I must get away from this prison. The man with the silver mask’s body is crumpled on the floor. I did not intend to overpower him, but the thought came to me so forcefully, especially when he used an artifact of magic on me. I felt its power emanating from him like a storm. He was frantic, muttering something about the need to move me in the next few days. The dungeon where I’m being kept is about to be overrun. I must be moved and moved quickly. He tried to use his power to make me submissive and afraid. But it could not affect me. It was strange, because I felt its force and understood his intent, but it did not compel me to do his bidding. The jailor had left us alone together.

When he saw his power did not move me, the man in the mask grew frightened of me. How did I know? The mask hid his expression. It’s just that I knew his weakness, knew that he was intimidated by me. So I struck him with the chains. He crumpled to the floor. If I could remove these chains, I could take his silver mask and cloak and make him wear my meager clothing and mask. The jailor wouldn’t know that he was being deceived. It might give me a chance to escape, to find help from whoever is coming. The jailor has the keys. How can I remove them?

There was a whisper. A single word. The chains have opened. But there is no one else here with me.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Breaking

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Breaking

It was the day of the Gauntlet of Kingfountain and Trynne longed with all her heart to be there. But she knew it was the Fountain’s will that she remain behind. She didn’t understand it, but she accepted it. She gazed out the window of the solar, ignoring the plate of food that had been set before her as the evening meal. She’d lost her appetite completely after the carriage crash. Every mouthful was difficult, and she found herself doing little more than picking at the plates set before her.

One of the reasons she wanted to be at Kingfountain was to confront Fallon, to demand to know why he had spied on the sacred grove of Brythonica. After Captain Staeli had told her of their encounter, she had traveled to the grove through the ley lines. The silver dish, which she’d feared would be missing, was chained to the marble slab. The stone table was littered with detritus from the oak tree. She had searched the entire grove, including the cave set into the boulders where Myrddin had been trapped for centuries. But there was no evidence that either Fallon or Carrick had removed anything. Still, the intrusion had once again damaged her confidence in him.