And to make up for my neglect these past few weeks…. Thanks to my reviewers (who are putting up with my miserable writing habits) Dante Inferno, Shang Leopard, twilightm00n, Lemondrop xxx, BACswimma, xxTunstall Chickxx, SarahE7191, and my beta, KyrieofAccender. BTW, I feel like the climax(es) and terrible cliffies are close... I will be away until August 2, so this will mostly likely be my last post until after that... NOTE THE DATE BELOW THE CHAPPIE!! IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS!!

Chapter 27

An Apology

June 18, 480 H.E.

“Why in the world would you throw away a friendship like that?” Malvyn demanded incredulously. Rikash winced and regretted that he had ever mentioned Deryne. Little by little, over the weeks, his friend had pestered the living daylights out of him… until he gave in and told Malvyn about his friendship with the page. It had been purely academic, his mentioning her… but Malvyn had focused on the girl herself instead of her Gift and now could not leave the subject alone. “It seems like she’s the only one besides me who can tolerate you daily, and you just fell out with her?” His shrewd eyes narrowed. “How long ago was this ‘drifting apart,’ may I ask?”

“Summer….” He closed his eyes, preparing for the attack his friend would inevitably launch in a moment. “Three years ago.”

“You must be kidding me,” Malvyn said flatly. Rikash did not reply. “And this was when you joined the University.” Malvyn never missed the tiniest detail; Rikash only nodded. “You didn’t just drift apart, did you?” the young man continued. “You two fought, didn’t you? And then you fled the palace.”

“Did you figure out how to read minds, then?” Rikash grumbled, opening his eyes to glare at the brown haired mage. Rikash was now delegated to the status of an advanced student, while Malvyn, who had no father to convince Master Hayward that he should only have one year as an apprentice, was working on his year as an assistant, which Rikash had completed the year before. Both still resided in the dorm, and their posse had grown. Malvyn had even taken a few of the young apprentices into the city, which irked Rikash to no end. None of them were even close to being as talented as either Malvyn or him; he saw them as a waste of time, except for the occasional favors the younger students would do for them.

“Not yet.” Malvyn grinned cockily. “But she sounds like too good a friend and too close just to disappear on you. Not to mention, I can read you like a book.” Rikash’s brow furrowed; he tried to disguise his annoyance. Malvyn’s grin only grew. “Oh, yes,” he drawled, eyes sizing up the other youth‘s face. Rikash struggled to ignore the barb, not that his friend meant it as an insult or demeaning comment, but the assistant prided himself on knowing people. Still, those knowing blue eyes were watching him in a confident matter that made Rikash want to squirm. “As much as you like to hide your thoughts, they’re more transparent than not, Salmalin. There are no secrets in you. Not from me.” He let the words sink in, then added, more cheerfully, “-which is why I’m telling you now that, for your own good, you should make up with the poor girl.” He broke eye contact, which was a relief for Rikash. “Inar would agree with me, you know. And he doesn’t even like me all that much.”

“He doesn’t like most people,” Rikash said. He suspected that his old friend resented the new partner who had replaced him. Malvyn smiled.

“I do believe I know someone else like that. No wonder you get along,” he drawled. Shaking his head, Rikash rolled his eyes. “And someone who dislikes the majority of the world should either change his ways, or value those he does like a little more.”

“You should try for the priesthood,” Rikash muttered in consternation. Malvyn replied with a bark of laughter.

“They’d throw me out in a week,” he answered with a smirk. "I'm the last sort they'd want." Then his smile fell, his blue eyes weighing down on Rikash with all the gravity of Mithros himself. The blond Advanced student stared back mutinously for a moment, but the moment passed and Rikash found himself struggling not to look away. "Talk to her," Malvyn commanded. "Maybe then I'll feel like taking you into the city to one of the meetings." Rikash's eyes widened; his friend always told stories he had heard from his little coterie, but never offered to take anyone with him in the three years Rikash had known him. "And maybe not."

