CHAPTER 9: A CHINK IN THE ARMOUR

Kane silently chided himself. It seemed that Anyss wasn't as easily dealt with as he had thought she would be. Another month had passed and he knew he was running out of time. The longer he stayed here, the higher the chances would be of them figuring him out. And he had no intention of dying so soon. He still enjoyed the ways of the living.

He couldn't understand it though. Kane had hoped that the bandit queen and the sorceress would grow much further apart since that night. On the contrary, it seemed that they were closer than ever before.

Kane knew though. He knew that Anyss had not told Ruella about their little tryst. If she had, he doubted very much that he would still be walking the castle grounds in one piece.

Anyss had grown colder towards him too. Sure, they still sparred and hunted together. But that was all Anyss would allow of the relationship. Any slight reference to that 'fateful' night and Kane was sure to find the cold, unmerciless steel of the blade at his neck.

He needed to rework his plans and he needed to rework them fast.

"I'm bored," Anyss stretched and let out a sigh.

Ruella chuckled at the bandit queen as she perused the map of the kingdom laid out before her. "Why don't you go out and kick some butt then?"

"Those butts are beginning to bore me," Anyss said a matter-of-factly.

"Even Kane's butt?" Ruella raised a brow.

Anyss looked towards the sorceress, carefully searching for hints of resentment or jealousy.

She just shrugged in reply to the sorceress' question.

"You want something to do?" Ruella teased the bandit queen. "How about if we extended our kingdom beyond Septonia borders?" her eyes glowed with mischief.

"Huh?"

"Hendra and Draort lie north-west of here," Ruella pointed at a spot on the map. "Why don't we give them the opportunity to come under our rule?"

Anyss listened to the sorceress with a lot more interest now.

"Does that mean there's going to be war?" she asked enthusiastically.

Ruella laughed at the bandit queen's question. "You would like that, won't you?"

Kane laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. His mind was still abuzz as he analysed the situation before him. It was bleak and the sands of his time were slowly sifting towards the bottom of the hourglass. There was only Plan B. Only problem was, playing kamikaze did not exactly appeal to him.

A slight flicker of light suddenly appeared above him. It grew into a glow, which bathed the room in an orange-red hue. Kane clambered out of bed, his eyes never once leaving the glow.

Slowly the light subsided to reveal a little creature on two wings. It hovered precariously above Kane's head. Kane frowned as he recognised the creature. It was an elfin faery.

"What are you doing here?" Kane whispered.

"The old man sent me," she replied. Her voice was high pitched and almost child-like.

"I told him never to contact me. Do you know how dangerous it is?" Kane groaned.

"It has been 2 months. The old man - "

Ruella sat up from bed with a startle. The feeling coursed through her body and made her skin tinge.

"What is it?" Anyss yawned as rolled over to the sorceress' side.

Ruella raised her hand to silence her as she concentrated on the feeling once more.

"What is it, Ruella?" Anyss asked again. This time more awake.

"I sense magick in the castle," Ruella told her as she flipped the covers off her body and slid off the bed.

"Magick?" Anyss frowned. "But nobody except you does magick here..."

Ruella's eyes glinted evilly. "That's what we're about to find out..."

Kane rudely grabbed the elfin faery, crushing her tiny body and wings as he wrapped his palm around her. "I told the old man. When it is done, he will know," he growled.

"Now leave. Quickly," he let her go. He only hoped that it wasn't too late. "Go. And don't ever come again."

The faery threw a pout, "Can't I visit you again though? I've heard so much about you," she smiled seductively, hoping to change his mind.

"No!" Kane hissed."Go. Leave. Hurry. Please."

The faery let out a huge sigh. "Oh well. I guess I'll be going then..."

Suddenly a flash of bright light enveloped the room, blinding its occupants.

"I think not..."