Lucius let go of her hand and raised his other one before shouting out another dark command. I had never heard a demon use another voice until now and after this I never wanted to again! I could almost hear my own bones rattle thanks to the effect it had. It was the type of voice that great armies would have thrown down their arms and pledged a different allegiance too, just after one battle cry. It was so loud, rough and deep it could have come from the devil himself! It seemed to have different dimensions of evil to it and I had to bite down hard not to scream.

"Daiva!"(Means "Demon" in Ancient Persian) He shouted as he pointed one long velvet arm out at the guards who were bringing forth a screaming girl. She too was now dressed the same as the old woman and I noticed her old eyes flicker a brighter white before returning to their crystal blue colour. Whereas the screaming girl, who I had tried to save, had black tears rolling down her cheeks. It covered her beautiful face like deadly ink and it dripped down her pure white dress making the contrast ever more startling.

He stretched out all four fingers together and retracted all again to his palm to motion the guards to bring her closer. She lifted up her tired head and saw herself moving towards him, so she screamed louder and struggled even more against the two huge purple robed men who had her by both arms. Swiftly though, Lucius stepped forward and struck the girl with the back of his hand, across the face causing blood to spurt from her open mouth and hit the wall, which was at least fifteen feet away. This not only silenced her but made her body sway to an unconscious state.

I had opened my mouth to scream, but thankfully my shock and horror had stolen my voice and nothing came out from my near bleeding, cracked lips. I pressed my nails into my palm causing little half moon indents that showed my frustration at having to watch helplessly. The girls head was slumped forward and her dark velvet hair went to her knees. She was dragged the rest of the way to the altar and held opposite the gleaming old woman. Lucius touched the head of the girl and whispered something to make her re-awaken to her real nightmare. However this time she had learnt her lesson and stood motionless at the mouth of h.e.l.l.

I fought franticly with every idea I had that entered my head as each idea was as bad as the next. I needed to cause a diversion but even then, what could I do alone? I was outnumbered and most certainly out powered! I would not only be putting myself in danger of being captured but it would no doubt be pointless as well. She would never have enough time to escape with all these monsters that stood around her. No, all I could do was watch on in horror and experience her end as though it was my own.

"Mha Arta" (Means "Moon Order" In Ancient Persian) Lucius spoke more words I didn't understand and looked up to the top of the domed roof as if waiting for something. None of us had to wait long for the dome to show a split in the middle and then part, moving back into the room showing us the night sky in its place. The vast black night was only filled by the fullest moon I had ever seen and was ringed with a blood red outline that gave it the appearance of an evil sun.

The words pa.s.sed his lips once more and the red ring glowed even brighter as if responding to his command. All of the robed figures were still looking up to it as if a G.o.d had emerged, when abruptly Lucius seized the girl by the arm and turned her round into him, so her back was now against his hard chest. Her head tucked inches under his chin and with his other hand he held the bottom of her face and moved it up towards his lips. He mouthed words over her hair and it seemed to send her into a trance as she rolled up her eyes before closing her lids.

She started to sway but before she could hit the floor with her numb body he growled up to the moon and pushed her hard down onto the stone altar. He then, with a handful of her gown, tore it from her body with one quick motion and left her naked as the day she was born. Her soft pale skin glistened under the moonlight and look like milk rippling as it trembled in the night air.

Then what happened next came about so fast, I had to replay it in my head before reacting to it, like a time lapse that had to be caught up with. He had produced a large ornate blade from behind his back and held it up to the moon as if to get it blessed before plunging it into the girl's body. Only the gold gilded end that protruded from her heart could be seen and the sound of blood travelling up to her throat and out from her colourless lips could be heard.

The blood from underneath her flowed around the circles that covered the altar and soon all marble sides showed the life that had now left her, mirroring the night's deadly moon above.