“Now that we’ve passed the exams and our knight masters are-”

“Deryne,” Inar interrupted Aloin’s words quietly as he nudged her. He stepped between her and Mequen to walk alongside her. Deryne looked at him, puzzled; he was grinning.

“There’s a rare sight,” the girl muttered, referring to the older boy‘s smile. On the other side of Aloin, Leo snickered. Humoring her quip, Inar laughed quietly and pointed across the practice courts where they were walking.

“There’s a rarer one,” he retorted, his grin still in place. Deryne followed his gaze to the person walking towards them and gasped.

“Mithros,” she breathed. Then she sprinted forwards. “Cadel! Cadel!”

“Hey! Wait up!” Aloin called as Deryne crossed the grass between them and flung her arms around her cousin.

“Damn, you grew,” she muttered, wrapping her arms around his neck. Cadel laughed, pulling her so close she could not breathe.

“Three years all over the world can do that to a boy,” he retorted.

“And we had nothing to go off of but reports from your elusive knight master to the king,” she replied, not missing a beat. “Good thing we’re friends with Leo.”

“There are plenty of reasons it’s good you’re my friends,” the prince said indignantly as the four others joined the pair. Deryne laughed, then released Cadel to look him over.

He would never be as big as Evrain had turned out to be, nor as tall as Aloin threatened to be with his spurts of growth; Deryne could see that by looking at him. But he was muscled and tan from his years with Jasson of Conté; there were calluses on his hands and a very faint scar on his cheek. Deryne touched it gingerly, then glared up at Cadel. He was an inch or two taller than her now.

“What happened? Cut yourself trying to preserve your smooth cheeks?”

“Only you would notice,” Cadel laughed, shaking his head. “Bandit, about two years ago, I think. We were on our way to the Roof of the World- did you know that’s where the Lioness retrieved the Dominion Jewel?”

“Of course!” Deryne replied, feeling insulted. “Myles has told us all those stories! What were you doing there? Braving snowstorms and listening to fortune tellers?”

“What else?” The cousins wore matching grins as they exchanged words.

“Found one to tell your fortune?”

“And she fell asleep right in the middle of it. Of course, that was because she was drugged.” Deryne snorted, refusing to ask what actually happened.

“That dull, hmm? She needed a friend to get her out of it?”

“At least I don’t have seers screaming and-”

“Can I get a word in?” Aloin demanded. “Mithros, you two are-” He shook his head, unable to find the proper word. “Cadel, good to see you. Where have you been these last three years?” Cadel grinned, his hazel eyes twinkling.

“Carthak, Scanra, Galla, the Bahzir, Maren, Sarain-”

“Everywhere, then,” Deryne muttered. She poked him in the chest, then gestured to his sword hilt. “Are you undefeatable yet?” Mequen snorted. Cadel smirked.

“Did you want to try me?”

Deryne’s eyes slid over to Inar, who was watching her. The young man was fighting a smile that broke across his face as they locked gazes. Then he rearranged his expression and looked up at the sky.

“Deryne’s gotten really good since you left,” Aloin mentioned. “You know she’s really fast- it’s like she knows where your blade’s going before you do.” Inar coughed; Deryne shrugged, an odd smile playing across her lips.

“If you feel like having a go now, I guess I could use some humbling,” she told her cousin, fiddling with the hilt of her own sword. Cadel grinned, then unsheathed his sword.

“Why not?” He cocked his head to one side as Deryne spelled both blades to dull the edges and protect both of them during the duel. She was also different, although he guessed the changes were more subtle for her than for him. She was certainly older, with more of a female figure now… but she moved differently than he remembered, too. When she looked up at him, her icy blue gray eyes gleamed as she hefted her sword. She was more confident now than ever… but there was a grace to her motions that he had seen with the Shang and other phenomenal fighters, one that seemed impossible to have picked up in three years of page training…. He remembered her clumsiness from years before and smiled to himself; surely someone who could fall through steps and knock herself out with a lance had not lost all that talent in only a few years.

She would be stronger now, and she had always been quick, but he had far too much experience on her….

