Spells Gone Wrong

Once more Amaya found herself awakening in the room in the infirmary. Once more her head hurt. Once more her stomach rolled with nausea, and she wanted to go back to sleep. Once more there were two little furry beings staring at her and chirping now that she was awake. The difference this time was that instead of it being the bright light of morning, the room was illuminated with longer shadows of afternoon. She had obviously been unconscious for quite a long time.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she tried to remember what happened. A headache started to form right behind her eyes that made it hard to think, and she decided that it was not very important. Whatever had happened, it was most likely unpleasant. Could she just go back to the Himalaya’s now? She could pretend that she’d never been in Imperium, didn’t know that any of the beings she’d learned about were real, and try to have some kind of normal life. Please, please let this be some kind of dream due to a head wound!

“Sleeping beauty awakens.” Olly’s deep voice from a chair in the shadows told Amaya that she was not dreaming. Slowly her head turned to look at him, her eyes slitted open to look at him. “We’re going to try to keep you from having any more bad experiences here in Imperium. It is really reflecting badly on our hospitality towards guests.” As he stood, he chuckled, then crossed the room towards her. She noticed he’d changed clothing, now he was in a dark grey hoodie and jeans. There was something about the relaxed nature of his clothes that made him even more sexy than he had been. Was that the right thing to think about some immortal being in literal Hell? “I have some news for you, but first you need some food. Do you feel up to eating?”

As Olly came into the light, Amaya could see Olly’s chiseled features clearer, and she had to keep herself from staring at him like some fangirl. The light bluish-grey of his eyes seemed to glow, and she once more found them captivating, and intense. He really did look and sound like real life prince charming.

“Yes, I don’t even remember when the last time I ate was.” She blew a breath out between pursed lips as she propped herself up in the bed to look up at him, still trying not to ogle. Normally men who looked like Olly didn’t pay attention to women like her, so she was both flustered and flattered that he currently was.

“I’m not even sure what day it is? Everything seems kind of fuzzy lately.” A half laugh came from her as she shrugged, then tried to give him a smile. It wasn’t that she was amused, more she was trying to keep herself from focusing on it too much, to keep herself from crying.

“I don’t know if it will help, but it’s Thursday.” Her eyes went wide, which almost made him chuckle. “Dartan said it’s been two days since you got here. You’ve only been HERE about 18 hours.” He gave her a soft and caring smile, trying to reassure her. The poor female had been through so much; and nothing in her life would ever be the same again. There was no clue how she would react when he informed her that she was now immortal. He hoped that she wouldn’t have a problem with both he and Arch helping her to acclimate to life in Imperium.

“I’m sure he’d know.” There was an edge to her voice and her lips thinned, eyes dropping to the blanket as she picked at a piece of fuzz. Of course he would; and if he was here, he’d be reminding her of it every couple of minutes. Her eyes once again rose to the much friendlier face of Olly, “sorry, I must be getting grumpy from lack of food.” As her cheeks pinked, she could feel the heat rising to them.

Olly had to fight to keep from chuckling. She was certainly snarky, but it was not as if she did not have good reason to. By all accounts, in less than 24 hours, Dartan had lost her, almost gotten her killed and eaten, and then provoked a demon that ended up causing her more pain than him. If she had any idea how to use any of the powers that Abriella had bestowed upon her, the spectre would be even more unhappy than he current was.

“You have every reason to be upset. Just know that he is strangely concerned for you in his own way.” Once more Olly had to control a chuckle when she rolled her eyes until almost all he could see was the whites of her eyes. While he had never had any experience with Dartan, he was beginning to wonder if there was ANYONE that could stand him. He would have to talk to Mithos and Arioch, neither of them were known for putting things delicately or holding back their opinions.

“Yes, well his way of things so far seems to be rather painful.” Amaya picked at the blanket again; not wanting to look up at Olly, and let him know how much everything that Dartan had said and done had really hurt her feelings. “And now I can’t even go home.” She sighed and wanted to cry, but clenched her jaw to try and control herself. No one was going to feel sorry for her, least of all herself.

Olly perched himself on the side of the bed, reaching over and taking her hand that was pulling the fuzz off the blanket. Her hand was small and delicate, totally dwarfed by his much larger and more powerful one. Slowly she looked up at him and he gave her a soft smile when once more their eyes met. She was truly beautiful.

“Food, and then I will share what I know with you, and we can start making some plans. OK?” She nodded and he tightened his hand around hers slightly, wanting to comfort her. Already he was feeling protective over her, something that came natural as a Horseman, but there was also something more.

“Our kitchens can make anything you desire, so what would Sleeping Beauty like to eat?” He winked at her and that at least earned him a smile and the pinkening of her cheeks. Her eyes dropping briefly to his hand holding hers then back to his eyes. How had Dartan found this beauty annoying and aggravating? Olly, for all his years, found himself quite bewitched.

“Would anyone like the good news or the bad news first?” Arch asked, looking around the room and now seeing they had been joined by Arioch. “And don’t you ever do anything like that again, or you’ll not be the one having fun in Caligo.” There was something about the glow that flashed around the mage that made everyone a bit uneasy; and Arioch just nodded, not sure he wanted to find out what the fuck the mage really was.

“Bad. At least that way the only way to go is up.” Olly finally answered. He figured someone had to, and he wanted to get Dartan away from Amaya as soon as possible.

“We are going to need to keep them closer together.  If he’s far from her again, we’re going to have a repeat of the asshole’s behavior.  I’m sure they can be in different rooms, but not different wings of the castle.” Arch answered, which made every other male’s jaw tick. “However, I believe that I’ve figured out the key to why they are here.” Brows rose and glances were exchanged around the room.  “The spell worked exactly as it should have.  Whether she was to be bound to Dartan “Dar-tan” or an angel “Dare-ten” is debatable, but the spell worked exactly as it was designed.  The spectre is just an egotistical asshole, and she the unwitting victim of a pronunciation issue.”

Abriella’s brows knit together.  “It was a protection spell for her hunting for some kind of relic from Earth.  Why would they now be in Imperium and bound together as mates?”  The logic was escaping her, but she was sure Arch had figured that out as well.

“Whatever it was she was looking for, it’s now here for some reason.  It wouldn’t be the first mystical or magical item from Earth to find its way down here.  It could even be in the Palace itself, although I have a feeling it’s closer to wherever they were teleported in at.”  Abriella nodded in understanding, now starting to put the pieces together.  “Binding the angel or asshole, in this case, to her ensures that the weak human doesn’t die here or get abandoned because the selfish prick decides to trace off home.  This explains why Dartan couldn’t trace with or without her, and why none of us could do so with either of them as well. It also explains why he can’t be far from her, if he tries to abandon her, he goes insane and has to get back to her.  His presence was there to be protection.” Arch explained as Abriella and Cruz both rubbed the bridges of their noses in unison, something that amused him.  Sometimes for being so different in personality, they were very much the same in action.

“So, how do we break it?” Olly asked, still not happy about the fact that Dartan would have to be moved closer to Amaya. Currently he had put himself physically between the two of them. He was going to see to her needs and protection personally, and once it was over, he’d take care of her in Imperium.  He’d already made up his mide.  Fuck the spectre and whatever he wanted.

“She has to find whatever she was looking for.  Wherever it is here in Imperium, until it is found, she’s bound to him.”  Arch said plainly, as if it was the most simple thing in the world.  

"Is there any way to keep this idiot from getting her killed?" Olly asked, looking over to where Amaya lay in the bed.  Dartan already seemed to be doing a fine job of injuring her, she didn’t deserve to die because her spell was fucked six ways to Sunday.  It would be easier if they could just kill him and keep her safe themselves.  He and Arch would be able to do it.  Maybe even draft Cruz into it.

"Abriella or Cruz are going to have to make her immortal.   We can't let her go back topside anyway, not after all she's seen down here and could accidentally spill.  She can't live out the rest of her life down here as a human, she’s too fragile.  It’s not like we don’t have other newb immortals."  Arioch's voice from behind Olly had all heads turning.   He wasn't wrong, and they all knew it.  

"He's right.  Like your friend Delilah, she will need to become immortal and reside in Imperium from now on." Arch agreed.  It seemed new residents were multiplying faster than rabbits in the Palace.  Or chinchillas, given the gardens newest residents. 

"That will not be a problem, it’s done.  Who is going to help her with that adjustment?" Abriella looked around the room expectantly. She knew her friends, those not already helping others who had just arrived in Imperium would no doubt help, and even some of those who were helping probably would pitch in.

"I can as we're searching." Dartan’s dejected voice came from the floor.  As much as he'd been infuriated at her for fucking up his life, at least it would go back to normal when it was over.  Hers was now forever changed. 

"NO!" Arch's voice was firm and at a higher volume than normal.  He was quite sure he was not the only one in the room that felt that way, but would currently be the one with the most tact. "Olly and I will both help her.  You will just stay close enough to retain your sanity, and Arioch will make sure you stay in line" Arch turned to face the spectre.  "I understand you did not ask to be involved in this, nor did you intend for her to be injured by your actions…TWICE…but things are as they are.  When this is done and you go back to your life, she will stay with us.  We will help her.  Cross me and I will make you regret it, eternally."  Again Arch glowed and everyone, including Cruz and Abriella, backed up. 

Arch turned to Olly, their eyes meeting for a brief second and there was something unspoken that passed between them.  "I will go prepare the room next to my old one for her.  I'll move back to it for a while.   That old wing will be quiet and peaceful." Olly nodded to Arch then turned and headed off leaving Arch to finish up anything else that needed done for Amaya.  

Cruz's eyes narrowed at his oldest and closest friend slightly. "Isn't that just down the hall from your potions lab, Arch?"  His head tilted.

Arch winked before turning back to Abriella. "You know, old friend, I think you might be right.  How fortunate.  I might have to move to my old room right off it."  He didn't even try to hide his grin.  "Now, how long before we can remove her from the infirmary, dear?  I don't want our guest to feel like a prisoner."  