Within seconds of comprehending what had just happened right before my eyes, I let out an almighty scream that pierced the night like the blade that had just pierced her delicate skin and soon all robed heads had turned to face me. Blind panic had me frozen in time and surprise had the others doing the same. For seconds, shock was all that gripped at every being in the room but the sight of the black robe lifting his head towards me had me soon moving into action.

My legs started to run towards the closest door that I could see and my mind didn't stop to think what was through it and that it wasn't the same way I had come in. I turned my head just enough to see a long arm extend out towards me and shout, "Bring her to me!" But this had my body moving faster than ever before. I could hear all the footsteps behind me but I didn't dare stop to look. I was waiting for hands to reach out and grab me but all the same I kept my feet moving. I pushed my way through the heavy door and thanked G.o.d that it was unlocked. I jumped at the sound of it slamming behind me and only then did I realise I had to wipe my streaming eyes as I couldn't see properly for desperate tears. I told myself in my head to calm down or I would never find my way out. My body wanted to carry on but my exhausted mind wanted to curl up in a corner and cry until there was nothing left.

I was in a strange room that had eight arched pa.s.sageways which were situated in a long row going from one side of the room to the next. I knew I had to choose one as the sound of footsteps was getting closer. I closed my eyes and swallowed, and fearing I was making a grave mistake, I took the one on the far left at the end.

It turned out to be through a narrow wet corridor similar to the one that had lead me to the Temple but at least this one had some light. As I ran through the cobbled tunnel the lights ignited above me and I soon realised as the ceiling became inflamed, that this was the way the lamps were positioned. They went up from the top of the wall into arches that met the other side's lamp. Then when lit, they made the ceiling glow with fire.

This extreme heat in such a small s.p.a.ce made me cough and beads of sweat soaked my face. I was thankful that it didn't go on for long as I started to breathe more easily when fresher air hit me. I stumbled into the next room as I tripped on one of the larger cobbles that jutted out from the rest. I hit the floor with a thud and pain shot through my knees making me swear out in agony.

I scrambled to my feet thinking about the bruises I would now have before scanning the room I was now stood in. The large oval room wasn't as grand as all the rest, in fact it looked a little dilapidated. The walls that were once richly decorated had long tears in the royal blue wallpaper, showing the deep red bricks underneath. This made the room look as though a ravaged beast had clawed away at it, trying to get to the flesh the paper concealed. What could have made those marks? But more importantly what had I just walked into?!

Then I took a step closer seeing something that didn't just look like claw marks but something somebody had used their fingernails to write with. Then I fell back with a gasp landing hard on my backside. There staring at me from all around the room was the evidence that I had been right all along. Scratched, was the haunting name that had just made me a mouse in this game of chase.

LUCIUS.

That's when my mind finally put together the last remaining puzzle piece. I now remembered what it was the imprisoned girl had mouthed. It was a warning and it was a name. The same that had spun a cruel web and decorated this room of desperation.

LUCIUS.

I could no longer hear the sound of being pursued and I didn't know whether or not that was a good sign. I examined the walls more closely and saw that the paper had what looked like old script and huge fleur de lis in faded gold. It had been scratched all over the walls, some places with b.l.o.o.d.y fingernails still embedded. My eyes followed the cracked mouldings and broken furniture that was beyond repair, it too also held the name crudely carved into the surfaces.

Doors with broken hinges were thrown around the room like scatter throws. There were gla.s.s shards from shattered mirrors and lamps that once added to the decor. It looked like a grand bedchamber that someone had gone berserk in and this was the aftermath. As I walked further into the room I found a large bed that had two legs missing so was laid to rest on an angle on its dais. Tattered curtains hung pathetically around the broken frame.

The mattress too was in one piece no longer as it had clearly been ripped apart. There were no windows in this room so the only light came from office type strip lighting that looked more out of place than me in Afterlife! It flickered and I could hear a faint buzzing as it tried to find the power to stay illuminated. This was by far the strangest room I had been in because, quite simply, it was the one most unlikely to have been here. It felt so out of place, like driving in the desert and then finding Las Vegas.