This would be quick but tricky, if Cadel was reading Inar’s careful face correctly…. The squire was ready for knighthood; Cadel trusted the other young man’s judgment, even if Inar had not seen Cadel fight in a long time…. Whatever he knew about Deryne, he was keeping it to himself….

“Ready?” He looked over at Deryne; her face was composed, but her eyes were laughing. He glanced at Inar, who was clearly avoiding both of their gazes. But Cadel could see the smile on his face.

What was so funny?

“Ready,” he replied, then leapt back as Deryne shot forward. He swore in surprise, but parried her lunge easily. Without a pause, she whipped her blade the other way, at his side. She was fast. Cadel swung his sword down just in time to catch hers, then thrust it backwards and began to attack.

He kept moving, shifting back and forth, hoping to catch her off-balance. He cut upwards; she smacked the blade back and parried his next hit easily. He ducked a sweeping cut over his head and jabbed; he thought he had her for a moment, but her blade twisted to intercept his without a hiccup in the fluid motion.

Their swords hit each other with an accuracy that preyed on Cadel’s mind; there was never a slip, never a close hit or miss- Deryne parried each attack perfectly, as though it were a fight sequence they had worked out for days….

She kept perfectly spaced from him, as though they were in a drill, the ones where haMinch and Ezeko drew lines for the pages to stay behind….

He struck again, then pulled back to watch her carefully. Although she was sweating, she was also smiling indulgently, as though she were waiting patiently for something…. Cadel’s eyes narrowed; he lunged in again, watching her feet.

There! He withdrew again, eyeing her again, puzzling furiously over what had just happened. As their blades met, he had swept his around towards her side to try again.

But before he had even twisted the blade around to continue the attack on her, she had shifted her feet to defend a blow to the side… before he had done it.

Luck.

Or was it? Bewildered, Cadel attacked again, even quicker than before. He began to drive Deryne back, one step at a time. Their blades whirled back and forth so quickly Cadel relied more on instinct and reflex than sight…. As the two swords met, Cadel bore his weight down over Deryne, glaring into her face as she struggled to push him away.

Instinct and reflex… instinct- Cadel’s eyes widened; his jaw dropped as he stared at his cousin.

That was it!

“Mithros,” he whispered, shocked. Then Deryne shoved him away and smacked his sword. It flew out of his hands easily; Cadel let himself fall to the ground as Aloin leapt back from the flying blade with a squawk. He gazed up at his cousin for a moment more as her calm, chilling eyes studied his face.

“That was really hard,” she said softly. “I thought you had me for a moment.” She held out a hand to him; Cadel just looked up at her.

“What’s up, Broakhale?” Aloin drawled. “Never thought you’d be beaten by a girl?” Cadel blinked once, mouth still agape. Deryne squatted down next to him, eyebrows raised.

“Catching flies, Cadel?” she asked softly. He closed his mouth, then cleared his throat, trying to arrange his thoughts in some way that made sense.

“Does everybody know about that?” he whispered. Deryne’s smile was lopsided. “I mean- that was… I’ve never seen anything like it!” He shook his head, trying to clear it. “Sensing motion, impulses- lots of fighters put stock in that. His Highness helped me react without thought- but you…. That wasn‘t even reacting to something headed your way, it was defending yourself before the attack even-” He exhaled loudly, shaking his head again. “How-”

“A combination,” Inar said quietly, looking at Mequen and Aloin as the two made their way over. They could not hear the conversation. “-of sensing the intent of the opponent and feeling the motions of his blade as it attacks. Of course, once someone knows about Deryne‘s little trick, he can practice masking his intent and increase the spontaneity of his actions. But it’s still very hard. To fight someone so quick,” he tacked on as Aloin and Mequen joined them.

“So I can beat her with practice?” Cadel laughed weakly; he could see why Deryne wanted to keep quiet. People would always look at her funny for being a female knight. No one needed to know that she also sensed an attack before it happened….

“Maybe,” Deryne answered, grinning. “You almost had me as it was, without knowing… about my speed,” she added with a look at their friends. “It was surprise, is all.”