In the infirmary, Amaya had been resting comfortably in her new, lush accommodations while Olly was getting her breakfast.  A light sleep had almost overtaken her when her body suddenly felt on fire, especially her neck and  throat. Pain lanced through her and stole her breath.  It felt as if she was being impaled, but as her eyes searched the room, she saw nothing and no one around her.  The scream that was rent from her body echoed off of the stone walls and was carried to the ears of not only Olly, but also down the hall to the lab of Arch and Cruz, who had been visiting with him.  

All three instantly knew who it was and traced to the room, dropping what they had been doing.  The sight that met them had all three men's hearts stopping, there was obviously something seriously wrong. A light sweat was on her brow, her eyes had rolled back, and she was fisting the sheets next to her.  Both of the wee chinchilla creatures at first had bared their teeth at the men, before relaxing once recognition set in and starting to chirp worriedly while hopping up and down.

"Is it more of the mushrooms?" Olly asked Arch who quickly began to examine her.  Concern lined both men's faces, and while Olly was normally the fairer of the two, both currently appeared ashen with worry. 

"No, I need Abriella." Arch looked to Cruz who instantly disappeared.  While theoretically both siblings had the same healing powers, Abriella was far more proficient at it, and if things went badly she was the most powerful necromancer in all of creation.  He was hoping that it didn’t come to that, however. "There is something mystical at work, and I do not know how to counteract it." The dark mage's piercing blue eyes rose from looking at his patient to meet the troubled ones of Olly.

"What do you need me to do?" Olly asked.  “Just tell me." There was little the Horseman of Conquest wouldn't have done to relieve Amaya of the suffering she was so obviously enduring. Since lifting her off of the forest floor, he had found himself with a certain fondness for the small female, who was unfortunately all too human at the moment.

"Find me that damn spectre."  Abriella’s voice was calm, eerily so, and carried the regal authority of her position.  When the men looked over, her eyes had gone to a swirling silver, an indication she had tapped into powers far above those of the Horsemen.  As she walked over towards Amaya, Olly disappeared to locate Dartan.   He didn't know where the spectre was exactly, but he had a few ideas where to start.

Cruz and Arch could do nothing but watch as Abriella walked over, placing her hand on Amaya's forehead.  The female immediately went limp and was quiet on the bed. "Whatever is ailing her is tied to the spectre.  I have cut her off from him only temporarily.   We need to break this spell.  Then I’d like to torture him for a century or two, if no one is opposed."  When she turned to face the men, her eyes had returned to normal and there was a sardonic smile on her lips.  There was little doubt she was still highly annoyed.

"About that,' Arch started, "I've made some progress in deciphering the spell almost completely, and I think I know what happened and why. But, if I am right, breaking it is not going to be anything other than something that the two of them can do."  He sighed heavily.  It had been what he and Cruz were working on when Amaya had screamed.   The information they had received from Dartan was enough for Arch to research into antiquity and lost languages, then draw some conclusions.

"Whatever it is that’s fucked up, I'd say we blame this asshole for it." Olly unceremoniously tossed Dartan, still with the front of his shirt covered in his own blood, through the doorway and into the room.  "This jackass picked a fight with Arioch, and he was not winning when I showed up." There was no doubt that Olly was pissed, from both the look on his face and the sound of his voice.  It was only the fact that he now knew that whatever was done to the prick wound impact Amaya that stilled his hand from delivering more pain to the spectre.

When Dartan opened his mouth to respond, Cruz pushed off of the wall to tower over him.  His voice was deep, and while not loud, it still echoed off the walls around him.  The Palace knew how to make a statement using acoustics when it wanted to.  "I dost think it twould be most prudent for you to keep your mouth shut unless you would like one to shut it quite forcefully for you."  The glare that Cruz was giving Dartan made everyone else a little uneasy, and they were glad that Amaya was in the room; otherwise violence might have commenced.  Not that anyone would have blamed Cruz for flattening Dartan.

"So I don't have to hear the sound of his voice, fill me in on what happened.   As much as you know." Abriella asked of Olly, glancing over to her brother who was currently seeming to keep Dartan quiet and still, by pure intimidation. It was, after all, one of Cruz’s specialties. She literally adored him for it, amongst other things.

"He demanded to see Amaya, was told no, and decided to act like an entitled prick till Arioch impaled him on his claws," Arch winced at Olly's words, "then the demon started eviscerating him." Olly glanced over to Amaya, who was now still.  "Is that what happened to her?"  It was clear that the Horseman of Conquest was clearly disturbed by that thought.

Abriella began examining Amaya gently and carefully.   Whatever the poor human had gone through, it had obviously been traumatic, she didn't want to add any more hurt to the other female.   The room was quiet except for the soft sound of breathing and the occasional worried chirp of one of the furry beings.  Olly was now holding one and Arch the other.  It seemed best to keep them out of Abriella’s way until she was done with the healing.

"Bruises on the neck and abdomen, internal hemorrhage, and acute anemia.   Yes, she suffered the same as him." Abriella finally announced, which made Cruz growl and Dartan wither.  "I've repaired everything but this is a setback." She sighed and turned to Dartan.  "So, what exactly do you have to say for yourself?  And keep it brief, if you wax on poetic, or in some kind of monologue, I will bind your voice and make you learn sign language, you odiferous stump of a slug’s tail.”

For a minute, Dartan’s gaze alternated between Abriella, Cruz, and Amaya.  Guilt boiled and bubbled in his gut, as he tried to find the right words to explain, as well as the courage to do so.  While enduring the pain has not been anything remotely akin to pleasant, it could have killed Amaya.  All because he challenged the demon in the hallway out of anger.  In wanting to see her, he once more caused her harm. 

“I wanted to see my wife." Dartan finally answered, his eyes now cast to the floor he was sitting on.  There was no fight left in his voice; he was obviously defeated.  

""Your what?!" Olly, Arch, and Abriella asked in unison.  All were incredulous that NOW he referred to her as such.  Abriella felt a twitch in one eye and wondered if she could still get migraines as a diety.

"She art your wife, as the snow dost belong to the mountains.  That hapinstance did curse her with falling into your life, dost not make her yours.  Hast you not done enough harm to one who did none to you?  What crime hast she committed to you for you to punish her so?" Cruz’s deep voice seemed to fill the room as he spoke, anger growing with each syllable that vibrated through the ether. As he looked to Dartan for an answer, the other male could almost swear he could see flashes of lightning in the large male's pupils that were surrounded by deep blue irises; and he was afraid.  Dartan was not the first to feel such fear, but he might be the one to live the longest after experiencing such, solely based on the fact obliterating him would most likely do likewise to Amaya, and none wanted to do her further harm.

Once more Dartan’s eyes fell to the floor.  He was a proud male, but at the moment he was also a deeply ashamed one.  Never one to be considered "good", he had also never caused such harm to an innocent person as he had to Amaya twice in less than twenty-four hours.  Worse yet, he could not even come up with a good explanation WHY he had insisted on seeing her to the point of driving Arioch to violence.  Cruz, in his archaic way of phrasing, was right.  Amaya didn’t belong to him and they were the farthest thing from a traditional married couple in any concept of it.

"I know what I said," Dartan started, then sighed deeply, "and I know what I've done. I was mean to her verbally," he looked up and met Cruz’s intense gaze that had not wavered, "but I did not intentionally set out to hurt, or lose, her yesterday.  I had no idea my fight with your demon would do it today." Once more he sighed and ran his fingers through his thick black hair that has a few random threads of silver.  "I can not explain it to you in a way that will make sense, but I needed to see her.  It felt like…" he struggled to find the phrasing that would fit.

"Like there was an integral part of you missing, and the longer you were apart, the harder it was to breathe.  It was like you were starving, and Arioch got in the way of you getting to the kitchen when you could smell dinner cooking."  Now all eyes turned to look at Arch as he completed Dartan’s explanation, which it was clear from the spectre's stunned expression was all too accurate.  What did the mage know? More importantly, what did this mean for Amaya?

“I want to see her.  I need to make sure she’s alright.” Dartan’s voice was raised as he was arguing with Arioch not far outside of the apartment of rooms he’d been given in an unused wing of the Palace.  He was being guarded, and, as soon as he’d tried to leave, Arioch and Mithos had been alerted.  For the time being, all agreed keeping him segregated from everyone was the best option, given his surly disposition and what had happened to Amaya.

“No one thinks that is best for HER right now.  She needs rest and quiet.  Olly and Arch will be attending to her, along with Abriella and possibly her friend Cassandra, who we have learned has healing abilities as well.  You need not worry about the sweet witch.”  Arioch had to admit he had a soft spot for her.  The previous night she hadn’t reacted when some of their glamour had slipped a couple of times, and she seemed sweet.  What problem Dartan had with her was his own.  She was now stuck there, confused, scared, and didn’t look at the scar down his face with disdain like some had.

“So other men are given the ability to see, touch, and care for my wife, but I cannot.  Do you hear yourself?  How ridiculous is that?!”  Dartan’s voice raised again, and he took a step towards the fallen.  He did not know why he was so angry at being kept away, except he wanted to apologize, to explain that he had not meant for her to be hurt.  If he was bound to her, the least he should be able to do is talk to her.

“You want a divorce, so technically you're her ex-husband as soon as someone figures out how to do it.  Trust me, we’re working hard on that, by the way.  Then we’ll send you home, much to the relief of all of us.”  Arioch was losing his patience.  He was not patient on the best of days, and the Demon of Vengeance wasn’t having the best day with his friend Asher having been tortured by Lucifer’s son, then the hunt for Amaya, and her healing last night.  He was tired and wanted to be done with the spectre in front of him.

“I’ve changed my mind.”  The look on Arioch’s face was one of pure, complete, and unadulterated shock.  Dartan had lost his mind.  The fallen was now sure of it.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”  Arioch blinked twice, sure he had not heard the damned spectre correctly.  “You. Changed. Your. Mind?” He repeated the words back slowly, still staring at Dartan as if the other male had grown a second head.  If he had, that might explain this new development.  NOW he changed his mind?  NOW!  “Could you have maybe done that BEFORE you lost her in a forest full of creatures who think of humans as snacks?  Hmm?  Would that, I don’t know, possibly, have been too inconvenient for you?”  The sarcasm was so thick in Arioch’s voice it was almost palpable in the air between the two males, as they faced off against one another.  