I found a door uncovered by a ripped tapestry and prayed that it was unlocked. I must have only been in there for minutes but I had wasted enough time as it was, so I made my sore knees move into a greater action and ran to the exit. Thankfully the door was unlocked but once I was inside I found myself wishing that maybe it hadn't. For I was back in the prison!

It only took me a few seconds to realise it wasn't the same one the girl had been held captive in. This one looked more serious as the cells resembled one man torture devices. They were caskets lined up against the wall like stone tombs and all that could be seen was a thin rectangle for their eyes to see through.

I was glad to find that no eyes could be seen looking back at me but my blood ran cold as whispers started to come from behind the metal coffins. I couldn't make out any words as it was all being said in another language. I moved to avoid them, giving them a wide berth as I made my way past. I was trying desperately not to lose it but I could feel myself fading fast. All I wanted to do was hide away in a corner somewhere and cry myself into a sticky mess. This was most definitely my limit and I was so close to cracking, that I needed a minute to calm my mind and focus on getting to Draven. He was the only reason I was still moving and I knew if I had to crawl my way out of this h.e.l.l, that for him I would keep going.

The wet stone walls made the air smell damp but I was thankful that this room was at least cooler than the rest. My hair had started to cling to my neck, which was irritating my skin, making me itch.

"ARRRH!" I screamed out at the sound of my name being whispered from around the corner. The room was in a sort of L shape with five large pillars running down the middle. The section I was in only had the small metal coffins along one wall but from what I was about to find out, that wasn't all this room had in store for me.

I bravely made my way around the wall keeping as far away from the one man prisons but as soon as I started to move I realised they weren't empty. I shuddered back another cry as each thin rectangle now produced two orange glows and when they started to blink, made me react to being watched. My hands flew to my mouth to keep my voice captive and as a result I bit down into the skin on my hand to restrain it further. I didn't take my eyes off theirs for a second, afraid that if I did, I would pay dearly for it. They moved with my body, following me as I went slowly out of sight.

Once around the corner it opened up into a bigger part of the room and this looked almost identical to the other prison, the one where I first saw the girl.

There was however one startling difference. One wall, like the other, held heavy doors that lead into the separate cells. But on the opposite side was something I had never seen before and it looked as though made from the stuff nightmares were created from. All along the wall seemed to be alive with tortured souls trapped and begging to be set free. It almost looked like a giant womb spread over hundreds of people trying to claw their way out. Like a thick skin stretched out to near breaking point.

I stood motionless in the middle of two evils, waiting for the next move to come to me. I wondered if this is what Moses felt like when he parted the Red Sea, knowing that any moment either side of death could come crashing down on him and all that followed. I knew this was a completely illogical thing to be thinking and for one thing he had the G.o.ds on his side! I knew perfectly well what I had on my side, both my sides for that matter and I doubted very much that they wanted to give me a big pat on the back and send me in the right direction!

I knew I had to move as I could now hear the voices from the Temple coming closer behind and I knew it wouldn't be long until they found me. What was worse? Talk about stuck between a rock and a hard place, this was more like tight roping over a live volcano or going to h.e.l.l for a holiday!

I started to giggle nervously and I think this was mainly down to the fact that I was slowly losing it and though it was better to giggle than to cry and sob like a baby I couldn't stop either. I counted three pillars and knew that if I was going to do this then I would have to do it one pillar at a time. I focused on the first pillar and started to move my feet.

The problem I faced was that the wall of souls started to respond even more by my movement. Hands tried to reach out and grab me. Faces would push even harder through the skin until near features could be made out. Teeth snapped at me and looked as though they would soon bite their way through. As a result, I had a reaction of my own and moved further away, only nearer to the other wall. The one with all the cells!

They had barred windows that were lower than the ones in the other prison. Earlier to see into the girl's cell I had to pull myself up, but these you could easily see inside. This was a bad thing....a very bad thing! The first cell I pa.s.sed I could see a small man in the far corner just under his window. He was bent on his knees scratching away at the floor like someone possessed. He only had trousers on allowing the gruelling marks to be seen on his back.