“What happened there, anyway?” Mequen asked with a frown. “Cadel, you just stopped.” Cadel grimaced; the stunning revelation had made an unexpected end to the fight.

“I dunno,” he lied with a shrug. “I just- stopped, as you said. I suppose you’ll work on speed with your knight master?” he asked Deryne. She smiled.

“Yes, Sir Alan has been informed.” Cadel’s jaw dropped for the second time in the last hour. Sir Alan?

“Of Pirate’s Swoop?“ When Deryne nodded, eyes shining, he gasped in delight. “There is no way he-” He laughed out loud, leaping up to twirl his cousin around in a circle. “Lady Alanna’s son! Whenever you go to the Swoop, you’ll see her and-” He shook his head with a gleam in his eyes. “This is the closest the Lioness can come to having a female squire of her own, and nobody can say anything against it!” Deryne rolled her eyes.

“I’m with Sir Alan, not Lady Alanna,” she reminded him. “And I doubt we will be in the Swoop much; he told me already that we’re headed for the desert once we leave.” Cadel stopped leaping around and eyed his cousin.

“When?” Deryne shrugged.

“The date isn’t set yet, but it could be tomorrow for all I know,” she told Cadel. “It’ll be a few days before I move my belongings from the page wing to my new room, so probably not until then, plus a few extra days. But I don’t know.” Cadel sighed.

“And I only just got back,” he said mournfully. He turned to Leo. “But your uncle and I will be staying in Tortall this last year; he wants me to know every inch of land there is.” Deryne snickered.

“Have fun with that. I-”

“Look at that. Today seems to be a day for the reunion god,” Mequen muttered. Deryne frowned as they all looked over at him.

“There’s a reunion god?” she asked; the boy smiled.

“If there was one, I’d say he’s working today,” he said dryly, pointing a finger at the way Cadel had come from the stables. Puzzled, Deryne turned, then scowled.

“Rikash Salmalin,” she said under her breath as she eyed the blond figure walking towards them. “What brings you to honor us with your presence today?” Cadel frowned, looking at her, then at Inar.

“What happened this time?“ he asked. Inar looked from Deryne to Rikash, still thirty yards away.

“They still haven’t made up since you were last here,“ he muttered. Deryne glared at him; she missed Cadel‘s reaction to this update. She knew Inar- with his special privileges as a squire at the palace- visited the University often; once a month at the very least. He was still on good terms with Numair Salmalin’s son.

Rikash’s visits were infrequent and scattered, mostly during the holidays to see his family. He never seemed to blink an eye in her direction, and there he was…. She glowered at him when he reached their group.

“Come to welcome Cadel back?” Deryne asked sharply. Rikash turned towards her; he blinked.

“Of course, Deryne,” he said in a low voice; his eyes flickered. Then he turned to Cadel and nodded, looking slightly awkward. The squire held out his hand, which Rikash took. Then Cadel pulled him into a quick but firm hug.

“Good to see everyone here, aside from Laun and Ev,” he said brightly. “Ri, you and Deryne haven’t set anyone else on fire since last time, right?” Deryne fought the urge to look away when Rikash looked at her. His amber eyes sent her nerves buzzing, like angry bees in a hive.

“You’ve said hello; are you going to turn tail and run along back to the University now?” Deryne asked, her voice deadly soft. Cadel glared at her as Rikash’s gaze fell to the ground.

“I was wondering,” the mage said, eyes narrowed. “-how you’re doing, Deryne. With your Gift and all.” Deryne frowned; remembering their last discussion about the Gift. Then her frown deepened; had that really been over three years since then?

“I believe I have established adequate control over it, if that’s what you’re referring to. How are your own studies going? Intriguing enough to keep you away from here, I assume.” Mequen laughed uneasily and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“All right, then,” he said forcefully. “So much love, I feel threatened.” Rikash snorted; Deryne bristled.

