Undestined: Fight your Fate

Chapter Four: Trust and Betrayal, Part 2

Silay's eyes felt glued shut. She went to rub them, but her hands wouldn't move. What was going on? Slowly, she forced her eyes open. Light from the sun filtered through the trees around her. She tried to move again, but still couldn't. She shook her head, trying to clear it. A tree pressed against her back, and Silay realized she was tied to it. But why? There was a tree, she had drunk something, and something else. There had been a map, and a person. "Talis!" The sound of her voice startled her. Hadn't she been gagged earlier? But no, Talis had taken it off before leaving. But she was still tied to the tree. Her dagger was in its sheath, and she remembered Talis had mentioned he was leaving it so she could escape. But after a few attempts to get it loose, she gave up. There was no way she was going to be able to use it.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Her voice sounded foreign. And much too quiet. "Help!" There was no answer. Silay's head dropped and she leaned back against the tree. She was so thirsty. How long had she been here? Her stomach growled, but the thought of food made her feel nauseous. She pushed the feeling away only to have it replaced with one of pure terror. "Hello! Help! Somebody?" She struggled against the ropes as she shouted, not caring that they cut into her wrists. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the feeling of terror was gone. Silay collapsed against the tree, too exhausted to even cry.

She had no idea how long she stayed that way before she heard footsteps. She raised her eyes and found herself staring at a pair of black leather boots. The boots were replaced with Riya's face. "You," the woman said, "Are very hard to track. None of my usual spells worked. I had to track those wards you carry with you. Good thing whoever did this left your pack." As she spoke, Riya cut the ropes holding Silay to the tree. Helping her slowly stand, she then cut the ropes holding her wrists behind her back. "There." Riya took a step back, as if surveying her work. "Much better, don't you think?"

Silay raised her head, but didn't answer. Riya's eyebrows narrowed in concern. "Come on, let's get you out of here." When Silay didn't move, Riya took her hands and, after grabbing Silay’s pack, gently led her out of the woods to her wagon by the side of the road. "Sit." She guided Silay to the edge of the wagon and wrapped her hands around a water-skin. "Drink. Slowly."

While Silay sipped the water, Riya pulled a small jar out of one of her packs in the wagon. When Silay finished drinking, Riya took the water-skin from her. "Let me see your hands". She opened the jar, revealing the pale pink cream it held. Dipping her fingers into it, she gently spread it on the raw skin of Silay's wrists. Silay winced, but didn't pull away. When she was done with her wrists, Riya rolled up Silay's sleeves. Her frown deepened when she saw the bruises Talis had left on her arms. Riya put more of the cream on those, and on the bruises higher up on both arms where the rope holding Silay against the tree had pressed into them. Finished, she closed the jar and returned it to her pack.

Riya crouched a little so her face was on level with Silay's. She took her hands in her own. "Silay, I know you've been hurt, but you need to talk to me. Who did this to you?"

Silay didn't answer, but Riya continued. "I can't imagine what you're feeling right now, but if you talk to me, maybe I can help you. What happened?" She paused. "Was it Talis?"

At the sound of his name, Silay started. Her eyes jerked up to meet Riya's. "How... how did you know that?"

Riya sighed, and dropped her hands. She drew a Farstone from her jacket pocket. "I spoke to your Seer."

Silay stared at the Stone in Riya's hand. "You have one too?"

Slowly, Riya shook her head. She hesitated for a moment, then replied.  "It's yours." She dropped the Farstone into Silay's hand.

Silay wrapped her hands around the Farstone. "You took it?" She pushed herself off the edge of the wagon, moving away from Riya. "You stole from me! I thought I could trust you!"