As he arched over, it made the metal pins that stuck out from his spine stand out even more. There were two, one either side of each spine bone and it looked as though he had been stapled from the inside out. His hair was black and matted into clumps that hung down like dead rats.

The moon started to come out from behind a cloud and it cast first a shadow around the room before lighting it up. I gasped as I read the words that had been plastered around every available wall s.p.a.ce. The words "Come play with me" were written in blood that had seeped from beneath his broken finger nails. I swallowed back my disgust in the form of bile when his face turned slowly to look at me.

His face looked withered with red cracks in his pale skin but it was when he waved at me that it all became too much for a weak stomach that had been pushed to its limit. As soon as my eyes caught sight of the protruding b.l.o.o.d.y bones that were what was left of his fingers I threw up outside his cell. He merely shrugged his shoulders before returning his pointed finger bones to scratch away at the only s.p.a.ce left untouched which was soon to be completed with his b.l.o.o.d.y ink. I had to steady myself on the pillar as I tried not to panic anymore. I concentrated on my breathing until it sounded somewhat semi-normal, before carrying on to the next pillar.

As I approached I knew there was something better behind the next door as a feeling of utter calm and a warm tingle under my skin told me so. At least it made the tears cease to fall...well at least for the minute anyway! A bright light got stronger as I came closer. When inside the cell was visible I had to blink a few times before my eyesight grew accustomed to the bright room as opposed to the dark and dingy ones I had been in for the last ten minutes. Inside there was an Angel sat on the top of what reminded me of a white step ladder. The room was painted white but was pealing away to reveal a grey stone wall underneath.

There were also strange white b.a.l.l.s of different sizes around the floor that kept moving round the ladder. He kept his head down and his shoulders where slumped forward as if he had given up. He was wearing only white trousers that looked as though they were made from paper but the strangest thing was his small white wings which came from his shoulder blades. The ends were tipped with a yellowish colour and the tops brushed against the wall. I now realised that, because of my fear, I had lost my barrier to keep the images of Angels and Demons in their true form out.

This must have only happened since entering this area as back in the Temple they just all looked like crazy humans, which they clearly weren't!

"You shouldn't be here!" A soft voice said, and for the first time since being down this h.e.l.l hole, I actually felt comforted.

"I know.... I'm lost." I stammered out.

"They're looking for you." Wow, he sure was great for pointing out the obvious, next he was going to tell me "You're also a blond girl that just puked up because you just met Mr b.l.o.o.d.y bone fingers!"

"I know! Is there was a way out of here?"

"You won't leave, not when he wants you." Ok, this guy had lost his appeal very quickly. The comfort thing had lasted about all of thirty seconds.

"Umm thanks." I said sarcastically just as I was about to move along but then his voice changed into a deep scratching, as if he was suffering with a throat infection.

"Don't let him get you or Draven will lose, Chosen One!" At the very mention of his name I flung myself against the door and shook the bars.

"Tell me, what have they done to Draven? Where is he? Is he alright?" I hurried out my questions like my mouth was on fire. But he just turned his body to face the other way and ignored me.

"Talk to me!" I shouted but he just raised his finger to his lips and said, "Ssshh, they will hear you." And nothing more. I could feel another mental piece of string snap and I knew I would soon lose it altogether. I nearly ran to the other pillar as now the only thing in my mind was finding Draven!

The next door revealed a black room with only a small window for light which was the size of a cereal box. This had bars, crossing over casting diamond shapes over the room. Down under it was a black African woman sat with her feet crossed as though she was meditating. She was also clearly a demon as there were two huge twisted horns coming from the side of her head just above the ears.

She was naked and had a full body with lots of curves and a pair of huge b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but I couldn't make out any other features as she was so dark and had her eyes closed. The horns mirrored along the floor stretching out their own terrorising shadows.

