Isaak had thrown both of them into his dungeon. Sasha had seen it coming, but Elias was surprised.

“You know, if you just unlock the chain and let me go, all of this will be over”, Sasha said.

“And if you just get hold of that orb again we will never have to see each other”, Elias countered. “I will stop at nothing, and that includes your sweet Ivy.”

“You made that clear dear”, Sasha answered. Her fingers were feeling their way along the damp stone wall. She could collect the tears of vain from their walls, but it would not be sufficient to break the spell Elias had put on the chain. She should have guessed that he was skilled in magic. How could he not? Her eyes got stuck on his hand. She raised her eyebrows.

“You have already healed?”

“Being the king’s man and a healer has its advantages. Suppose that’s the main reason I’ve reached adulthood”, Elias said. His eyes narrowed, glowing yellow in the dark. “But then again, living in peace in the village wouldn’t have put me in any danger in the first place, would it?”

Sasha smiled sweetly.

“A wiser man wouldn’t have pointed with a stick in front of Isaak.”

“I know he can bring the orb back Sasha.”

Sasha snorted. She was stuck here, and she was no closer to freeing Ivy. She really couldn’t believe Isaak had had the gall to put her here, with Elias. Sasha felt betrayed.

“Did it felt like he was in the mood of bringing it back?” Sasha asked. She was put with Isaak, but he would never help Elias. They were too close to betrayal.

Elias turned his back to her, as far away as he could, considering the chain forcing them to keep each other company. Sasha sat down on the floor, stuck a pillow underneath her, and started whispering. The walls had provided her with the tears, now it was time to start building the spell and hope that the rest of the ingredients she needed would present themselves. They usually did.

“Love-birds”, Isaak said as he entered the basement. He looked at the chain still connecting them and their postures, back against back. Sasha smiled at him. “The chef wonders if you prefer chicken with noodles or the vegetarian soup of the week?”

Isaak chuckled and sat down on the other side of the bars. He hooked one finger, asking Sasha to come closer. She smiled at him and shook her head.

“I´ll take the lamb, medium rare please”, said Sasha. “Could you please ask him if he could do that marvelous salad as well?”

“I take the same”, Elias said. “Make it well done.”

“One lamb and one vegetarian soup”, Isaak said. “Should I ask him to add an extra egg also kitten?”

Sasha couldn’t help but smile. You just had to love Isaak.

“As a friend Isaak, I would recommend you to let us out of here”, Elias said and sighed. “You will only get the attention of the king.”

“You are the one putting a chain on my girlfriend.” He sighed and rose from the floor. “Just let her go and trust me on doing my best. I will get it back, eventually.”

“No”, Elias said. “I´ll, take the soup.”

Isaak was leaving. Sasha didn’t think he would let Elias's words tear him down, but there was something, something about the way that Isaak acted that was unfamiliar. He just left, no comment, no undercurrents of boiling anger.

“I would guess even the king could have an understanding under these circumstances”, she said wanting a reaction from Isaak. “After all, he had his best friend exiled just of the pure rumour of him having a crush on the queen.”

Isaak didn’t turn around. He closed the door smoothly. It freaked Sasha out.

“You don’t know the full story”, Elias said.

“I don’t?”

Elias was in no mood for storytelling, because he kept quiet.

The salad came with some extra ingredients. They were subtle enough, just decorations. Still, they would do the job, disintegrate a chain molded in dark magic.

“When will the king let Ivy go?” Sasha ate the lamb, flavouring the flesh and studying every line in Elias's face. She hoped the soup would burn his tongue.

“Why do you think she wants to leave?”

He made fun of her, behaving as a superior. It must feel good, being pampered one's complete life.

“Let see, what about us starting with kidnapping her and yes, Ivy must know by now. The king set out to kill Ella.”

“No, that was all my doing. My father wanted to put her in prison, which, must I say, would have been a fate fare worse than getting killed.” He smiled faintly. “But I must admit he did enjoy my creativeness.”

She clenched her fists.