“Don’t even start with me, demon.”  Dartan’s voice held warning.  Not that he knew what he’d do to the other male.  “It’s not like I had a lot of time to think about things.  And she…”

“She what?!” Arioch was completely flummoxed on even what to say at this point, and damn near at his breaking point.  If he didn’t think that snapping the neck of the being in front of him might harm Amaya, he would have.  “She made a mistake?!  You mean like you did abandoning her in the forest of a foreign realm where there are vicious animals?  That kind of mistake?  Or one that just inconveniences your royally egotistical dumbass day?” Now the demon was growling, a slight glow starting around him.  Had Dartan considered who he was speaking to, he would have remembered Arioch was the demon of REVENGE.  As in payback.  So getting payback for an innocent left to die in a forest would be right up his alley. Funneling any of the feelings Amya had towards Dartan regarding her treatment would FEED him.

"I didn't ASK to be married to her, but here we are, and I AM.  SHE. IS. MY. WIFE!" Dartan roared back, still not considering who he was dealing with in the slightest. He took a step towards Arioch, his hand coming in front of him, one at chest level palm down and the other at his waist with palm up. Between them a colored mist started to swirl. Fuck this demon, and fuck anyone else who got in his way.

Arioch was not one to be threatened or to back down.  The spectre wanted to dance?  He'd dance, and they'd see if Dartan could die a second time.  Patience completely gone, Arioch shifted into his full, fallen demonic form in an instant, and his talons were buried in the side of Dartan’s neck; purple blood began flowing down the spectre's chest.

Sitting up in the bed, she noticed that at some point, she had been redressed. Gone were her hiking boots, cargo pants, and flannel, and she was now in a soft, pastel gown in fabric she wasn’t sure what it was. She hoped that it had been a female who redressed her and not Dartan. Heaven forbid! As she sat contemplating that, there were two little chirps next to her in the bed. Turning her head, she saw the little chinchilla type creatures from the night before that had been on the strange men’s heads. They were looking up at her with big open eyes and…smiles? Oh…and they had such white…teeth. How nice…

When Amaya didn’t move or respond the little beings jumped up and down and chirped again. Her head tipped, she had no clue what they were wanting. Then one came over and bumped her hand, and she understood - they wanted petted. Seeing the size of their teeth, she was a little cautious, but still reached her hand out and petted the one closest anyway. Something akin to a high pitched trill type of purr came from the small being and the other one bounced in what seemed to be excitement, chirping and looking at her.

“So you two are friendly? I get it.” In a way she figured they were, they had been “riding” on the heads of two of the men last night who had been helping her, but those teeth! Amaya was glad they liked her. She wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of one of those bites! Guard furry softballs, that was something new.

“I see you have met your guardians,” a deep male voice from across the room had her head jerking up and her yanking the covers up almost to her chin; which hid the two small beings that were now on her lap chirping happily. He held up a hand and gave a soft chuckle. “I’m sorry Amaya, I did not mean to scare you.” He then gave a short bow. “I’m Ollandrius, but most just call me Olly.” He gave her a warm smile, which she thought made him look like some kind fo Disney prince. Were men supposed to be that handsome in real life?

Brief flashes of the night before went through Amaya’s mind, and his face was in them. He was kind, warm, and she had a recollection of protection from him. She relaxed and lowered the covers some, nodding and returning his smile. “Sorry, I guess I’m just a little on edge. The last couple of days have been a little weird and…” she shut her mouth and her brows drew together as she tried to figure out how to even put it into words.

“Eventful?” Olly offered as he stepped into the room, drawing out a light chuckle from her this time and a nod. “We kind of got that idea when Dartan summoned a couple of demons when he lost you in the forest. Although, your little friends there, and their friends, did keep you safe until we found you.” His smile had not faltered, and it made Amaya feel more relaxed. He wasn’t a small man, but she could almost feel goodness radiating off of him, safety. For Olly’s part, he was studying her, trying to see if there were any lingering effects of the mushrooms or being out in the forest exposed to the elements.

“Uh, yeah. I’m sorry that I caused you or your friends any trouble. I goofed up a spell.” Her face fell and she looked at her lap where the little beings were snuggling against her and ran her hand through their fur. They even felt as soft as chinchillas. “This is all my fault, everything is is my fault.”

“Or, you were given a bad one by someone that should not have been trusted. We’re looking into all the possibilities now. No more apologies, and no more sadness. You are a guest of the King and Queen, and there is no reason for it. When you are doing better a whole suite is being prepared for you. You’ll be taken care of here.” The poor human. She probably wouldn’t get to stay one. Like Delilah, existing in a world that she knew was full of monsters and demons would be too dangerous if she stayed one. If they couldn’t teleport her, staying in Imperium would most definitely be too dangerous, and it had nothing to do with the inhabitants. The mushrooms had proved that. Olly was worried about her.

“Uh…what about Dartan?” Were they going to make her live with him? He hated her. He blamed her for everything, and after she got lost out in the forest, he probably hated her more. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck living with him. Maybe they could just kill her and let her go wherever it was that her soul was supposed to go? Or because she was bound to Dartan, would she just end up back here?

Olly took a deep breath, this was going to be slightly awkward. “You won’t have to see him anymore.” He saw the confusion on her face, so he continued. “You’re bound, so it’s not like he can go far, but it was the belief of the Queen that you would be happier if he were not in your immediate vicinity, and that there were others here in the Palace who could help you get acclimated to everything much easier. She was quite insistent.” He had to chuckle, he was putting it mildly. He was pretty sure if she’d been confident his head would not have regrown she would have removed it from his shoulders the previous night.

“Oh.” Amaya said simply. She didn’t know how to feel about that. Truthfully she wasn’t sure that she knew how to feel about any of it. How was one supposed to feel in a situation like she was in? Had anyone ever been in her situation? She doubted it.

“Are you ok?” Olly was worried about her. “I know it will take some getting used to here, but you won’t be alone. Arch, he’s a mage that helped heal you last night, and I are going to help you. Arch can help you with your magic. He’s kinda good at it.” He gave her a teasing wink that made her smile.

“I just feel kind of lost. The whole bonded or married or whatever…” she kind of waved her hands around a bit as her lips pursed, “was a huge shock, and I know he hates me for it. I can’t blame him. I brought him here and now he’s stuck with me. I’m sure he’s glad that he’s free of me, at least we get to live in a castle.” She smiled a little again and shrugged. She really did feel so very lost.

“He was worried about you. Dartan’s always been an asshole from what I can gather, but he was worried. So, he doesn’t hate you. Hate the situation, that is a possibility, but that’s not the same as hating you.” He tried to reassure her, but he could tell she was still upset. Lost might be the best description for it. She really didn’t know where she was, that was going to come as an even bigger shock to her, and wait till she met some of the residents. Maybe they’d take things VERY slowly.

Deciding that making her feel somewhat at home might be a good start, Olly decided to start with breakfast. Since the kitchens could prepare anything that was made on Earth, the sky was the limit for whatever she wanted. Once he had her order, he promised to be back shortly with food and the all-important coffee. He also let her know that some fae that were the size of six year olds would be in shortly to take her measurements and talk to her about clothing. What she had on was a gift from the Queen, but she would need more than one nightgown for her stay there.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”  Dartan inclined his head respectfully.  He was well aware that at this point he was unwelcome within the Palace and around the residents of it that he’d encountered so far.  The fact that Amaya, his “wife”, was still there meant he felt he should stay.  Shouldn’t he?

“Can you or someone within the Palace undo the bonding? I do not think the human wishes to be so bound for eternity?” He asked, knowing that he was most likely pressing his luck with the Queen.  She looked none too pleased with him and her greeting of him had been more frigid than the tundras of Kaldrasis.

“She doesn’t want to be bound to you or you do not wish to be bound to her?  After all, Dartan, she was not the one who abandoned you to your death in the forest.  I do believe that was your doing to her.” The sarcastic tone in Abriella’s voice and the sardonic smile on her face spoke well of her feelings towards the warlock before her.  “Trust me, warlock, if I had the power to separate you, it would so be done. She does not deserve to be bound to one such of yourself, whose ego creates such a vacuous space around you that I’m surprised that even light can escape its gravitational pull.  While she may have made a mistake in the casting of her spell, I do believe that being saddled with you for eternity is a punishment that far exceeds that crime.  In fact, I’m not sure what crime would befit such a punishment.  So, no, at present no one here can save her from the fate of being your wife. But do trust that wherever such remedy is found, it will be immediately enacted so she can be free of you.”  With that, Brie exited the room before she used her Horseman powers in ways that would not befitting her station as Queen of the Realm.

Dartan stood in stunned silence, the sting of Abriella’s rebuke leaving a deep wound.  He had been so consumed in his own anger and irritation, he had given no consideration to anything else but freeing himself from what he saw as an encumbrance.  Not once had he considered that HE was the encumbrance to another that she might wish to be free of.  After almost dying in that forest, he could not even blame her for it. 

If no one was able to separate them and there was a loss of any kind of teleportation, they would be stuck in Imperium.  He had a feeling she would be far more welcome than he, but maybe someone within the palace could at least do something to make that easier. They wouldn't just kick them out with no help would they?  A human in Hell?

With a deep sigh, Dartan scrubbed a hand over his face.  He was lost on what to do, or even who to ask for help.  The icy response from those in the room with Amaya coupled with her fear made it clear he couldn't go back in there.  It wasn't like he knew anywhere else in the Palace to go though.  

"If you are ready to get some rest, a room has been prepared for you.  I suggested a cell in the dungeon but apparently Cruz didn't want to bother any of our current prisoners from the skirmish with Belphegor." Raguel's voice came from the doorway and Dartan scowled over at him.  "Listen asshole, the only reason you're being allowed to stay is so we know where your ass is if we figure out how to undo the spell.  No one, and I do mean NO ONE wants you here."  

"I figured that out." Dartan replied with an eye roll and a sarcastic smirk.  He didn't care if the damn angel was pissed.  Abriella, yes. Cruz, yes. The uppity angel, fuck no.