I was about to back away when out of the darkness I saw two white eyes without pupils. They stared straight at me and the whites of her teeth appeared. She then unfolded her arms and placed the palms on the floor outstretched in front of her. I watched in horror as the shadows took on a life of their own and came out towards me. They moved like snakes along the broken tiled floor and made their way up the door, coming closer still. I kept backing up but even when I could no longer see inside I could still see the shadows reach up and out of the cell.

This made me momentarily forget about the gruesome wall behind me before it was too late. I backed up until I felt the moving wall but before I could react, a myriad of hands all reached out and grabbed a part of me. I squirmed and twisted to try and get free but it was useless. Their grips tightened around my flesh and pinched my skin, making my eyes water.

"LET GO!" I screamed and I turned my head around even though there was a hand around my neck. I came face to face with one of the soul's heads and it looked as though it was smiling like some s.a.d.i.s.tic toy in a shopping bag! It snapped its teeth closer to my lips and the restraint on my neck prevented my head from moving away. I tried to pull away with harder force but a pair of nails dug deep into my shoulder cutting the flesh there, making me cry out in pain and also remain still. Hands pinned my arms and legs and others gripped my waist. The ones which couldn't hold on to something just started stroking my trembling skin as if I was now a new pet. They pulled at my clothes to get closer to my warm body and my sweater came off my shoulders.

As the snapping teeth got closer, I closed my eyes to wait for the deadly impact. I knew pain well but it never prepares you for the next round you face. I tensed my face making it as hard as possible before I could just feel the air it created from its violent movement. Thankfully its breath was caught under the thin barrier but the smell of hot sticky skin filled my nose instead of its foul breath. It was like being centimetres from the mouth of a shark, waiting for that precise moment to take you.

"Please don't!" I whimpered out one last time before its teeth came into to contact with my face. Then a great roar filled the room making it stop in fear. It wasn't the only one, as my body finally stopped struggling under demonic hands. I opened my eyes to see a large fanged mouth open just over my left cheek but it was frozen thanks to the large figure that stood in the far end of the room. The voice came again barking another order out like the hounds of h.e.l.l and slowly the hands and faces started to retract back into the wall. I moved away quickly, but one last hand, that had its nails still embedded in my shoulder scratched back taking some of my skin with it. My torn t shirt showed four b.l.o.o.d.y lines where they had left their mark. I screamed at the pain that shot through me and when I heard a whooshing noise next to me I turned to discover who my saviour had been.

"Ragnar!" I flung myself into his arms and fell onto his solid chest. I could feel the tears of relief rise up and it was only when he grabbed my arms to gently push me back did I start to compose myself. Thankfully he had allowed me to get some of it out before finding out what I was doing down here.

He looked down at me from his great height as if to give me the once over. He eyed my wounded shoulder and a low growl escaped his lips. He then punched his fist into the wall that had held me captive, causing a wave of agony rippling among the souls. The thick skin like substance bubbled in and out of tortured faces, like a stone thrown into a lake and Ragnar started to curse at it in a different language. Before it could stop showing its aftermath, Ragnar held me under the arm and started to pull me back the way I had come.

"What are you doing, we can't go that way!" I tried to protest but his grip tightened making sure I was only going to go the way he wanted me to.

"You shouldn't be down here, what were you thinking?" He tried to control his anger but this just enhanced my own.

"WHAT! Do you know what I have been through?" I tried to stop but against Ragnar it was probably like a fly bugging him.

"I can imagine!" He said in a flat tone and glanced at my shoulder. I pulled my sweater over it and said in my deflated tone, "Its fine!"

"How did you even get down here? Draven will not be happy!" He just mentioned the magic words to bring me back from my tantrum.

"Draven...Is he alright, where is he? Does he know that Lucius is here?" From the look on his face he did not! He was still pulling me around the room until we came to a door that I had not seen before. He stopped to look at me just before we went through it and the shock at what I had just said was evident.