“I only asked what any mage might ask another,” the young man retorted haughtily, glaring over at her. Then he grimaced. “Sorry, Deryne,” he added, in a low, quick voice. The girl blinked; was this an apology?

“For what?” she said guardedly, awkwardly aware of her friends’ gazes. Rikash sucked in another breath.

“You know I never really- at the Swoop,” he muttered, fumbling with the cuff of his tunic. “I’m sorry about that.“ A small smile flickered across Deryne’s face.

“You hate apologies,” she noted, casting a look around them. “Even more in front of people.”

“So you know I mean it, then,” he gritted back. “And I really do.” Deryne eyed him for a long moment; although he tried to hide it, she could sense his urge to fidget. Then she sighed and took a step to reach out and grab the mage’s arm.

“C’mon,” she muttered. “I’ll let you do the rest of the apologies in private.” This was enough to provoke a response; Rikash looked up in surprise and glowered at her, amber eyes narrowed.

“What other apologies?“ he demanded. Someone snickered as she tugged on his sleeve. Deryne rolled her eyes, then jerked her head towards the palace.

“You might as well say hello to your sister, since you’re here,” she said. “Remember her?”

“Funny,” Rikash said darkly. “Just because you never see me doesn’t mean I’m not here.” Deryne snorted.

“So you crept in while we pages are rolling around in the dust out here? I should’ve known.” Rikash said nothing. “Or do you fly in at night and stalk the corridors alone? You are looking pale-” Then she frowned and stopped moving. Rikash was watching her as warily as he might eye a rabid dog playing dead. “That’s a lie,” she said thoughtfully, looking him over with a small frown.

He was actually much tanner than she had ever seen him; his blond hair was not as dark as it usually was, either. Deryne was even more surprised when a crooked smile crept across his lips.

“I’m touched that you noticed such little details,” he said wryly, and his friend snorted, although her mind whirled as they continued on. Rikash was different. She always could predict his reactions with an exactness that had won her many bets with Cadel. But there was something different- the old Rikash never would have said that to her; he had only the tiniest sense of humor. And most of the wit he had was used caustically, little barbs to needle someone- anyone- to get them to leave him alone.

“I’m the girl among you lot- someone has to keep track of these things,” she retorted. Then she allowed a tiny smile to cross her face. “Maybe the University isn’t such a bad thing, if they keep kicking you out of the library and into the sun. Whadya do, start a fire in there?” Rikash outright grinned; Deryne gasped. “You didn’t-”

“Nah,” he said. “My friends threatened to, though, if I didn’t abandon books for city outings.”

“I might have to meet these friends,” Deryne replied, carefully gauging his every movement. He seemed more relaxed now than a moment before, but he was still nervous. And his caution made her wary, too. He was trying too hard- He smiled again.

“I’d better not. I shudder to think what stories you could think up to tell them.” Deryne’s smile turned into a lopsided smirk; she guessed what was going on in his head.

“And I shudder to think how uncomfortable you feel, working so hard to be charming and cheerful,” she rallied. “You know, that has always been my duty.” Rikash started; a more familiar expression slipped across his face: a puzzled frown. Then he grimaced, and Deryne grinned widely. “There we go- that’s a sight I recognize!”

“Shut it,” the youth retorted, which only made the girl laugh.

There’s the one we all know and love, she thought, amused. Well, know, anyway…. She cleared her throat.

“Good to see you, Ri.” She patted him on the back. “So was it seeing Cadel that motivated this sudden penance, or were you inspired by the Gods as you walked down the street today?” He rolled his eyes, but smiled.

“The almighty indignation of that same friend who tossed me out of the library, actually. You’d like him.” Deryne looked back down the way they had come; their friends were no longer in view.

“Yeah. I owe him a favor.” She cleared her throat. “You should’ve talked with me before….”

“Why didn’t you?” The girl met his gaze; he knew well why. His eyes dropped. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, running a hand through his hair. “I’m stupid- I’m a nasty, stubborn idiot. I’m a right pain in the butt, I know.” Deryne fought a smile and failed.

