"My, my, what a delightful surprise," Sevik exclaimed as he leaned casually against the table. "Aleksandr Drosselmeyer, the dashing hero! Claire and I have been getting better acquainted. As a matter of fact, we were talking about you. Won't you join us?"

Alek strode across the packed dirt floor, his arms crossed behind his back. He came to a stop a few feet away, standing beneath the thin streams of light filtering down from overhead. Now that Claire could see him better, she realized he looked rather out of place among the dirt and grime surrounding them. His tailored high collared black great coat and his white silk shirt were better suited for a stroll down Viridian street rather than a root cellar.

"Are you alright, Claire?" Alek asked, ignoring Sevik's comments.

Even in the dim lighting Claire could tell by his stiff posture that Alek was angry. The muscles in his clenched jaw were straining as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. He had them under control, of course, but barely.

"Yes," Claire said at last.

"I told you not to leave the house on your own," Alek stated coolly.

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Why is it so difficult for you to follow such easy instructions?"

Claire scowled. "Well maybe if-"

"As touching as this conversation is," Sevik interrupted impatiently. "I believe we have more important matters to discuss."

"Who are you exactly?" Alek inquired, finally turning his attention on Sevik.

"Who am I? You mean you don't know? Oh. you wound me, Alek," Sevik replied, clutching dramatically at his chest. He let his hand drop, his shocked expression melting into a devious smirk once again. "I suppose proper introductions are in order. My name is Sevik Zukal, Shadow Master, Lord High Commander of the armies of Wintershold, and advisor to her majesty Queen Eira Avindor." He offered a sweeping bow.

Alek was quiet for a moment. "Doesn't ring any bells," he finally replied with a dismissive shrug. "It does, however, sound like you're an awful long way from home, Sevik. What brings you to Avala?"

Claire saw Sevik stiffen, and caught a brief glimpse of the knife as Sevik pushed away from the table. Her gaze flickered towards Alek, a warning poised on her lips, but he met her eyes and offered a short shake of his head. She swallowed back the words and maintained her silent vigil.

"I've come to see you, or haven't I made that clear?" Sevik replied, his annoyance evident in the sharpness of his tone.

"I must've missed it," Alek said indifferently. "What does Claire have to do with any of this?"

"Straight to the point, I like that. You're a hard man to pin down, Alek," Sevik explained as he circled around to stand behind the chair where Claire was bound. His steps were slow and taunting. "So after spending weeks always being two steps behind, I decided to find a way to get ahead."

He leaned against the top of the chair, one hand snaking downward. His fingers tangled in the loose golden curls at the nape of Claire's neck. Impulsively, she tried to shake him loose, but the slender digits tightened and he jerked her head back sharply. Alek took half a step forward, his arms falling to his sides, his hands balled into tight fists.

"I'd stay back if I were you," Sevik warned and Claire felt the increasingly familiar touch of cold steel against her throat. "Unless you are as eager as I am to see how beautiful she'd look in red."

Alek went still. His face was frozen and expressionless, but his eyes were blazing.

"Now that we've got the pecking order straightened out, did you bring me what I asked for?"

"I'm not sure I follow," Alek replied, an edge to his tone now. "Did your man, I am assuming he was your man, not give you my message?"

"Of course he did," Sevik declared. "I simply assumed you would know better than to show up here without bringing me what I wanted."

"You see, Sevik, that is what happens when you assume things," Alek replied casually. "It makes an ass out of you," he lifted his hand and flicked his fingers sharply to the right, "and me." The knife Sevik was holding was suddenly jerked from his grip and went spinning into the darkness. A second later there was a thud as the knife embedded itself into the wall.

"Your clever wit won't get you out of this one, Alek," Sevik growled, his grip on Claire's hair tightened and she let out a surprised cry. The sound seemed to trigger something primal in Alek. He leaped forward with a guttural yell, abandoning his previously calm, controlled composure.

He didn't get far.