"My Master is fine, of course, and what is this about Lucius?" He said this just as he pulled me through an opening in the rocks and we were both in darkness. I had no idea where he was taking me but the trust I had in him made all my worries fade, like waking from a nightmare and finding someone on the other side to comfort you. The dark tunnel would have been the end of me if it wasn't for Ragnar's secure arms that lead me through it with ease. It made me wonder if seeing in the dark was one of his Demon powers. Of course I didn't ask.

The dark didn't last long thanks to Ragnar's long legs, giving that I had to practically run to keep up with him. The end of the tunnel was also the end of all the prisons as now I found myself standing in the middle of an amazing circular room that was like a smaller temple.

This one was all white marble with a black and white diamond tiled floor. The walls were covered in black granite statues which sat on thrones of gold in their own little alcoves. Each one was different and they all represented different forces. Wind and the Oceans both had great sapphires and pearls encrusted on their feet, while Fire and the Sun had rubies and amber, held in their hands. There were others like Earth, Night and the Moon all with various gems embedded amongst their figures.

The part of the walls that weren't paying testament to these G.o.dlike effigies were, in their own right, masterpieces. Covered with so many patterns and carvings you didn't know where to look. As though your eyes couldn't take in all the splendour they created. You just wanted to touch them, to run your fingers along the channels that formed integral art. The room was bright like the day's sun was getting at it somehow but with no windows and the night not yet over, I couldn't understand where it came from.

Ragnar realised I was no longer following like the good little sheep he expected of me and that in fact I had stopped dead in the middle of the room. He rolled his eyes and raised his head before backtracking to me. I was still mesmerized by my surroundings, all jaw dropping and wide eyed like, when I felt his strong spade sized hand circle my arm and pull me in the right direction. We crossed the room towards a set of oak doors that looked like they belonged from an ancient church. The wrought iron fixtures creaked as the door opened by two other men. A shocked gasp caught in my throat as I recognised the purple robes I had seen earlier. Ragnar felt me tense at the sight of them and looked down to meet my panicked face.

"Do not fear, they will not harm you." His voice was unusually soft and I never expected that a creature so big could even muster up a whisper. The effect it had, made me calm enough to be lead along through the doors into the next room. However this relaxed state didn't last as long as intended because as soon as I saw the Temple I had fled from now opening up in front of me I started to struggle.

"What are you doing? LET GO!" I was trying to dig my feet down but Ragnar didn't even feel my resistance.

"Don't cause anymore more problems, young one!" His voice was stern but his face looked guilty and now I knew why....He wasn't here to help me....he was here to catch me!

He turned to face me and his ma.s.sive frame blocked out the view of the Temple at the end of the room. We were now stood in a wide arched room that was lit by crude twisted wood that flamed at the top and was making cracking and splintering noises. I could feel myself well up and his features softened through a watery vision.

"Why cry?" He asked me, but was he joking? I had been running from the Temple for what seemed like an eternity and now the man I trusted or, more like, who was trusted to keep me safe was actually my enemy. Before I could answer his ridiculous question a voice behind him brought those tears come crashing down my face.

"Bring her to me!" Ragnar moved to my side allowing the sight of the powerful stance of Lucius, dressed still head to foot in his black robe with the long hood covering his deadly features. My head screamed for ideas, some way, some how to escape but it came up blank. I was faced with two colossal barriers in the form of powerful Demons. Ragnar sensing I might try to run had come up the back of me and when I took a frightened step back, I was met with his impenetrable chest. His two hands held me still, one on my shoulder (the one that wasn't still killing me) and one on my arm.

"How could YOU! How could you betray him?" I screamed out in anger at my once loyal bodyguard. Meanwhile the black robe was coming closer and my heart sank further into the pit of misery that Ragnar held me securely over.

"My Lord!" Ragnar's head nodded in respect, the way he would have once done towards Draven and at this I couldn't help shouting out "TRAITOR!" But Lucius started to shake his head before moving too fast for my eyes to see. A black whirl was all I could make out before blinking twice, then, once my eyes had a moment to get back into focus, they were faced with the shadowed face looking down at me. Wow, demons are fast! His hand came up to my face and when I flinched away he growled making me shiver. He shook his head in what looked like disappointment and then delivered the final blow to my mental state, making me want to cry out at the cruel reality when he said...