“Damn right you are.” Her tone made Rikash glance up again, eyes guarded. Then, before she could lose her nerve, Deryne flung her arms around his neck. She was in for another surprise when he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground for a moment.

“I really am sorry,” he muttered in her ear. “Just don’t tell Cadel or anybody else I groveled. I have my pride to think about.” Deryne snorted.

“That doesn’t count as groveling,” she retorted as she released him and stepped out on his embrace. “That was stating cold, hard facts.” His lips twitched.

“So, how have your Gifted lessons with my father gone?” Deryne grinned.

“You are speaking to someone who can sense any attack coming my way- so long as I’m paying attention.” Her smile widened. “And I can fly.” Rikash’s eyes grew huge; Deryne felt a rush of excitement at his astonishment. “Kinda,” she added, eyes glittering. “Want to see?” Without waiting for an answer, she closed her eyes and held her hands out to her sides.

Up, she thought as she began to collect the air in the room with her Gift. Slowly, she rose from the floor. Gently, she pulled more and more of her magic to keep herself floating. When she opened her eyes, Rikash was looking up at her, shaking his head.

“I am lost for words,” he said, smirking. “You’ve taken my breath away.“ Deryne rolled her eyes. “No- really. You’re condensing the air around us to stay up.“ As he stepped back further and breathed in deeply, the ironic expression on his face made Deryne laugh.

“What tricks have you got to show me?” she asked, cheeks flushed.

“Nothing so amazing, I’m afraid,” Rikash muttered grimly. “I could burst into flames again, but I figure you’ve seen that one too many times already.” Deryne smiled softly. “Inar has been helping us with little experiments,” he continued. “But nothing worthwhile for anyone not interested in little theories and tests.”

“Us?”

“Malvyn and I. He’s another student who entered late at the University.” Deryne nodded; furrowing her brow as she shifted in the air, floating a few feet forwards. Rikash followed at a distance.

“Maybe I’ll come sometime with Inar.” She chanced a look down and caught her companion’s frown.

“I… don’t know.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll have to talk with Malvyn first.” Deryne scowled.

“Why?”

“Because I know Inar would agree, but there are some sensitive things that-”

“I’m a mage, too, Ri. Just as much as Inar,” she pointed out. “Besides, isn’t this the same boy who chased you in here to talk with me?”

“There’s a difference between telling a friend to make up with a girl and letting her in on delicate workings-” Deryne snorted.

“Oh, I get it: boys only, huh?”

“It’s not that-” Rikash let out an exasperated breath. “Deryne- just… I’ll talk to him. But you’ll have to swear not to tell anybody about anything we do.” Deryne frowned.

“Why not?”

“Some of the spells are a little tricky- a little risky,” Rikash said carefully. Eyes narrowed, Deryne looked down on him. “Nothing that could hurt any of us!” he added. “Not with me and Malvyn there-”

“I see,” Deryne lied. The relief in Rikash’s eyes was clear.

“After all,” he continued, bolstered by her words. “You know how people are. They don’t want anyone to do anything more dangerous than lighting a candle unless there’s supervision. Parents, especially,” he finished, eyes boring into Deryne’s meaningfully. She raised an eyebrow.

“You want me to say nothing to your da?”

“No need to sound so disapproving,” Rikash volleyed back, searching her face. “Since when did Deryne of Queenscove go running off to her elders, telling them everything she did?” Her control slipped; Deryne yelped as she fell several feet. By the time Rikash began to swear, she was steadied again. She cleared her throat and seized the moment to change the subject. What Rikash asked, if she thought about it, had nothing remotely sinister about it. In fact, when the two of them had done anything without Master Salmalin’s direct instructions, that secrecy went without saying. Still, there was something about the request that made her insides twist.

“That’s my little trouble,” she said, allowing herself to sink back to the ground. “This takes a great deal of concentration. Control.” Suddenly, Rikash’s words about control popped into her mind, unbidden.

