Undestined: Fight your Fate

Chapter Five: Revelations, Part 1

Riya shot upright when the pounding on the door started. When the voice called "City Watch," she grabbed her bag and ran to the window. She grasped the frame and struggled to open it.

"Help me out here," she hissed.

Silay joined her by the window. "Riya, what on earth..." she was cut off by another shout from outside the door.

"Open up!" The pounding stopped as suddenly as it had begun.

Silay turned to look at the door, just as the frame splintered and the door swung in. Two men and one woman wearing the City Guard uniform rushed into the room. Riya was still struggling with the window when one of the men grabbed her. He held her still, hands behind her back, while the woman snapped a leather cuff around her neck. The second man moved towards Silay, but when he saw she wasn't trying to go anywhere, he simply stepped back and blocked the door. Riya, still being held by the first Guardsman, dropped her head. "Sorry," she whispered, glancing sideways at Silay.

The Guardsman at the door surveyed the room. "Riya Quillman, you are under arrest for entering the city walls of Sojan".

Riya squirmed against the man's grasp. "You have no right to hold me here."

The Guardsman raised his eyebrows. "We have every right. You were banned from the city years ago."

Riya scowled. "Fine. But let her go." She nodded at Silay. "She's done nothing wrong."

"Nothing expect traveling with a known thief," the Guardswoman interjected.

Silay, who had been frozen since the Guard broke down the door, looked up at that. "I'm not a thief".

"That remains to be seen." The man by the door nodded at the woman. "Search her."

The woman stepped towards Silay, causing her to flinch. The Guardswoman noticed. "'S'alright, girl. I'm not going to hurt you." She quickly ran her hands down Silay's arms and legs and found the pouch containing the Farstone, which Silay wore even when asleep. "What do we have here?" The Guardswoman turned the pouch upside down over her hand. Her eyes widened, and she held up the Farstone so the other Guards could see.

"Not a thief, huh?"

"I'm not!" Silay reached out to grab the Stone, but the Guardswoman stepped back out of reach. "That's mine. It was given to me."

"Young girl, traveling with a thief, in possession of a valuable magical object?" The Guardswoman shook her head. "That doesn't look good."

The man at the door nodded in agreement. "Arrest her, too."

***

Silay sat on the floor, leaning against the back of their cell. Riya was pacing back and forth in the small space, tugging at the leather cuff around her neck.

"Would you stop?!" Silay snapped.

"Sorry." Riya slumped against the wall next to her.

Silay looked at her sideways. "Care to explain?"

Riya gave the collar another tug. "It keeps me from doing magic."

"Yes, I figured that out, on account of you not having unlocked the door. I meant, why have we been arrested?"

Riya sighed. "Remember when I said I'd had a bad experience here?" When Silay nodded, Riya continued. "I got caught stealing the stone that powered the city's wards.

Silay gave a low whistle. Bigger cities, like Sojan, used powerful wards to guard their walls. The wards were kept powered by bespelled orbs, almost like giant Farstones. If Farstones were valuable, the ward-stones were at least ten times their worth.

"Exactly." Riya nodded. "I was imprisoned here for a year, working off my debt to the city. When I was released, I was banned from returning."

"And you didn't think to mention this when you suggested we come here?"

Riya shrugged. "It's been a long time. I didn't think anyone would recognize me."

"You have a yellow donkey!"

"I didn't last time I was here," Riya snapped defensively.

"And you didn't think anyone here might know you do now?" Silay shook her head. "If you had told me, I could have gone in by myself and gotten the supplies we needed."

"I know." Riya rubbed her eyes. "That makes sense, now."

"Now?!" Silay jumped to her feet. "How about yesterday? How about before we got arrested?"

"Silay, please don't yell at me." Riya's voice was weary.

"Don't yell? This was me giving you a second chance after you stole from me! I trusted you again and you got me arrested!" She drew a breath. "And on top of it all, while we are sitting in jail, Talis is out doing gods know what!"

"Silay, shut up!" Riya's shout echoed around the cell, and Silay took a startled step back. "I'm sorry. I made a mistake. You have every right to be mad, just please..." she shut her eyes and massaged her temples. "Please stop yelling," she finished softly.

Silay's brow furrowed in concern at Riya’s reaction. "Are you all right?"

Riya shook her head. "Magic isn't just something I do. It's part of me. Having it blocked isn't just an inconvenience. It hurts. A lot." She sighed. "I was stupid. I made a mistake, and I'll pay the price. I'm sorry you got dragged into this, but you'll be fine. You didn't steal the Farstone. That will be easy enough to prove, and then they'll send you on your way."

"And you?"

"I'll be fine." Riya gave a small smile. "I always am."