Midway through his charge, tendrils of crackling red light shot from the darkness. One electrified whip caught him around his ankle and brought him crashing to his hands and knees. Two others wound their way around his arms keeping him from rising up again.

"Alek!" Claire shouted.

Sevik pulled Claire's head to the side and leaned close so he could whisper into her ear. "Remember, Claire, what happens now is your fault. You should have told me what I needed to know..."

"Leave him alone," Claire choked out.

"Don't worry, love, we'll play again later," he assured her before he released her. He stepped around the chair and walked casually towards Alek who struggled against the magical bindings. He crouched down in front of him and shook his head.

"You know, I wasn't sure if it would work," Sevik admitted. "I thought that there was no way the grandmaster magician would fall into such a simple trap. Surely he would notice the binding glyphs etched into the walls and the floor." As though on queue, the glyphs in question glowed a vibrant crimson before fading again. "I guess it really is true what they say, love blinds."

Alek looked past Sevik, his eyes meeting Claire's for a brief moment before turning away again. Thought the gaze was fleeting, Claire saw no anger there, no hate, only calm reassurance.

"If you tell me where to find your little keepsake, I will make sure your death is quick," Sevik promised.

"No, please, Sevik," Claire cried out. "Don't hurt him!"

"I told you, Claire," Sevik called over his shoulder. "I'm not the one hurting him. You are. Now, one of you, tell me. It really doesn't matter who..."

"No," Alek hissed.

Claire felt the hum of energy prickle across her skin causing the tiny hairs to stand on end. A moment later a loud snapping, crackling sound filled the small space and the whip like bindings flared brightly. Alek let out a loud yell as the energy jolted through him and Claire felt her heart twist in her chest.

"Tell me where you've hidden it."

"No," Alek gasped between breaths.

"Very well." Once again the room was filled with the intense crackle of electricity. It lasted longer this time and Alek yelled again, the sound a mixture of rage and pain. Claire pulled against her bindings again, a feeling of desperation sweeping over her.

"Stop! Please stop!" She screamed. After what seemed like an eternity the crackling ceased and the blinding red-white light faded. Alek was lying on his back, his chest heaving and his eyes closed.

"If you continue to resist me, I will make sure Claire suffers as a result of your defiance."

Sevik turned his attention towards her again, the thin black ropes wrapped hold her to the chair began to glow the same vicious red. The hum of electricity filled the air and Claire felt a tickling sensation radiating across her skin.

"Stop. Let her..." Alek grunted, pushing himself to his hands and knees once more. "let her go and I'll take you to where it's hidden."

"Alek, don't!" Claire cried desperately. "Don't give in to him because of me."

"Be quiet, Claire," Alek insisted sharply.

"How do I know you aren't lying?" Sevik replied. He rose and rammed the heel of his boot into Alek's ribs to send him sprawling across the floor again.

"What choice do you have?" Alek wheezed, his voice strained. "Those are my terms. Take them, or leave them. Remember, I'm the only person who can give you what you want."

Sevik smirked. "You're in no position to be making demands," he said, "but I'll humor you. It's not like she can get far if I find out you're just leading me on a wild goose chase." He held out his hand towards the chair where Claire was bound. The ropes around her wrists and ankles began to glow again and then they began to burn causing Claire to cry out.

"Stop hurting her!" Alek roared. A moment later the bindings fell away and the pain faded. There were thin red lines criss-crossing her wrists where the ropes had dug in, but even those were beginning to fade as well.

Claire threw herself from the chair towards Alek who still lay prone on the floor. Sevik made no attempt to stop her and instead made his way towards the stairs.

"I'd take this time to say your goodbyes," Sevik called out. "I have preparations. We're leaving shortly."

Claire waited until Sevik was out of sight before reaching out and cupping Alek's face in her trembling hands. He turned into her touch and once again Claire found it difficult to breathe. After a moment his eyes opened and he offered her a tired smile.

"Sorry I'm late," he said quietly.

"Don't be stupid," she replied, the tears she had kept bottled up began to slip free. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have run off, I always make things difficult for you."

