Without further discussion, Jormun left the main hall and the skapt motioned for them to follow. Tension ran the length of Risk’s spine. Lusse had put him up as the prize, and made no mention of freeing Kara or her sister in the bargain.
Risk’s blood boiled with anger. If only he could think of a way to leave the witch here, and take Kara and her sister in exchange. But as things stood now the best he could hope for was the twins defeating Lusse, thus ensuring he stayed here with them. If Lusse won there would be nothing gained.
Or would there? He glanced at the giant Jormun. Lusse had angered him, and he did say he wanted the most powerful witch. Perhaps there was still some way to turn this game to Risk’s advantage.
Kara grabbed Kelly and pulled her into a hug. Her sister stood stiffly for a second, then relaxed against her. Tears edging into the corners of her eyes, Kara reached out and stroked Kelly’s hair.
“You did the right thing. This has to be stopped.”
Her face buried in Kara’s hair, Kelly nodded.
“And, somehow, we’ll get out of this. We’re witches, right? And from what I’ve heard, damn powerful ones.”
Kelly looped her arms around Kara’s waist and squeezed. Pulling back so she could look Kara in the face, she asked, “What happened to you?”
Kara stared into her sister’s eyes, the sadness hidden for a moment behind a veil of wonder.
“I don’t know if you’ll even believe me.” Kara shook her head.
Kelly laughed. “Look around. I don’t think there’s anything you can tell me I won’t believe.”
Kara laughed, too, the moment free of tension letting her relax just a bit. “Okay, but I warned—” A click interrupted her, and a small book-sized section of the wall slid open.
“Ah, breakfast,” Kelly murmured, casting Kara a sideways glance. “You remember making fun of my ketchup obsession? Well you’re about to wish you had a gallon-sized jug.”
She walked across the room, to the slit in the wall. As she stood there two bowls slid through the opening.
“Yummy.” Kelly grabbed the bowls and crossed back to Kara.
“What are they?” Kara asked, staring down at the brown pebbles.
“Pellets.” Kelly picked up a handful and tossed them in her mouth. “You know that old saying…‘tastes like chicken’? Well…these don’t.”
Kara popped one into her mouth and grimaced. “Should we be eating this?”
Kelly shrugged. “I tried going without the first few days, but I didn’t last long. No point starving to death, and if we want to battle our way out of here, we’re going to need some energy.”
Kara crunched another pellet between her teeth. The taste was like old fish. She held her breath and swallowed.
Kelly shoved a handful in her mouth and wrinkled her nose. “I wish I could say they get better, but…”
The small opening clinked again. This time two foil packets appeared. Kelly tossed one to Kara. “Water.”
They ate and drank in silence for a few moments. Kara’s mind tripped back to Risk, wondering if he had discovered what she had done yet. Did he care? Would he come looking for her? The pellets formed a dry ball in her throat. Why would he? She’d sent him away. Unless, of course, he still planned on using her and Kelly, or turning them over to Lusse. She choked down the food, which landed in her stomach like a lead ball.
Dear God. She didn’t care. Didn’t care if Risk came looking for her just to sell her to the highest bidder. Right now at this moment in time, she’d give up about anything just to see him again.
“We’ll need another kind of energy, too,” Kelly interrupted Kara’s thoughts.
Kara ran a finger under her eye, catching a tear that had formed there.
“You said you knew we are witches, but have you tried it yet?” Kelly asked, her finger poking through the pellets remaining in her bowl.
Blinking to stop any more telling tears, Kara replied, “Yeah, it was…” Empowering, invigorating, scary? “Weird,” she finished.
“Weird. I don’t remember feeling—” The wall behind them shifted from smoky to clear. Kara glanced at it. “Already? I thought you said it was only once a night?”
“It is. It has been.” Kelly dropped her bowl and stood facing the wall, both hands on her hips. “Oh, my God. Get a load of that.”
“What?” Kara stood, the bowl still gripped to her breast.
Strolling down the tube beside them were Jormun, four of the snake-men, a blond woman dressed all in white and Risk wearing a skintight black jumpsuit.
The bowl fell from Kara’s suddenly lifeless fingers, landing with a clatter on the capsule’s floor. Her eyes focused on Risk, she didn’t even jump.
Risk strode the length of the tunnel behind Jormun and the skapt. Lusse still followed, her gaze darting from their host to his companions with a calculating gleam. Be side them Risk could make out what had to be the Mid gard Sea. Schools of fanged and glowing fish flitted by the glass.
Then the scene beside them changed to monotonous gray.
“This is where I house my guests.” Jormun gestured to the opaque wall, and without warning the gray dissipated like smoke, and Risk found himself staring straight into Kara’s horrified eyes.
The bowl she held tumbled to the ground, and the woman next to her, her sister obviously, stepped beside her.
“My witches,” Jormun announced, his arm sweeping proudly toward them. “They have yet to show their powers, >but I’ve looked into their eyes. The potential is there, and…” He lowered his voice with something akin to reverence. “I saw violet. Can you imagine? Pure power. I’ll bet your witch can’t provide that.”
Still staring at Kara, absorbing the way her hair folded onto her shoulders, the angle of her heart-shaped face, and the small part between her full lips, Risk heard Jormun’s comment only vaguely.
“Forandre, did you hear me? I say, your witch can’t boast pure power, can she?”
Shaking himself free of Kara’s spell, Risk realized Jormun was speaking to him.
“Pure power is nothing but pretty. You need real power, power used to taking what is needed, to accomplish anything of worth.” Lusse crossed her arms over her chest and stifled a yawn.
Risk blocked out the witch, instead keeping his gaze on the pair inside the adjacent room. Kelly grabbed Kara’s shaking hands and clasped them in her own. Kara’s eyes still rounded in horror, her face pale, she ignored her sister’s attempts at comfort.
“Well, enough of that.” Jormun announced. “You can see them from your own tube.”
With a snap, the gray coating returned. Leaving Risk with the disturbing image of Kara’s stricken face to carry with him as they walked the last few feet.
“Would you like your own space or to share with your witch?” Jormun glanced down at Risk.
The two creatures behind Lusse grabbed her by the arms and shuffled forward. Lusse jerked herself free, her hands raising to attack. Risk stepped in front of her.
“Sharing would be best,” he told Jormun. The space next to Kara. He could at least watch her, know she was safe.
Jormun shrugged and waved the two creatures away from Lusse. “You’ll find everything you need inside.”
Lusse brushed at her arms and stared at the skapt through narrowed eyes as they waddled away. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready for the challenge. Risk can entertain you until then.” Without waiting for a reply, she swept through the doorway.
Jormun switched a surprised gaze to Risk, then laughed. “She may not be pure, but she’s unusual, I’ll give you that.” Jormun stared after Lusse, a flicker of admiration spicing his gaze.
“Yes, she is.” Risk studied the giant, an idea forming in his head. “She will beat them, you know.”
“You think?” A line formed between Jormun’s brows. “You don’t think the stories about twins are true?”
