Sunday Excerpt, "Crucible"

Their level of the tower had been vacant and silent other than them. As jails went it was rather well maintained. Such cleanliness could not disguise the sound of screams and cries filtering into the chamber from above and below. It was clear their level was the most desirable in the building.

The dreadful noise was interrupted by the sound of heavy boots on the stairs. Two human guards carrying an obscured prisoner thundered down the steps. Stopping at their floor, the guards could each be seen holding one arm of a young human woman. Her head hung down with a tangled mass of blond hair hiding her face. The woman’s feet dragged trenches in the straw on the floor as they carried her down the hall. Her clothing was tattered and shredded. Opening the cell next to the elves’ they tossed her in like a bale of hay.

“You’ll give us answers,” one yelled as he locked the door. “If you don’t I’m sure Hugon would be happy to interrogate you himself.” They laughed and then descended the stairs.

Between the cells were thick stonewalls that prevented prisoners from seeing each other. They did not, however, deafen sound. The girl cried as she lay on the floor. It was a painful, sorrowful sound.

Linvin sat on the other side of the wall trying to think of something to say. His usual greetings seemed wrong at that moment. At last he managed, “Are you hurt?” The sobbing continued. “Miss,” he called out louder, “Are you injured?”

The crying reduced and was interrupted occasionally by a sniffle. “It’s nothing that won’t heal,” she said meekly. “But it doesn’t matter. I will never leave these walls alive.”

Linvin moved closer to the bars by the wall. “My name is Linvin. What is yours?”

There was silence for a few moments and then one soft, beautiful word was spoken in return. “Mirianna,” she replied.

“You seem a little out of place here,” Linvin said.

“Everyone in this tower is out of place,” she answered indignantly. “I suspect that was their purpose in building it. You don’t sound like the usual criminals they bring in here. There must be a different reason you have checked in to this establishment.”

“I have no idea why we are here.” Linvin answered.

“Sure you do,” Mirianna said. “Everyone knows why they’re here. Some people just don’t want to admit the answer.”

Linvin was caught off guard by her banter. He tried to refocus on her. “Well then, why are you here?” he asked.

Her tone immediately changed. “So that’s your game, is it? They bring me down here and think I will tell you everything just by asking? Nice try Spy. I am wise to you. You can tell that red-eyed sorcerer you work for I have no knowledge of my country’s defenses. You can also tell him if I did know anything, I would never tell him or any of his agents.”

Linvin was stunned by the accusation. “Mirianna, you are mistaken. I am no spy. My kin and I are prisoners just like you.”

Mirianna snapped back. “That is just what a spy would say.”

Linvin sighed. “If I were a spy then why would they put three other people in here with me? Would it not be wiser to have a single person here to whom you could confess?”