head first into the wall. He came up behind me and I sat up just in time to get a potion splashed in my face.

"Good night, Cassandra."

Numb and dazed, my body hauled itself into the bed, despite my brain shrieking at it to stay put. My eyes flickered to the label of the potion, sitting among broken shards of glass. Sleeping Drought. Damn you, Seto...

Some hours later, I laid awake, staring at the ceiling.

Purple light shown under the crack of my door. Curious. I crept out of the bed and tip toed down the hall. A large mirror leaned against the wall at the end of the corridor. It was the source of the light. I looked around to make sure everyone was asleep, all the doors were closed and no movement could be heard behind them. I knelt down and leaned to it, awed by the purity of the light. The mirror stopped glowing and instead, it's surface became gold glass, rippling like water.

I touched a hand to the golden- and obviously magical- surface of the mirror. The world around me swirled together and I swayed on my knees until my head reached the floor and my mind left to wander the mirror.

-Moo