"You... made it up?" Rinn stared at the shadow girl. "But.. I thought Seers couldn't lie." "We're taught not to," said Jessa innocently, "but that doesn't mean we not able to." Rinn's mind reeled. "So this prophecy..." "Is a fake, but Ishar doesn't know that. And she won't have you killed you as long as she thinks that. She'll hesitate, and then you can strike when she least expects it!" If I can get out of this cell, thought Rinn, and get past her guards, and get close enough to her to do anything... "Ishar took all of us from the temple and brought us here," explained Jessa, "She told me I had to tell her everything I foresaw, or she would put the others to death, and I was so frightened I told her what she wanted, about the Lords plotting against her. I didn't like it, but I couldn't let her kill Lady Ester or my other friends. I thought I was keeping them safe, and when Ishar was away, I'd send my shadow out to search the castle, trying to find them to see if they were safe, but I couldn't find them anywhere. And then one day I overheard Ishar talking..." A sob escaped Jessa's lips as she turned away. "She never intended to keep her promise. She'd had them all killed that first day and lied to me, every day... and all those things I told her that she used against the lords, it was all my fault... and then... and then maybe a week ago, I foresaw your arrival. I saw you full of fury charge in here, and... I saw you fail... but I did not see you die." "A seer can see the fate of others, but never her own fate. I thought.. I thought that since the vision faded at that point, that perhaps there was something I could do... something to change what might be. I mean... sometimes fate needs a little... nudge. So when Ishar came to me, I made up a lie and told her about the spell that linked the two of you. She had been researching such magics on her own, so she was ready to believe the fake prophecy. And then, I waited, and prayed..." "...Jessa?" said Rinn. "Yes?" "I..." he began awkwardly. "Thank you. I owe you my life... and for that, I promise you that somehow, I will free us both from Ishar and I will see to it that her life ends before mine or yours, one way or another." I just have no idea how. « Next First Page Previous »

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