Raguel stepped into the small meeting room that Dartan was in. "Good, I'm glad that you aren’t operating under the misconception that anyone agrees with how you have treated Amaya.  We don't even fucking know her but even the demons wouldn't have left her to die. She was saved by fucking chinchillas that bred with sharks or some shit. So don't worry about being responsible for her or seeing her again. You won't."

For the second time in as many minutes, Dartan was left speechless and humbled.  He wanted to have some kind of retort, but there was nothing that he could say.  All he could do was give a curt nod of his head and follow when Raguel turned and left the room.

Confusion was awash over her face as Amaya blinked in rapid succession in the too bright room, at least it seemed too bright to her.  Her head ached, she felt like her mouth was made of cotton, and she had no memory of getting out of the forest.  Where WAS she?  Who were these people?  Why did two of them have…chinchillas? On their heads?  Where the hell was Dartan? 

“What is going on?”  It seemed like the safest question at the moment.  It wasn’t as if things could get much weirder than being in hell with a dead guy that you were suddenly somehow married to through a spell you fucked up, could they? Right?  Please, don’t let it get weirder…

“Oh thank The Source, she’s awake.” Dartan’s voice came from the doorway before anyone could respond and Amaya visibly cringed.  To everyone else in the room, that wasn’t a positive sign.  Dartan ignored it, he figured his voice was too loud and would remember to lower the volume when he spoke again.  As he noticed the small creatures atop Arch and Olly, he had to wonder what the fuck that was about, but then again those from Imperium did tend to be a bit odd.  

As he walked in further, Olly stepped in his way, not the best move. “Do we have a problem?” Dartan’s voice dropped and he met the Horseman’s gaze with an intense and aggressive one of his own. If he had to put up with that damn angel taunting him since they’d left the clearing, the least they could do was let him make sure Amaya was alright.  It was not as if any of this was his fault. She was the one that had fucked up.

“I think that it is best if we let her rest and WE answer her questions before anything further.” Olly had his feet shoulder width apart, arms crossed over his broad chest, and a look that dared Dartan to cross him.  The human had almost died because of the arrogant asshole in front of him.  Breaking his jaw would be a treat.  Going full Horseman on his ass would be even better, but Abriella and Cruz would probably frown on that.

“Gentlemen,” Abriella’s voice was calm but very firm behind Olly and he moved to the side to let her through.  She was one of only two people in the room he would move for, the other being Arch.  “You,” she pinned Dartan with a look that had him backing up a step, “will shut the fuck up and do as you are told. One word of argument and you will find out what fun powers The Source has gifted me with. Are we clear?” It wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway, clearly intimidated by the woman before him that was all out of patience and anything resembling her normal tact.  “Good. Now, you and I are going to go into the next room and I’m going to play necromancer on your ass to break the tether with Amaya.  You fight with me and I’ll just send you down to Caligo.  The boys down there haven’t had a new playmate in a while on level eight.”  The smile she gave him made even Arioch a bit unnerved. She was well and truly pissed, and although her voice was calm and soft, one look in her eyes said she was about to unleash great violence on anyone who even tiptoed near a nerve.  Damn, he loved the woman.

“Yes, your Highness.”  Dartan was afraid to say anything else.  The power radiating off of the Queen of Imperium was unlike anything he’d felt before and the look on her face said that she was about to unleash some of it on him.  It was clear that while Arioch and Mithos had helped him, he was not amongst friends in the slightest.  Best to go along with whatever he was told.  Maybe one of them could undo what the little witch had started.

“Follow.” The clipped command from Abriella had Arioch and Raguel getting out of her way, and Dartan inclining his head respectfully.  She didn’t give him another look before striding from the room, trusting that he would follow. Once they had left the room, Arch and Mithos turned back to a very confused Amaya who still lay in the bed, looking smaller and frailer than either of them remembered from before Dartan had showed up.  “Miss Amaya, I am Mithos, Captain of the Queen’s Royal Guard.  You are in the Palace of Imperium.  You were brought here after having a mishap in the forest you were traversing with…” he paused for a moment to consider how to continue.

“Your companion.” Arch finished for him.  Not that he doubted Mithos’ tact, but was more afraid that he would call Dartan her husband which seemed to be a touchy subject from what everyone had gathered so far from Raguel. The little being on his head chirped and launched itself onto the bed and started snuggling her hand. “And these small creatures kept you safe and warm while you were lost in the forest, they seem to be rather fond of you.  The King almost lost a hand to one.” Arch couldn’t contain his amused smile at that, even with Amaya’s slightly shocked and confused expression.

“It did not almost removest mine hand.” A deep voice came from the doorway, causing heads to turn.  Cruz was standing there, completely filling the door side-to-side with a tray of food and very amused.

When Olly turned his head the little being on his head let out a sound that reminded Amaya of the “Whoooaaa” R2-D2 made if it had been done by a chipmunk and it made her laugh.  That seemed to break the tension of everyone in the room and they all chuckled as Cruz brought the tray fully into the room and set it on the nightstand next to the bed.  

“I did not know what you did like, Lady Amaya. Since you art from Earth, I had our cooks get together some simple foods for you. We did certainly think you would be most hungry.” Cruz gave her a warm and friendly smile, which Amaya thought made him even more handsome than she had found him previously.  It earned him a smile in return.

“Thank you,” she looked around at the rest of them then.  “Thank you all.  It’s my fault we’re here and that I got lost.  I’m slow and short.  And then I…” before she could finish Arch had a finger on her lips and fixed her with a firm but friendly look that said she didn’t need to apologize. “Eat.  You can explain later.” Arch’s blue eyes sparkled as Amaya looked up at him.  He was smiling and she thought he had one of the kindest faces, yet could see that he could be intimidating if he wanted to be.  She nodded softly, her lips turning up in a smile.

It took no time at all for Cruz to find one of the Palace Guards who knew where Olly had met up with Abriella and Arch with Amaya.  He could have found out where Dartan was as well, but the truth was he didn’t give a fuck.  Raguel could deal with the fucker well enough for the moment.  The angel knew where the dungeon was if he got tired of him.  Cruz already was after having to save the human that the damn warlock spectre had been too stupid not to let almost die.

As the group made their way towards where the guard had told him they could find those they were looking for, they could hear the squeaks and chirps of the couple of creatures that had hitched a ride with Olly, so they knew they were headed in the right direction.  When they rounded the corner into the room, what they saw though, brought them up short.  The little beings were now perched on Olly and Arch’s heads, paws clinging to their hair, as Abriella worked on healing Amaya.  The creatures were chirping up a storm; whether giving direction or complaining about how long it was taking, no one was sure.  

“I see you hast met the newest residents of our garden.” Cruz finally said with a shake of his head as he entered the room.  The look his sister shot at him was not one of amusement, but it DID amuse him and he chuckled.  “Dost not give me that look, sister mine. Tis not my fault that they are here. Speak to your pups for that.”

“Maybe they can translate then,” Abriella replied, slightly annoyed.  “They haven’t shut up since Olly got here with them and this human, Amaya.  I can’t wait to meet her husband.” There were visible cringes from a few of the men, her tone and look on her face said it would not be a friendly meeting.  While Abriella was by far the kindest amongst all of them, she was not one to be trifled with and they had a feeling that Amaya must be in bad shape for Arch to not even be attempting anything.

“I know nothing about whatever these purple mushrooms are and I don’t want to start experimenting on her.  She is alive and in a coma, but very weak.  It seemed best to let Abriella do healing on her rather than accidentally make it worse.”  Arch turned around to talk to her and Arioch had to cough and cover his mouth not to laugh at the little creature clinging to his hair and chirping.  Had there not been a potentially dying woman behind him, the scene would have been comical.

“Let me help.  I do have experience with those mushrooms, unfortunately.  I’m surprised she’s still alive, they have been known to kill demonic nephilim at times.”  Mithos shook his head, his face grim, as he walked over to the bedside once Arch had moved out of the way.  

Once he was standing on the opposite side of the bed from Abriella, there was a brief conversation regarding what had been done so far.  With a nod, Mithos closed his eyes and hovered his hands over her then spread them wide with one going over her head and one down more over her waist, before bringing them back again.  This same thing was repeated a couple of more times, everyone else in the room being quiet.  Even the little animals seemed to have realized that quiet was what he needed and settled down.

After what seemed like an hour, but was probably closer to 15 minutes, Mithos started filling everyone in on what was wrong and what was needed to fix it.  He and Abriella could do the healing, but she would need to be hydrated and have some food when she woke up.  She was weak from it having been so long since she had come to Imperium and having nothing to eat while her body fought the toxin from the foreign fungus.  There was also a tether that was draining her lifeforce, he could only assume this was Dartan and had something to do with the fact he was not only a Spectre, but was not in a corporeal form.  He asked Arioch to go get Raguel and Dartan and bring them back so Abriella could see if she could use her powers as the Horseman of Death and a necromancer to fix whatever had screwed things up.  Without that tether being fixed, she would keep being drained of life and even if they fixed her now, she’d keep getting depleted over time.  Her frail human body would not be able to keep up.

The sound of barking could be heard through the trees as Dalton and Derp, the Queen’s puppies, tracked the human.  Centuries of fighting and training meant that neither Mithos nor Arioch had to reign them in as they went. They were not going to get distracted by anything.  Using their supernatural powers along with their own agility and strength, the obstacles in their way were no problem.  Judging from the sounds all of them heard in the forest around them, that was a good thing.  Things were waking up, things those who were looking for Amaya would prefer to avoid.  Things that were hungry and would love the snack of a human.

Suddenly Dalton lunged forward and increased his pace, Derp following a moment later and they both were going full tilt with the four males close on their heels.  As they cleared another couple of fallen logs, the men came to a halt.  In front of them, the pups had transformed from their cerberus forms back into small corgi puppies.  Since the female human was in front of them, unconscious on the forest floor, that wasn’t completely surprising. What was, however, was that she was covered in what appeared to be some kind of hybrid of a chinchilla, a squirrel, and a rabbit.  None of them had seen the small creatures in Imperium before.