“Sure he did, what a fabulous story, the lost son killing his mother.” Sasha hated the king more for each day that went by. Him being her father didn’t do anything to damper her mood. “I‘ve heard about the prison. He eats them alive.” Sasha forced herself not to let her hands connect with Elias's jaws and shuddered. “I suppose you do too, by the strength of your magic.”

Creating a chain as strong as the one that held her to him was not made by a junior.

Elias put down his spoon. He bent forward over the non-existent table, putting his hands next to hers on the cold floor.

“Never, ever say things like that again. I might just stop being nice.”

“How come you shine so bright then Elias? For someone your age.”

She didn’t want to give him compliments, but there was no way around it. He couldn’t have played fair.

“I’ve gone through some trouble milady. But I guess that is nothing you will know anything about? By all means, it looks like your strength comes from stealing. Does it not?”

She didn’t answer, she grits her teeth slowly. It hurt, every single word, and she could do nothing about it because it was the truth. She was a taker, one of the strongest they had ever seen.

And she would continue to steal. It was what she did best. She wanted to get loose from her forced bond with Elias. So, she had to take something from him, and the best way to do that was by night. She was biding her time. She knew exactly what would break the dark magic engraved in the chain.

Sasha lay still against him, looking at the lines of shadows, forming his jaw. He was a spectacular man, her enemy.

“You asked for it”, she whispered and lingered forward. She put her lips against Elias, briefly stealing a light kiss, leaving a bittersweet taste. He didn’t move, his breath still even, but she could sense in every cell of her body that he was awake, the breath warm. She didn’t want to feel, but she did.

“I gave that of free will”, he said when she moved away.

“It does not matter”, Sasha said, surprised that he understood what she had done.

She had the sorrow of tears, she had the herbs, and she had stolen something that mattered. She started to mumble. Her words were soft, slowly spoken, each word tearing down at the chain between them. She felt the hot flow of magic in her stomach as the chain disappeared.

“You’re still in a prison cell. I will not let you go.”

“You will have no choice.”

“You always have a choice”, Elias said and put his arms around her. He planted a kiss on her lips. It was gentle, a curious question, soft, full of flavor. She hated herself, but Isaak was right. She did have a soft spot. Sasha met Elias before the question had come to an end. She had tasted him before, and it had been good. Too bad that it felt like he was punishing her, again.

And too bad she hadn’t known she was obviously into self-torture.

The morning hadn’t even risen when the door opened and Isaak stood there. He looked at the non-existing chain between her and Elias, and he looked at how entangled they were. Her head resting on Elias's shoulder.

“Sasha”, Isaak said and she rose, interrupting what he would have said. Not wanting to hear.

She went over to the bars. He wanted an explanation, but he didn’t deserve it. He wouldn’t get it. She showed him her wrists and shrugged.

“I’ve solved the problem. Let me out of here.”

“And?”

“And”, Sasha pondered. “I´ve got stuff to attend to. Sibling stuff”, she said and laughed, ignoring Elias's soft chuckle. “I guess you will know nothing about that Isaak?”

Isaak sighed. He scratched his back. Sasha let out a hand between the bars, softly stroking his chin. He took her hand, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Leave the siblings thing to me Sasha and I will let you out.”

“You have no right.”

He pulled hard at her hand, her body pulled close to the bars.

“I can’t lose both of you Sasha”, he whispered. “I will handle Ivy.”

“I will take no risks”, she softly whispered. She let her hands go through the strands of red hair of Isaak. “Worry not. You will lose none.”

He sighed and took out a key from his pocket.

“I will give you an hour Sasha. Don’t make me regret this.”

He opened the door to the jail. Sasha stepped out.

“An hour?” she asked, stunned.

“Not much of an advantage”, Elias said. “I will catch her before sunset, and I will come back with her. I will come back with her to you Isaak and this time you will give me the orb in exchange.”

“You will let him out?” Sasha asked.

Isaak nodded.

“You keep safe kitten. I promise you an hour, spend it wisely.”

Sasha wanted to yell, to hit Isaak hard, but she didn’t. She knew him too well, he never changed his mind, and her hour was too valuable. She would kick his ass later. And her sister would help her.

It would be a bad day to be named Isaak.