Ink Sisters

Chapter Five

"They have a point," Aramis agrees, inching away from Drakkor again. "You've broken into their home, stolen their things and themselves. Now you wish for them to help you."

"Help?" Lorelle poses the question, focusing on the word with mingling fear and curiosity. Where Leandra would gladly make an exit, leaving Syd behind in the hopes of freeing herself and her sister, Lorelle is intrigued. She thinks of all she has learned just in the short span she has come to know Drakkor and these people. What questions could they answer? What explanations could be given? For so long, the girls have lived in solitude, surviving only by depending on each other, distrusting of the damaged world around them. Here is a chance to gain insight from people similar to them.

"Yes, my sweet," Drakkor answers, ignoring Aramis's barbed jabs. "You're here to help me with something only you two can. Wouldn't you like that?"

"No," Leandra replies flatly, earning escaped chuckles from Maren and a dulled grin from Aramis.

"And you both feel that way, do you?" Drakkor asks, eyes widening to show their bronzed color clearly. He steps closer to Lorelle.

"Leave her alone!" Leandra demands, desperately trying to kick her feet out.

"Don't you want to know who you are? What you are?" he continues in a dreamy voice, laying endless possibilities at their feet.

"I am a bit curious," Lorelle admits quietly.

"As am I," Drakkor agrees. Their eyes meet with intense interest. Both parties, it seems, are just as intrigued by the other. "Tell me how to make the book speak."

"You don't know?" Leandra asks skeptically. "You really don't know? You know so much about everything else!" she accuses.

"Aramis," Drakkor calls, eyes still focused on Lorelle, "gag her." He inclines his head toward Leandra.

"I don't think so!" Leandra shrieks, struggling to move.

"I won't," Aramis replies levelly, crossing his arms. His hands are now bare. The gloves have been laid down on the desk behind Theodore who continues to struggle with Syd.

"Ah!" he suddenly yells with excitement. "I think I've just got it." Time seems to stand still for a moment, with each person staring at someone else. Then, it resumes with intense energy. Drakkor is standing over Theodore, manically wringing his hands. His eyes are alive with a brightness that had not yet been revealed. Maren moves toward Leandra, with a crude rope from her belt, but Aramis intervenes, raising his hand to block her assault. She sighs heavily but retreats beside Drakkor, just as interested in the book as she would have been using the rope to gag Leandra. Aramis remains fixed where he stands.

"Get your filthy hands out of my mouth!" Syd grimaces, gagging with his mouth now open.

"How did you do it?" Drakkor asks.

"I rubbed his spine..." Theodore's spectacles shiver down the bridge of his nose, but he doesn't move to fix them. Syd's flapping mouth has caused him to nearly topple out of his captor's hands. It takes an effort to hold him still. The power the book is emitting is continually growing, and he can now talk without the actual spine rub. The twins wonder how he had kept his mouth shut on his own for so long.

"Give me him." Drakkor takes Syd again. "You there?"

"What do you want?" Syd growls.

"You're Sydney Whitewood, then? Keeper of the old ways and ancient texts?"

"I'm not saying anything," Syd growls, but Drakkor shakes him roughly.