“What are they?” Mithos asked, leaning a little closer with his eyes narrowing and head tilting.  They were…cute?

“Do I look like a nature guide, asshole?” Arioch replied, not sure if the things were safe or not, but clearly not liking the situation at hand. He too was studying them but cautious.

“Rodents, idiots.” Answered Cruz, thoroughly annoyed with everyone and everything, who stepped forward to clear them off of the human.  This is when the whole group made another discovery.  Unlike Earthly rodents that have the four main front teeth, these had two rows on top and bottom of what looked like shark’s teeth, hundreds of them; and they looked none too happy about the King coming closer to Amaya’s body.

“Well, that’s…different…”Ollyl commented, his brows drawing together as a look of unease settled over his face.  He then blew out a breath that puffed out his cheeks.  This changed things, and made them more difficult.

“They haven’t eaten her.  She’s alive.  But they won’t let us near her….”  Cruz knelt down a short distance from them, one hand absentmindedly rubbing his chin as he thought over the situation.  Killing the creatures would be easy, but that would draw predators to them, and since they couldn’t trace Amaya, they’d at least need a minute or two to get her settled for one of them to carry her.  

“I guess…that’s…positive?” Mithos stated hesitantly, hoping it was.  He considered they were saving her for later, which didn’t make him feel any better.

As the others were trying to figure out some kind solution, Olly walked over and knelt down and whistled to Dalton.  “Go ask your friends to please get off the nice lady.  We need to get her to safety.  If they bite us, we have to hurt them, and that might hurt her.  Can you please do that?”  He ruffled the fur on the top of the pup’s head.

Dalton and Derp had been yipping at the creatures who had been squeaking back while the men had been considering the situation.  Olly hoped that maybe, just maybe they were actually communicating.  He knew that Abriella’s dogs were not normal dogs by any stretch of the imagination and understood him fine, now if they could just get the creatures to understand.  Soon enough, it seemed he was right since the little things started getting off of her, but then apparently they had made some kind of deal in order to accomplish this.

As the little furry beings were getting off of Amaya, Dalton and Derp started picking them up in their mouths and delivering them to the feet of each of the men.  All except Olly.  The little creatures started climbing their pants as soon as they were deposited, some finding pockets to go into while others kept going higher.  “Uh, I think they want out of the forest too, and the dogs promised them a ride to the Palace.  Maybe put them in the garden with the pixies?  I’m sure they’d love some Tribbles.”  Olly shrugged as he got a death glare from Cruz who now had one sitting on his shoulder. 

“Tribbles?!  Did you see the teeth on that one that snarled at Cruz?” Arioch asked as one started snuggling into his pocket.  “Ummm..shit..we’re really going to do this, huh?” He blew out a sigh as another one started to fall off of his pant leg and he caught it and stuck it in another pocket.  Abriella should be glad he loved her cute ass.

“Just get these damned things and get them to the garden.” Cruz grumbled, but was standing there with two in one of his large hands, petting them like a cat.  “Olly, since you’ve been spared, get the human to Abriella and Arch.” He shook his head.  He knew that his sister was going to have one of these damn things as a pet and it would end up in his room…he knew it.  Just like the pups during thunderstorms.  

Watching Cruz with the two fuzzballs in his hands was about to make Olly breakout in laughter, but the task at hand was serious, so he nodded and went over to scoop Amaya up off of the ground.  A couple of the furry beings didn’t want to leave her and used their teeth and claws to hold onto her plaid flannel shirt.  “Guess I’m taking a couple with me.  Your sister is going to LOVE this!”  Olly rolled his eyes, still trying to fight outright laughter,  and then unfurled his wings just enough to get them off of the ground.

“Not as much as Arch.  Just don’t let him take one into his lab, these things have teeth and I don’t want them ending up in my room pissed and looking for their missing brother.  Or, worse, him making one of them our size!”  Arioch replied sarcastically as he watched the Horseman of Conquest slowly rising and navigating the branches overhead.  Thankfully the trees did have some space between them up higher, which is why the underbrush was so overgrown and had given them such problems.

“We have them all, let’s get the fuck out of here.  These things are obviously snacks for something bigger, and I don’t want to be here when it shows up.  I’ve had enough frustration for one fucking day.”  It was clear Mithos was tired and no one blamed him.  After ensuring that Dalton and Derp were secured, all of the men mysted back to the garden of the Palace to deposit the little furry softball beings.  

Olly had been right in mentioning the pixies.  As soon as the first chirp was heard in the garden, pixies of every shape, size, and color came out and swarmed around the males.  They picked up the beings and snuggled them, loving on them.  Even a few of the garden gnomes came wadding out of their little houses to invite the creatures in.  The vine on the wall of the palace that Cruz had always suspected was sentient in some way even made a type of shelter for a few of them. For almost fifteen minutes, the men watched in stunned silence as the beings were welcomed into the garden, as if they were watching some kind of surreal Disney or Ghibli movie playing out before them.

It was nearing dark when Dartan finally reached another clearing where they could rest once more.  Thankfully the human he was bound to had been quiet and chosen not to annoy him further.  It wasn’t like he had tried to talk to her, he was no longer sure what to say that wouldn't start a fight.   Even with all the walking they had done, he wasn’t sure how far it was to the castle nor how long it would be till they got food.  There was an idea forming in his mind to try and summon one of the demons he knew and see if they could at least bring her food and maybe a coat for comfort if it was cold again.  If she became ill or too fatigued, it would only make things worse and take longer.  Since they could not trace, they would still have to walk to the Palace and he needed her to be able to keep up and also to run if needed to escape something.

When he turned around to see how Amaya was feeling, his heart sank.  The human female was nowhere to be seen.  He was sure that she was too timid to have wandered off on her own or to be playing some kind of joke on him.  “Amaya!” He called as he started walking back into the forest. “Little Witch!”  He looked around, but the darkness was quickly setting in and if he didn’t get back into the clearing himself, he’d be lost in the woods overnight.  Why could the stupid human not just follow him and keep up?  This was now even more of a disaster!

Breaking off some dead branches as quickly as he could, he built a small fire using his magic near the edge of the clearing. He lit another branch on fire and walked into the forest calling Amaya’s name loudly.  He kept walking until he could just barely see his fire, then turned back and almost ran to it.  There were the sounds of creatures awakening in the forest.  This was not where they were the night before and there seemed to be more sounds of wildlife than there had been before.  Wherever Amaya was, he could bet that she was not safe and would not last until morning.

Using the light of the fire, Dartan inscribed two sigils into the earth. They were for two demons that he hoped, HOPED, would answer his call and help him find the damned human who had gotten herself lost in the forest.  At one time they had been friendly acquaintances and with a human involved, he hoped they would still be.   If anything happened to her, he would be held responsible and the punishment would be brutal, excruciatingly painful, and swift.  Placing his branch back on the fire, he performed the rituals to summon the demons. They were his only hope to get Amaya to safety, and possibly keep the rest of his afterlife from being one of abject torture.

“Why are you here?  Why am I here? And what the fuck do you want?” Mithos, the Co-Captain of The Queen’s Royal Guard asked as he stepped out of the darkness and into the light of the fire, sighing deeply with a bad feeling developing in the pit of his stomach.  Standing close to seven feet tall with broad shoulders and dark hair, he was an imposing figure on a good day; this was most certainly NOT a good day at the Palace and the glowing green of his eyes meant that there had better be a quick and acceptable explanation forthcoming.

“I’ll second those questions.  This is not your normal haunt, Dartan, and you must be in a lot of trouble to be calling in favors this old.”  Arioch stepped up next to Mithos, his expression just as nonplussed from having been summoned after the long day the two had experienced thanks to Damien.  The two demons looked at each other with brows raised.  Both were curious what had caused them to be summoned, but also had a bad feeling that they were not going to like the answer.  After Kaylin and Asher’s state when they appeared at the Palace, there was a great likelihood that the bad luck of the day wasn’t over.

“There is a human female lost in that forest, and I don’t know where.  But I fear that she is in dire trouble.”  Dartan saw the expressions of the demons change to something akin to a mixture of annoyance, incredulence, and fear. “And, we are bound, as in somehow married, ish.” 

“FUCK!” Arioch exclaimed and disappeared, tracing back to the Palace to gain assistance.

“The Queen is going to have your fucking head, we’ll be back.” Mithos was no less pissed, but at least gave him some hope before disappearing as well.  

It was mere moments until both the demons returned but they were not alone.  Dartan could guess that the double of Arioch without the scar was Raguel.  He wasn’t sure who the other two were or why Mithos had two corgi puppies on leashes.  This hardly seemed the place for small animals of any kind, least of all ones from Earth. 

"Raguel, take this idiot back to the Palace.  My sister will show you where we will be housing he and his human….wife…whatever.  Arch should be joining her shortly, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.  Maybe he can curse him." The one Dartan instantly deduced was Cruz said, his voice and demeanor clearly indicating he was no more pleased than Arioch and Mithos, although he was far more frightening in countenance.  Dartan feared meeting the Queen.

Before Raguel could reply, Mithos gave a command to the puppies in a language foreign to Dartan and they instantly transformed into massive snarling Cerebus. Dartan took a step back as Mithos gave them another command and then handed one of the leashes to Arioch.  Bringing the pups to the forest suddenly made far more sense.

"Come on, Olly, we might need an extra set of hands…" Arioch said before he and Mithos headed into the woods.

"Big guy, dumb fuck here can't trace or be traced.  Neither can his human…." Raguel started to explain to Cruz, before being interrupted. 

"Did your wings fall off?"

"No, I was just letting YOU know so you could figure out who was the best to take his human back." Cruz nodded while pinching the bridge of his nose, his eyes squinting shut, as Raguel finished with brows raised and lips thinned. 

"Amaya." Dartan said, which had both males' heads snapping to look at him. "Her name is Amaya."

Cruz took a menacing step towards him, blue and purple energy beginning to snap around the Horseman as he did. "I don't care what the fuck her name is right now. We need to find her before something makes her a snack because of your utter incompetence.  I would suggest silence until someone speaks to you again. If anything happens to this human because of you I will personally drag your soul down into the depths of Caligo and see to it that you are eternally flayed." Cruz turned to Raguel, who seemed leary at that moment of his old friend.  "Get him out of my sight before I do it just to improve my mood." The blue of his eyes and gone an almost icy white, the King’s patience had apparently completely expired.

