Living History

Introductions

I glance down at his hand, then back up to his eyes. My first instinct is to not trust this, but I tamp that down. They just saved me from the council. Whether I trust them or not, I could at least be nice.

"How did you do that?" I blurt.

Jeez. Or not.

His hand falls as he shrugs. "We've done it before."

"You've broken people out of the council's facilities before? How?"

He smirks. "We've done it before," he says again. I'm about to say something not very nice back when I again realize they both still have full energy. How the...

As if he read my thoughts - which I can guarantee he did not - he reaches into his collar and pulls out a gold chain. At the end of it is a large black crystal backed by a gold plate. An amulet. Of course. They were using energy, but it was being replenished immediately.

"We've got toys," he adds as he sets the amulet on a nearby table. His eyes shift behind me and he nods. I glance over my shoulder but don't see anything. I look back to him, wondering if I should be worried about his sanity, when suddenly the girl - Auroya - is at my side, handing me and him both a bowl of soup. I nearly jump out of my skin, which makes her smile. I snatch the bowl from her hands and she scurries back to the kitchen for her own meal. She then sits on one side of the two seat couch to eat. Rhenyan looks to me, doesn't say anything, and walks past me to lean against the counter to eat, clearly leaving me the other couch seat. I start to protest but my stomach growls, making both of them smile. I sit on the arm of the couch and dig in. The soup is delicious and just warm enough. Rhenyan watches me, and I pretend not to notice him, but I can feel his eyes on me almost the whole time I'm eating.

"What's your name?" Auroya asks suddenly. I pause.

"You rescued me without knowing who I was?"

She nods.

"Well why didn't you stay with any of the others, then? Why me?"

She tilts her head to the side, her eyes flashing. "I only asked for your name."

I feel my own temper flare. "Well, excuse me for not being the most trusting person. Especially of people who know their way around the council."

"You can trust us," Rhenyan says. I find myself glaring at him.

"Uh huh."

"Why were you there?" Auroya asks.

I inhale deeply. This bouncing back and forth is going to get old really fast.

"Why was anyone there?" I snap. She stares at me for a moment before responding.

"I have no idea. That's why I'm asking. If you were there, surely you have some idea why."

I roll my eyes, my irritation impossible to hide with all the emotions roiling through me. "Really. You don't even know what you've just done? You just - ran in and did it?"

"Yeah."

Unbelievable. "That was a Soul Mage lab. It's supposed to be the most secure council facility outside their homes. You can't tell me you just knew how to get in and out without even knowing what the place was."

"A lab?" She says quietly, almost to herself. "What were they testing?"

She's serious? "Where are you guys from?" I blurt. Clearly, not from around here.

"Far away," Rhenyan replies, already smirking before I even look at him.

"Clearly." I finish my soup and hold it out to him. He magically sets it on the table. Part of me is slightly annoyed; I'd been hoping he'd take it from me. Of course he didn't.