"Oh Keira, why did you have to wake up?" The voice was smooth as silk yet it cut through this nightmare like a fatal blow. The voice was masterful but with a loving touch and emotional concern. The voice was lost to me in a sea of questions.

The voice was none other than that of....

Dominic Draven.

Chapter 21.

A Viking's First Life.

I wanted to cry out at this cruel turn of events. It had been Draven all along. It had been Draven that had led that sick display in the temple which had resulted in the murder and sacrifice of a young frightened girl. To say I was stunned didn't even touch on the boundaries to describe my mental state! I was, however, clear on one thing... I was very close to a fully fledged meltdown.

The minutes felt like hours before anyone said anything. I wasn't sure whether he was waiting for me to speak first or if he was just giving me time to process all that had happened. I found myself unable to look at him. All I could see was the black cloaked image plunging a blade into a naked girl's body until it eventually went limp. This was the worst nightmare of all. Everything else that I had seen tonight had been a light summer breeze during a skip in the park compared to this.

"Keira, look at me!" His voice cut through the silence like an impenetrable force and I had to supress the urge to shudder. I finally made myself look from the floor where I had done all my thinking. He towered over me like an impending doom and I didn't know what I feared the most, losing the Draven I knew, or meeting the dangerous Draven that I knew he could be. But as soon as I met his intense eyes, I knew I had nothing to fear but the temper that I had witnessed so many times before, like looking down the barrel of a smoking gun, the danger over but it could still leave a nasty burn once touched.

His powerful hands came to his head and removed his hood so that all his face could now be seen. His features told me he was less than happy but concern was evident in his expression. He started to study me and found my cried out eyes all puffy and red. My pale skin looked white with fright and my hair was now loose from where it had been pulled and tugged at from the wall of souls. So in short, I was a mess.

His hand came to my face and for a minute I found peace with the feel of his gentle touch on my cold cheek. He traced my jawbone before getting to my bitten lips and his frown brought me back to my situation. I moved my face away from his hand and stepped back, once again into Ragnar's solid frame. This made all the muscles in Ragnar's chest tense as I could feel it ripple through my back. This wasn't the only reaction it caused as now Draven looked furious.

"Would you like to explain to me exactly what she is doing down here?" His anger echoed off the Temple walls and it took me a minute to realise his question wasn't directed at me. Was he really going to blame Ragnar for this mess? My answer came in way of Ragnar's sorry voice.

"My Master...I do not know." It was the first time that I heard Ragnar sound anxious.

"You failed me! Find me the one that granted her access...NOW!" This was by far the most extreme I had seen Draven's temper get, as the solid stone walls seemed to vibrate enough so that stone dust fell from various parts of the room. Ragnar just nodded and bowed before shouting his own command at some nearby guards. I watched as he walked from behind me towards them and it was only when I felt my own arm being taken hold of, did I turn and look to find Draven pulling me off to one side.

He swung me round so that he could back me against a stone statue of a warrior on horseback. I now stood at the base of the horse's legs and when I looked up I saw the huge animal's head looming over me. My eye line begrudgingly came back down to meet Draven's cold dark stare, which had me soon wishing I was on the horse's back next to the warrior.

"Who brought you down here?" His question took me back.

"N..n...n.o.body," I stuttered out in a timid voice.

"Keira, do not try my patience, WHO?" His shouting didn't help matters and it made me want to shout back but for some reason I had lost all fight in me. I had resorted back to that same Keira that I was when I first met him. I had returned back to my pathetic way of being intimidated and controlled. I could feel him invading my mind for the answers and I knew that I would have to find the control that made me different from the rest. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath before answering his interrogation.

"Like I said, n.o.body brought me down here. I found my own way...regrettably!" I added bitterly.