"Ya got it, boss." Cruz inclined his head to Raguel at that answer, and then stalked off into the forest following the others. "I'll try not to drop your dumb ass. Although if Abriella has to go all Necromancer to bring your chick back, a fall from the treetops will seem like a love tap." A sarcastic smile formed on Raguel's face before his wings flared behind him, raising him slightly off of the ground.  Beautiful white iridescent feather tipped in gold caught the light from the fire and seemed to sparkle. 

Amaya’s eyes fluttered open and when she saw the strange trees around her, her mind didn’t bring forth the memory of what had transpired the previous night.  In a panic, she jumped up off of the log; but the way she had been positioned had cut off circulation slightly to her legs, the lack of circulation leading to weakness and numbness which caused her to stumble. She started to fall as she almost hyperventilated; fear quickly blooming in her breast as she came more awake. Her arms windmilled as she tried to catch her balance, but her knees buckled which had her falling forward.  Panic coursed through her as her mind raced to find a spell to keep her from faceplanting on the ground and bring her memories back.

Dartan watched the little witch wake up, and it was clear that it was not a peaceful process.  Before she injured herself by falling on her face, he wrapped an arm around her waist and caught her.  The last thing either of them needed was an injury; not in a place where the scent of blood could bring any number of vicious creatures hunting for them.  He was glad when it worked in stopping her from falling and she didn’t fight against him; since he wasn’t corporeal, there was a chance she might just slip through his arms regardless of his attempt. Leading her the night before and stopping her momentum when falling were two completely different things.   “Calm down, little witch.  You are going to get yourself hurt.” He kept his voice calm, even, and low as not to scare or spook her.  He also didn’t want to find out what would happen if she lashed out at him.

It was Dartan’s voice so close to her ear that brought everything rushing back into Amaya’s brain and she froze.  Not only was it his voice right there, but also the fact that she could feel him holding her.  There was a vibration to it, a soothing warmth, even though there was no physical form to go with it.  For some reason it calmed her and reassured her in a way that she did not quite understand.  Even that phrase he used to refer to her “little witch” did not offend her, that he did not have the same derision in his voice as he had the night before did help. Because of this, she relaxed in his arms and let him take the lead once more, as she had the previous night.

Slowly Dartan righted them both, keeping his hold gentle yet firm on her so she wouldn’t fall.  She was a good foot shorter than him, slight of build, but he could tell she had muscle built from work not just from the gym.  He was surprised, and impressed, at this.  She had spoken of an expedition, something he would remember to inquire more of as they traversed the realm to get to the Palace.  “Are you alright?” He finally asked once he was sure she was steady once more on her feet. He then moved around her to ensure she was unharmed. 

“Yes, thank you.  I’m sorry for the upset. I just didn’t remember what happened or where I was when I woke up. I was disoriented.”  Amaya felt her cheeks flush hot and could only imagine how red they were as her blue eyes dropped to the ground.  Her skin was towards the fair side and she tended to blush rather easily.  That she was still dealing with the fact that being in this strange place bound together was her fault to begin with did not help the matter. “I guess I’m causing you more problems again.” There was a resignation creeping in the edges of her voice, coloring it darker and causing it to sound more defeated.  

“Aye, but I am getting used to that.” There was no longer chastisement or resentment present in his voice as he responded.  “So, we shall not speak on it more. There is no reason to keep going over things.  It solves nothing.” While sitting in the dark while she slept, he had decided that if they were to be stuck together then he had to try at least to get along with her. It wasn’t like fighting with her was going to do either of them any good or make either of them any happier. The best they could hope for now was to work together to get to the Palace and talk to Abriella and Cruz, or at least one of their advisors who might have a clue.  

"I believe I know the direction of the Capital City.  There are no roads or paths where we are, so I'm glad that you're dressed for hiking. If we haven't reached a road by nightfall, I'll see if one of us can summon a demon I know that might help."  Dartan looked around the clearing a bi, then back to Amaya.   

Unlike the night before, she no longer looked defiant and bold, the spirited glint was gone from her eyes.  Her shoulders were slumped, head down, and she overall looked defeated.  He was sure he had a part in that. Putting fingers under her chin he tipped her head back to look at him. "This is not the time for regrets. When we get to the castle, okay?" She nodded weakly. For a reason he didn't know, he gently tucked a lock of her dark brown hair behind her ear. "Let's get started.  There is hopefully a road near so we can get you some food."  While he still did not hunger, it had been at least twelve hours since they arrived in Imperium, he estimated, and she would need food and hydration.  If you added in the walking that they were going to have to do to get anywhere, it added onto the need to make sure that he found a way for her to be able to eat.  He might not be happy to be stuck with her, but starvation seemed a rather sever punishment for that.

Amaya nodded and walked behind him when Dartan turned to walk into the forest.  She had decided that saying nothing might be the better option at the moment.  He was being nice, and she didn't want to ruin that.  She was tired and her body ached in several places from the way she had been positioned the night before.  There was not enough energy left in her to argue, plus staying on the good side of the person who knew the land they were in seamed smartest.

It was quickly apparent that Amaya's height was going to be a serious disadvantage to her.  Besides taking longer strides, Dartan was able to clear obstacles on the forest floor easier.  This often left her struggling to keep up with him.  A few times he barked at her for it, but later inextricably apologized. She was trying, and maybe he was realizing that somewhere along the way.

By the time that the sun was at the midway point, they had to take two breaks.  Amaya hadn't eaten since the previous day's lunch and her energy stores were low, but she didn’t say anything to him about it.  He already hated her, she didn’t want to add whining to the list of reasons for him to. Sheer willpower and stubbornness, and a healthy fear of whatever beasts lurked out of sight in the underbrush kept her moving behind him and trying to go over and/or around anything that was in their path.  It always seemed to take her longer and whe was mentally berating herself for it. 

Dartan, for his part, was trying to go slow enough for her to keep up but not lose his patience with Amaya.  It was not her fault she was short or that he had the unexplained ability to go without food or rest.  Then there was the fact that although she was dressed for hiking, he was in a suit; yet he was faring far better than she.  Making mention of having to make accommodations for her would do nothing.  She already knew how he felt, he had not held back the night before and little had changed since then.  Although, during the darkness, he had come to realize that blaming her was a fruitless endeavor and would just frustrate him more and make things more hostile.  He had made many mistakes as a young warlock and it was hard to blame her too much as a mere human for having made one.

As they were making their way through the forest, Dartan was beginning to plan who he would talk to once they reached the Palace of Imperium.  He did have a few contacts in Imperium that he was on a rather friendly basis with, and he hoped they could get him in with the Queen or someone else that had the power to help fix things.  Two of them were both close with her, and he had a human with him, so hopefully they could be swayed to set any previous grievances that he was unaware of aside and at least help the human, which would in turn help him..

It was because of the distraction of his thoughts that Dartan made a serious mistake.  He stopped paying attention to how far behind him Amaya was or even how difficult some of the obstacles might be for her to get around or over.  Instead he was going over conversations he would have in his head and trying to decide the best way to explain their situation. How long it was in the day was even escaping him as played things over within his mind and corrected things he didn’t want to say or thought he could put better.

“Dartan, my legs are short, can you wait up?” Amaya called while trying to climb over two fallen logs that Dartan had hopped over like someone skilled at parkour.  She was at least a foot shorter than him and although her Palladium boots had good traction, she was having such a harder time that more thna once she’d almost broken down in tears.  The fact that there were fat bright purple mushrooms growing off of the wood did not help.  They kept breaking off and making the bark slick.  More than once she’d almost fallen because of it.

By the time she had cleared the logs, she could no longer see the tall spectre anywhere around her.  “Dartan?  Dartan!” Her calls were now more urgent as she was lost completely.  She knew the general direction he’d been headed so continued to go in that way, calling for him and fighting back a rising terror that she was now alone and possibly would be from now on.  Maybe he head lost her on purpose?  Maybe this was his plan going through the dense forest?  

No matter how tired her legs or arms grew from walking and clearing obstacles, she continued moving.  She was starting to feel disoriented and her vision seemed to swim, but hadn’t stopped calling for Dartan, hoping that he would hear her or had noticed she was missing and was looking for her.  Several obstacles with those damned mushrooms had left her arms scratched and bleeding, smears of purple mushroom covering her arms and most of her clothing as well.  Her head throbbed and her eyes blurred, but she kept pushing on, now openly crying.  

Then at the top of one more stack of fallen logs, she punctured the palm of her hand on a small piece of bark that had been sticking up which was hidden by those same purple mushrooms she’d been dealing with all day.  As she pulled her hand up to look at it, she noticed it was fuzzy and out of focus.  The world seemed to be moving around her, but she was sitting still. Whether it was exhaustion, low blood sugar, or something else affecting her, she wasn’t sure.  However, the ground seemed a lot farther from her than it had been as she was climbing up. Fear began to grip her but she was so disoriented and her body was ceasing to respond.  

A moment later, her limp body slid off of the logs and slammed into the ground, her head bouncing off of the dirt with a soft thud.  She didn’t move.  She didn’t make a sound.  Once might have thought her dead had it not been for the flight rising and falling of her chest.  Nothing else on her moved.

Dartan released the energy he’d been holding that kept him visible in the dark.  In light she’d always be able to see him now that they were bound, but she was blind in the pitch blackness of the moonless night.  Moving to her, he put his hand under hers and raised up so she could feel it.  If he’d hit her or pushed her, she would have felt that too, but as angry as Dartan was, he would not harm the small female. He was not “good” by any measure, but there was something about her…

“How are you doing that?  I can feel it.”  She asked with a bit of awe in her voice as she wiggled her fingers slightly on top of his hand.  It didn’t quite feel like a normal human hand under hers, but she could feel something there.  There was a slight tingling and a pressure against her skin; the sense of “something” being there that she couldn’t quite place.  It was not a feeling she had ever experienced before, even when doing magic.  She tried to think back to all of her spell casting to see if there was anything similar that she could compare it to, but came up empty.