"That's true," Alek replied, a shadow of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. It faded and once again Alek simply looked tired. "I'm sorry for everything, Claire, especially for hurting you. It's just been a very long time since I've let anyone in and I'm so afraid..."

After Sevik had left, the red crackling light had faded from the snake like bindings that held Alek in place, but the bindings remained. Alek struggled to sit up and Claire was quick to help. It scared her to see him this way, weak and broken. Ever since she'd arrived, Alek and Draz had been her rocks, they'd been her strength, and now? Now she felt adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

As though reading her thoughts, Alek took her face in his hands and tilted it gently until their eyes met. His thumbs swept gently across the curve of her cheek, removing the tears that had come to rest there. "No matter what happens, I need you to know that none of this is your fault," Alek said softly, his eyes searching her face. "If there is anyone to blame it's me."

"Alek-"

"Please, let me finish," Alek insisted. "I should have been more upfront with what was going on in the beginning. I asked you to trust me, but I was afraid to trust you in return." His hands fell from her face to rest on her shoulders. On thumb moved gently across one of the cuts Sevik had made. She felt Alek's grip tense a moment before relaxing again.

"I never should have tried to make you leave," Alek said at last, hanging his head.

"No, can't argue that," Claire replied, "but I'm glad you've finally come to your senses."

"I've said this before, and I'll say it again, you're far too stubborn for you own good..." Alek murmured. His hand moved from her shoulder to the back of her neck allowing his fingers to tangle the mess of curls resting there. Unlike Sevik, Alek's touch was gentle and tentative, and most importantly, welcomed. "Claire I... I know this probably isn't the best time but..."

"Well, isn't this sweet," Sevik declared as he reached the bottom step. They'd been so caught up in the moment that neither of them had heard him approaching. "As much as I hate to interrupt, it's time to go."

"Alek?" Claire whispered, her hands clutching at him.

"Don't be afraid, Claire," Alek smiled. "Find Draz, tell him what happened, he'll know what to do."

"No, don't do this, Alek, please," Claire begged, grabbing at his arm. "There has to be another way."

"Trust me," he said.

Before Claire could say more, she was thrown backwards by an unseen force. She slid about ten feet and hit the wall hard enough to leave her breathless and disoriented. Alek was shouting, but she was too dazed to understand what he was saying. Her vision was blurring which made seeing in the already dim basement even harder. With single minded determination, Claire struggled to get to her hands and knees. She had to do something, she had to stop Sevik before it was too late.

"Alek, wait, no!" she gasped. "Stop!"

Despite her protests and attempts to reach him, it wasn't enough.

Silence prevailed and Claire quickly realized she was alone.

Alek was gone.

Claire crawled towards the place where he'd been, hoping somehow to reach him. Something sharp dug into the heel of her palm causing her to jerk back in surprise. Looking down, she caught sight of something half buried in the dirt. She shifted through the disturbed dust and soil and found a slender silver chain. Lifting it into the meager light, Claire watched as the pendant attached to the end of the chain twirled slowly one way and then slowly twirled back again in the opposite direction. It was made up of three silver stars interconnected by thin gold wire and Claire swore she could feel energy radiating from it.

Had Alek left it there? If so, why?

With the pendant clutched in her hand, Claire rose to her feet and made her way towards the stairs. Perhaps if she hurried she could catch up to them, or at least get close enough to follow. Reaching the top of the stairs, Claire found the door was closed. She grasped the knob and pushed, but the door remained firmly in place. She twisted the knob again, it turned freely in her hand, but still the door refused to open.

"No! Please!" Claire shouted and began to pound against the door with her fist. "Please!"

After several minutes, she gave up and slid down the length of the door to sit on the floor. Tears burned in the corners of her eyes. Sevik lied, but Claire wasn't particularly surprised. What hurt the most was knowing that Alek had sacrificed his honor, and potentially his life, for nothing.

"I'll save you," she whispered into the silence. "I promise."