‘No offence, but you’re talking nonsense. I’m cold, I’m tired, and I’d like to leave. I’d like to leave right now. I’m expected in Kelseth and I have to be there.’ She tried to move, but the manacles were deceptively heavy and dug painfully into the thin skin of her wrists and ankles.

‘Ah. No one is waiting for you in Kelseth… You’re with the Shadow Sect now. We aren’t allowed to take people directly from their houses on principle, so we sent the letter to force you out of your safe space. I know it sounds problematic, but I need you to trust me.’

‘Problemat— Yes it sounds problematic! How can I trust you when you won’t tell me anything? You kidnapped me! Not to mention the fact that I’m chained up in a damp cell with no explanation. But it’s fine because everything will make sense soon, right? No, I won’t stand for this.’ Alice tried to stand, but the chains tripped her before she could. She was sent flailing forwards, clattering onto her hands and knees. The force of the fall and the pain in her limbs made her cry out, and once she’d found her voice, she cried out again, shouting for help, demanding that she be set free.

The girl yanked her back into the shadows and covered Alice’s mouth with her hand. Alice struggled for a moment, looking around with panicked eyes. She twisted her neck to see a frown contorting the face of her captor; she appeared to be in deep concentration. A few seconds later, Alice heard steps approaching the cell. The girl grasped Alice’s hand and she felt herself growing lethargic but the girl remained still, focusing hard on something beyond Alice’s understanding. The footsteps stopped in their tracks and turned around, the sounds echoing away into the distance.

‘Please,’ she looked up at Alice, ‘don’t do that again. I am here to help you. I had a really hard time when I arrived here and I want to make sure that new people don’t have the same experience. So please, let me help you.’

‘Did you just do magic?’ Alice asked, ignoring the girl’s ramblings. She was annoying, but she seemed harmless enough. And maybe it was a good idea to try to be a little nicer to her; she could be useful. But Alice couldn’t trust her, not yet. Not here.

‘We did magic, yes.’

‘We?’

‘I don’t have powers myself – I’m what’s called a Protector. Witches have the magic, but I’m able to channel power through you to use as my own, to protect us both. I’d normally ask your permission or we’d have some kind of mutual agreement but you were too busy trying to get us both killed.’ She glared at Alice, and Alice couldn’t hold her gaze. ‘However…’ She sighed. ‘I shouldn’t have taken your energy without asking, and I’m sorry.’ Alice recognised genuine sincerity in her gaze, even in the low light. ‘It was necessary though. As soon as they hear that you’re awake, you’ll be dragged up there to be inspected. They’ll decide then and there whether you’re worth spending time on. If you are, you won’t have to come back down here again.’