“It comes with the bonding that you did.  When there is light, even though I am incorporeal, you will be able to see me.  Here in Imperium everyone will be able to as well, but if we determine a way to be able to return to where you’re from no one else will, just you.  So you will have to be careful when you’re talking to me if that happens, or people will think you’re insane.  Things are very different in Imperium than anything you have experienced before.  This is one of the natural lands of the dead.”  Dartan began to inform her as he slowly led her over to where there were a few fallen trees leaning up against each other.  He was impressed she didn’t even try to fight him after their tense introduction to one another.  He would not have blamed her if she had, he hadn’t exactly done anything to instill trust in her.  The beautiful brunette kept looking in the direction of her hand, which he knew she couldn’t see, like she was expecting to see something.  He found that mildly amusing.  

Once they got over to the fallen logs, he guided her hands to where things were so she could find the best way to rest.  She should be able to figure out a good position to sit or lay on one of them and lean against the others.  It would keep her off of the ground at least, which would keep it from leaching the warmth from her.  The air wasn’t too cold, so hopefully she would be okay for at least the first night.  Since he was still incorporeal, he couldn’t help keep her warm which bothered him.  He wasn’t familiar with the area, so he was hesitant to build a fire. Attracting anything or anyone in the area to them might not be the best thing to do at night, especially with her completely unable to see.  Any of the realm’s animals that came around he felt confident that he could handle, at least in Imperium his being a spectre wasn’t all bad.  Why he didn’t have a solid form was still a bit of a mystery to him, and it was one he wasn’t happy about in the slightest.  It might have to do with the summoning ritual she did, but only time and finding someone with hopefully more familiarity with it would tell.l.

“We are going to rest here til first light, then we’ll be able to fully see exactly where we are and where we need to go to get to the Palace of Imperium.  I should be solid here in Imperium, but I’m not for some reason.  All dead souls of any kind should appear just the same as a living being, which means something is wrong.  We’ll have to find out what and why later.  I shouldn’t be able to move through you since we are bound, and I tend not to go through solid things if I can help it..  The sensation is not pleasant of something solid going through my body” Dartan informed her as he scanned the area for anything that might be a danger or that he could use to provide her added comfort or protection.  Of the two of them, he was the one better suited for their current realm, and so until they could find someone to fix the situation, he would have to protect her.

Maya nodded while listening to him and trying to find a comfortable way to sit on the logs that Dartan had led her over to.  After figuring out the best position without being able to see her surroundings, she put her back against one of the logs and curled up on another one. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and tried to relax some, drawing herself up as small as she could.  She was an experienced witch, no matter what Dartan thought; and while she had spells go wrong in the past, nothing like this had ever happened.  “I’m sorry.” She whispered, knowing he could hear her, a tear slowly making its way down her cheek and leaving a glistening trail in its wake.

“You are forgiven, little witch.” His deep voice was closer to her than she had expected but it didn’t righten her; it was almost right next to her head it seemed, but there was not the derision in his voice that there had been up til that point. There was honesty and a calm that had not been there earlier when they had been talking.  Now his calm and slow speech made his voice almost soothing.  She could not see him at the moment, but he was kneeling next to where she was sitting, leaning against the tree and watching over her very closely. That is what he would do, keep watch over her, till morning to make sure that she was safe.  While he still blamed her for the situation, anger would not serve them in any way and allowing her to be harmed would not either.  He might be quick to anger, but he was also pragmatic.

As he knelt there, he heard the soft shift of her breathing as Amaya slipped into tenuous sleep.  Her breathing evened out and he heard her shift slightly as she relaxed a little.  He looked over when he heard her rustling and noticed her shivering and wrapping her arms more tightly around herself.  Dartan leaned against the tree more heavily and let out a deep sigh, not knowing why he cared that the little witch was cold or why it bothered him that he could do nothing to alleviate it.  She was nothing but a pain in his ass and the sole reason he was there and not back at his home. He tried to trace to his home or even across the clearing, but was unable to do even that; yet another side effect of the spell she had woven.  Possibly the reasoning was to keep him from abandoning her?  It was a logical conclusion, but until he could find someone who understood the totality of the spell, there would not be a definitive answer.   He could only hope that someone within Imperium would have the power and the knowledge to either undo what she had done or bring him into a corporeal form and restore his power so he could do something himself about it. Otherwise, this was going to be a very long and arduous existence for them both..

The hours passed slowly, nothing really marking the time for Dartan as he kept silent guard of Amaya while she slept.  He found it odd that he felt no fatigue and no desire to sleep himself. Contrary to what many believe, some beings do sleep in their afterlife which is just a continuation of their life just in a different plane of existence.  However, since he’d been summoned to Imperium, Dartan was not feeling any sense of fatigue or even hunger.  Being as this was unusual for him, he pondered over it in the hours that stretched until daylight.

There was silence in the inky blackness that seemed to stretch forever.  Dartan was not about to break it.  Even if he had wanted to, he wasn’t sure exactly what he’d say now.  His revelation had no doubt shocked the female in front of him.  Not that realizing what she’d done had been easy for him to accept, but she seemed to be taking it harder, or digesting it slower.

"I'm sorry, WHAT?!? I know I did not hear you right.  So, you just back that up a step and say that again." Amaya spat out at him in final exasperation as she finally got the cogs in her brain moving after the shock of his words sunk in.  Raised eyebrows and a cocky smirk were her only answer from him.  Aw fuck!

“But you’re…” Amaya started and broke off.  She looked down at the ground she couldn’t even see, as if not looking at him would somehow make everything more logical.  Nothing was logical, and apparently it wasn’t going to get more logical.  “I want a divorce.  I can’t be married to a ghost.”  She shook her head, not looking up at him again.  

“That’s not how this works.  Also, I’m a spectre, not a ghost.  If we’re going to be married,”  Dartan cleared his throat.  He was married to a fucking human.  A MOTHER-FUCKING HUMAN.  Who had he pissed off in which of his lifetimes?  “I WAS an immortal warlock that got beheaded in a coup of my realm.  Spectre, not ghost, never was human.” He further clarified, not happily either.

“Fine, you’re a spectre.  You’re still not alive and you don’t like me.  So, how do we get out of this pitch black and find someone to give us a divorce and send us both home?” She looked up at him and sighed, her arms going out as she talked.  There had to be a solution to this, HAD to be.  There was no way she was going to be stuck forever in the pitch black with a ghost, excuse her…SPECTRE.

“Let’s get one thing straight first, there is NO divorce for what you did.  I’m not even sure how whoever gave you that spell knew how to do it, or if they fucked up what they were actually trying to do and that was the outcome.  Either way, we’re bound together for eternity, dear.  So, we can either make you dead or find a necromancer to fix my problem, at least that way we’ll be on equal footing.” He grinned and lightly chuckled.  She was pissed, he could see it, and for some reason that made him happy.

“This isn’t funny!” Tears were pricking at Amaya’s eyes and she all but screamed at him.  He was grinning at her and finding this amusing and she just wanted to go home.  At no point had she wanted to be married to some immortal warlock that had been too stupid to keep his head on his shoulders but called HER stupid.  “I didn’t ask for this!”

“No, it’s not funny, Amaya, and I didn’t ask for it either.  But here we both are in Hell, literal HELL.” Dartan’s voice dropped and his face became serious as he stalked towards her.    “I wasn’t exactly planning on spending my eternity married to a human witch who was too stupid to consider she was being given a bogus spell. I’m not the one who is responsible for getting us both here.  That, my dearest, is YOU.  So stop your yelling at me and either work with me, or eternity is going to suck for both of us.”  

To her credit, Amaya hadn’t backed up as he came towards her, his features darkening and it clear he was done with everything.  He’d expected her to cower in fear, back up, try to hide, something, anything to get away from him.  Not that he knew where she’d go, she couldn’t even see in the absolute blackness that surrounded them TO know where she was going or what was around her.  Still he had expected her to try and get away from him.  Instead she had stood her ground, and for that she had earned a little bit of his respect.  He didn’t want to fight with her, but the more the situation was revealed the more he was enraged at it.  

“How can we be married if I didn’t even know what I was doing and you weren’t even there?  Marriage is a contract, an agreement.”  Her voice was no more contrite as she realized he was the only one with any kind of answer to how they ended up there and how to fix it, even if it was just to make it more bearable.  He was also right, it was her fault in some respect.  She wouldn’t admit that aloud though.

"You are thinking of marriage in human terms. Think beyond that. Marriage is a contract, but it is also what?" He looked at her in a way that indicated that he expected a response of some kind, but all he got in response was a shrug with her arms out to her sides and raised brows.  "A novice witch, got it." He sighed. "It is a binding of souls." His lips pursed and his head tipped to the side.

Amaya made a noise that Dartan couldn't quite put his finger on.  It wasn't a gasp, maybe a squeak or wheeze.  It was clear shock and trepidation.   Now the full measure of their predicament was setting in for her.  Good.  If they were going to get out of this, whatever brain cells actually worked in that pretty head of hers needed to be firing.  She wasn’t bad to look at, but she certainly needed some lessons in street smarts and common sense. 

"And, my darling bride, you invoked the binding.  So, in a way you did consent as far as the universe is concerned.  Maybe unwittingly, but the fact remains you summoned me and bound me to you, soul to soul. The universe does not deal in nuances, only in black and white of what is done and said.  You invoked and bound, so here we both are and so it is." He watched her blinking slowly, a deep swallow, and her head very slowly nod.  Yes, now she was understanding and he could see that she was petrified. Something inside him began to thaw and he actually began to feel a little sorry for her. 

"But how did I get you?  You said that you were never human.  So was this an accident?"  Amaya was shaken to her core and so confused.  There was also a great deal of fear, she was out of her element and so beyond anything that she had ever been trained for.  Dartan had said he was a warlock, which meant when he was alive he had possessed powers far beyond anything that she could summon or invoke even with the strongest of spells and potions.  Now that he was a spectre, if he still could call upon those, he truly could make her life miserable in ways she could not even begin to fathom on top of everything else.  If everything he said was true then…then she didn't know what to do.  

