The guards broke. One of them hurried to the gates to activate the release mechanism while his fellows urged him on. As the gates started to part, the guards poured through the widening gap as they fled. The prisoners stormed forward, screaming and shouting and pummelling the guards with anything they could lay their hands on.

Killian tried to run with them but he took two steps and then fell down as his legs tripped on his chains. He raised himself onto his hands and knees and looked up.

The shining figure stood in front of him. It reminded Killian of nothing so much as Saryah, the evil creature he had faced in Stonewater. Whatever it was, it filled him with terror.

The shape's hand held a wand that sparked and flickered as waves of energy sizzled from its base to its tip.

Killian heard some words of magic spoken by a surprisingly female voice, and out of the shimmer a person slowly materialised; a young woman in a green dress.

"It's you," Ella said with surprise.

Killian gaped, for a moment unable to speak. How could she be here?

"I'm back in the hut, aren't I?" Killian said. "I'm dreaming. You're the last person I ever expected to see here. But please, don't wake me up."

Ella looked just as surprised as he was. She stood staring at him in shock until Killian wondered if she was going to speak at all.

"Well?" Killian said.

"Well what?"

"Are you going to get me out of these chains?"

"Soon." Ella smiled. "It's nice to finally have you as my prisoner, rather than the other way around."

50

50

ELLA tended Killian's wounds as they rested within the trees, under the flickering glow of firelight. She could have activated a nightlamp but it was a cool night, and the warmth would be good for him. Perhaps it would be good for her too.

The freed prisoners had fled into the forest, knowing better than to stay anywhere near Seranthia. Now there was just one more facility Ella needed to destroy.

"You look like you're thinking," Killian said as Ella touched a damp cloth to the sores on his wrists.

"I was thinking about that place," Ella said. "How long were you there?"

"Not long at all. Weeks. Some people were there a lot longer than that."

Ella moved on to Killian's ankles, making a sound when she saw the bloodied mess he'd made of them. "How could you do this to yourself?"

"Fear of dying does that to a man," Killian said. "For some reason you become a little desperate. Aren't there others out there who might need your help more?"

"To be honest I don't know what I'm doing," Ella said. "But I've been in a few battles now, and I'm pretty sure you're supposed to clean wounds. At least with you if I get something wrong, it isn't much of a loss to the world."