Talking about those gudruna, reading people’s minds, invading their private worlds- you love it, and then you shy away from the hard work! The mediation! The will to command your Gift! Maybe you wouldn’t have lost control just now if-

“Deryne?” She blinked; he was waving a hand in front of her face. She swallowed heavily; a lump had formed in her throat.

“Ri?” she asked softly, eyes wavering even as her resolute face composed itself. Rikash frowned.

“What is it?” He put a hand on her shoulder, but she stepped back, jaw clenched.

“We… we’re not all right, yet. I’m not-” She cleared her throat as he pulled back, confusion showing. “I’ve done the work,” she said. “All that meditation, and I’ve blocked out all those thoughts.” As she spoke, it occurred to her that he probably had no idea what she was talking about. She doubted that he remembered his words at the Swoop.

“Have you been up at the Needle?” he asked, grasping onto her last words. “It might be more of a challenge, up there-” Deryne’s eyes narrowed.

“No, I haven’t,” she said tightly. “I seem to remember someone who offered to help me practice, but he hasn’t decided to give me a hand yet.” Rikash’s eyes widened in comprehension, then narrowed again.

“What else do you want me to do?” he asked darkly. “I’ve apologized- in front of that whole lot, in fact-! I was stupid, yes. I’ll help you if you want. But don’t smile one moment and then bring it all up the next.” Deryne grimaced.

“Forgiven but not forgotten,” she replied firmly. “Those words still hurt. And they hurt more because you never bothered to take them back until a new friend told you to.” Rikash glared.

“I wanted to avoid you at first, and then as time went on, it got harder and harder to just- just pick up again!” Deryne resisted the urge to cross her arms and walk away. Still, she clenched her fists together and stared off to the side. There was an abandoned arrow in the center of a target in the empty shooting range. She took a few steps over to put a hand on the fence separating her from the shooting area. Annoyed, Rikash cursed. “I was upset, Deryne.”

“So was I,” she replied coolly. “But you still attacked me. Called me weak. All sorts of things that you should have begged forgiveness for.”

“What do you think I’m doing now?” he demanded, exasperated. Deryne snorted.

“Telling me to forgive you, so you can go back to your new friends and tell them you fixed it.” Rikash sucked in a breath so harshly it sounded like a hiss.

“You’re honest, at least,” he muttered.

“Since when have I not been?”

“You attacked me first, anyway.” Deryne sighed and put a hand to her head. “Deryne?” A note of concern crept back into his voice. “Are you-”

“Fine.” She turned from him and climbed over the fence to wander over to the targets. “Just- Ri, saying sorry won’t make everything better overnight.”

“It’s a start,” he retorted fiercely. Deryne smiled sadly; he seemed determined to patch their friendship up, but why just start now? Maybe a scolding from a friend was all he needed to come… but didn’t he remember what happened that day? She did… vividly. And it would take more than a few words and less than an hour’s time to change that.

As he hovered behind her, the girl reached the arrow stuck in the target and tugged sharply; it wouldn’t come out. No wonder its shooter had left it. Its head was almost entirely embedded within the wood.

Why bother trying to explain to him? Either he came back… or he didn’t. And if he did- if this wasn’t only a feeble attempt to set things right and silence his conscious- he would make up for everything, sooner or later. It was only now, that she had showed him how she could fly, that she realized how much she missed him.

“Yeah. It is.”

The young man ran a hand through his hair, reading over the message once more.

It is time.

Of course it was. He rolled his eyes. How foolish did they think he was? And it would be easy, even easier than they could have imagined. Everything- and everyone- was playing into his hands perfectly. He had set the traps; now, the foolhardy ones lurking right under his nose had to be ensnared...

He would have to hunt, to find those who eluded him...

And then they would have a proper Yama’s Festival. Soon, they would all be bound, and the Mage would return.

And then they would fulfill the destiny of the world….

AN: As my beta says, dun dun dun! Reviews? I've already started the next chappie, and I'm getting darker, I fear... sinister stuff going on... Reviews, please? You were all so obliging last chapter, and I thank you for that (with a quick update, of course) Maybe there's another one from where that came from... ;D