"The language you spoke is ancient and not even from your own realm.  My name was most likely the mispronunciation of a word that would have meant angel. Unfortunately for you, the person who gave you the spell had you saying my name instead, likely because whomever taught it to them either was also not from the realm it comes from or was playing a cruel joke on them.  Could be either one.  If it had been pronounced the other way you'd be married to an angel right now, although doing it in Hell would be a twist that would be oh so interesting to watch.  Imperium has changed, but outside the Palace angels are still not all that welcome." There was heavy sarcasm in his voice as he continued to clarify the situation with a sardonic grin and sarcastic tone.  His age and wisdom helping himto discern what had happened and how.  Fixing it, well that was another matter entirely and far beyond his abilities.  

"I'm sorry." Amaya finally said after a long pause.  She no longer knew what to say or do.  "I just wanted protection for those of us on the expedition.  I never meant for something like this to happen.  I'm sorry your…life…was ruined.  I'm sorry you're stuck with me."  As she spoke defeat crawled through her voice and took hold in her heart.  By the time she finished speaking, she wasn't even looking at him but at the ground somewhere between them.  Regardless of the fact that he was truly the only thing she COULD see, it was easier to stare at the nothingness around her than to face him.  Shame filled her entire being so it bleed from her pores and stained the very either around her with its aura.  A mistake.  One mistake.  And now two lives were upended.  Maybe more.

     Slowly,  her hands reached out around her, trying to determine if she was contained in anything.  They met only air, cool air.  Once more she got to her feet and took a couple of steps in each direction.  Again, there was nothing that impeded her way, only more air and the sounds of dried leaves and twigs crunching under her feet.  So, she was outside somewhere, but she still could not determine where.

     “You have got to be kidding me.”  An exasperated, deep, male voice said off to her left, making her spin in that direction quickly and almost lose her balance.

     “Who’s there?” Amaya called out.  She tried to sound self assured, but failed.  Not that she thought that she would have been too convincing anyway, she was lost, in the dark, in some unknown place, with no weapon, and she was short.  It was not like she was going to intimidate anyone.  Her head whipped from side to side causing her dark hair to fan out around her as she tried to see in the inky darkness that surrounded her.  “Where have you brought me?”

     “You fucking summoned me.  Are you telling me that in addition to landing us here that you didn’t pay enough attention to know who you were even calling on?” Now the voice seemed even more exasperated and anger was seeping in.

     “What do you mean I summoned you?  I cast a protection spell.  Not a summoning and transportation spell. You are mistaken.” Amaya bit back before she even had really thought about whether it was smart to be arguing with an unknown being, of unknown origin, of unknown size, of unknown power, and unknown true disposition.

     “Are you a complete idiot?” There was a heavy sigh after the question.  She could hear heavy footsteps coming nearer to her.  Since she could not tell one thing about her surroundings, she held her ground.  Whether this was a smart move or not would be determined in the next few moments, but for now it was all she could really do.

     “Listen, asshole.  I was trying to protect my crew on our expedition in the Himalayas.  The Shaman of the tribe that we were camped near said that the spirits of the mountains would not recognize my protective spells, so he gave me one that was from his people.  I’m sorry I’m not versed in all languages.  It was supposed to be protection, not whatever…THIS…is…” Amaya spit back at whoever it was that had gotten drug along with her.  Obviously not one of her own teammates, and he spoke too clear of English to be someone from the tribe they had been near.  Which meant he was someone else.  Or something else.  Wonderful.

     Dartan took in a deep breath through his nose and tried to quell the rising desire to snap the neck of the witch in front of him.  Mouthy bitch had invoked a binding spell that had them stuck together and had somehow also managed to damn them both to fucking Hell.  Well, now he thought it was called Imperium where they were, but fuck all if that meant any different.  Hell is Hell.  Modern witches could be dumb as fuck and think they knew far more than they did.  This one was about to end up on her ass if she didn’t watch that big ass mouth of hers.

     “Well, smartass, you have managed to bind yourself to a spectre and damn us both to Hell.  Congratulations, dumb fuck!”  Dartan slowly clapped in the darkness.  Being dead and immortal, he could see in the dark which amused him since the witch couldn’t and she was stumbling around like a new foal.  “And you did  it in the middle of the night on a new moon. Sucks for you that you don’t have night vision.”  There was so much sarcasm in his voice that his disdain for Amaya could not be missed.  Nor could his building intolerance for her ignorance that put them in their current situation.

     “I’m sorry, did you say BIND?” Amaya had to have heard him wrong.  There was no way that a protection spell could end up as a binding spell with an incorporeal spirit, let alone teleport them to another realm or reality.

     “Are you partially deaf as well as ignorant as fuck?” He had no reason to be polite at this point.  Not with the trouble that she was going to cause him.  How this fuck up of hers could be fixed was something that he was going to have to figure out and it wasn’t something that he thought was going to be easy.  Cleaning up others’ fuck ups normally wasn’t.

     “No.”  Her answer dripped with venom as she’d finally triangulated approximately where he was based on his voice and was facing in that direction.  Obviously whoever was there wasn’t going to do her imminent harm, so Amaya was still being confrontational.  Self preservation would kick in if anything changed.  “It was a fucking protection spell you smug ass.  I did it perfectly.  I practiced for hours.  I should not be bound to anything and have not ended up anywhere other than in my tent unless I was lied to.  And how would I have known that was going to happen?” 

     “Have a brain.”  Dartan’s response was flat and he sounded bored.  He wasn’t, he was just trying to keep from summoning the power to affect the physical world and strangling her.  Then they’d both be spectres and that meant that neither of them would have a corporeal body.  Sometimes it was better for at least one of you to be living, and for the time being that was the dumb ass witch in front of him.  “You were on the land of people you didn’t know, and couldn’t speak their language, yet you didn’t think you might be offending them, little witch?  It never occurred to you that they might use the first opportunity to get rid of you?  Or did you just think that they’d be so grateful that modern people were around that they’d worship you?” He was going to enjoy pushing her buttons since she had damned him to this existence of being tied to her.  At least she wasn’t too bad to look at till they figured out how to fix this shit.

     Amaya was so mad and frustrated she wanted to cry, but she also didn’t want to look weak in front of whoever it was that was being the asshole.  “No, and we weren’t the first to visit the tribe.  There was a research group before us that had to leave due to weather.  They told us that the tribe was friendly and helpful.  We were advised what the tribe wanted and needed so we could take it with us as gifts for their help.”  She sighed as her head pivoted in the pitch blackness, wishing she could see anything.  She’d gotten into some messes before, but nothing like this. Never like this.

     “Maybe they didn’t think you were as friendly, or like what you were doing.  Someone really should have had a long talk with them, especially before you went taking spells from them.”  Dartan sounded like a reproachful parent, chuckling a little as he moved closer.  “Now you have both of us in quite a predicament.  This isn’t going to have an easy solution, little witch.”

     “My name is Amaya, so you know who you degrading.” She stated flatly, tired of fighting.  “And how do you know what the situation is?  You’ve been stuck in it as long as I have and I have no clue what it is.”

     “Because I’ve been dead longer than you’ve been alive, this isn’t the first time I’ve been bound to someone, I’ve been to this realm before, and being dead has some advantages when it comes to knowing what is going on, little witch.” Dartan heavily enunciated the last two words to dig them in harder.  “You can call me Dartan, and I suggest ONLY calling me that.” There was a menacing undertone to his voice.  The more he was finding out about how clueless this female was, the more he was sure that he was going to be stuck here and with her till her death.  Given the current location, it shouldn’t be long.

     “Fine, Dartan, since you’ve been here before, how do we get out of here?”  Even though she was standing in what seemed to be absolute blackness to her, she crossed her arms over her chest, having a feeling that he could see her since he was moving around easily enough. 

     “Since I don’t know how you got us both cursed here, it’s hard to tell.” He was circling her.  It was clear she had no night vision at all and didn’t know how to cast it from the way that she was acting.  She was human, at least she looked human.  For her to have so fallen prey to a trick that damned them both there, most likely a mortal human as well.  “You said that you have the spell memorized?”  A thought occurred to Dartan as he watched her.

     “I told you I practiced it for hours.  Of course I have it memorized.”  Amaya sighed and shifted position, clearly frustrated and annoyed.  This was not her fault.  She hadn’t planned this, she’d been tricked.

     “Then show me your movements and recite the words without invocation.”  Dartan made himself visible to her and moved towards her slowly.  “Do you think you can do that without fucking it up?”

     Seeing him appear startled Amaya and she took a step back.  He wasn’t a small man, and he was certainly intimidating looking.  At least a foot taller than her, broad shoulders, Persian features, his eyes and hair were dark, but complexion was hard to ascertain the way he was visible in the complete blackness of the night.   “I’ll do my best.” Her reply was curt, but not overly hostile as he continued to come closer.  Since he might be the best shot that either of them had of getting out of the situation anytime soon, she might as well try not antagonizing him.

     “That would be helpful.  Show me whenever you’re ready.”  Dartan stopped a few feet from her and waited.  He hoped that whatever language she used that he would recognize it and have some clue how they were bound and cursed.  At least then he might have some idea how to undo it and get back to where he’d been rather enjoying his afterlife before it was so rudely interrupted.

     Amaya took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  Concentrating on everything she had studied and practiced, she began the recitation again with the enunciation that she had perfected and the movements of hands and body that were supposed to have granted safety and security, but had instead landed her in this foreign realm with the hostile stranger.  During the entire process she did not rush and was fully focussed on making sure she did it perfectly, save for the invocation.  Doing that again might have consequences that she didn’t even want to consider.  Once she was done, she stood still and opened her eyes to look to where Dartan was still visible.  “Any idea how whatever spell that was delivered us here, bound to one another?”

     At first, she hadn’t thought he was going to answer.  He had just stood there with one arm across his broad chest, hand holding the elbow of the other as he propped his chin up thinking.  “I know exactly what you’ve done.  It’s undoing it that I have no idea how to do.”

     “And that means?”