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"Take her to the dungeon," he said in a silanced at Dieyre who s the offer one last time She was tempted to sta coed at her when the Dochte Mandar entered and seized her aring into a lair of darkness lit occasionally by the stain of fire froue Fear gnawed at her incessantly, each step bringing her deeper and deeper into the lair Her heart struck like a has of the Medium now, except for the Alderly, yet it was false It was an aura that see at the tris His clothes were easily the e iron-bound door was opened, and that is when she heard the screaony The sound made her shiver and shudder It was pain – a total abandon and shouting out in Pry-rian, "By Cheshu, I will kill you all! You will all…" The threat was interrupted with another scream

It was Martin

The interior was hazy and wreathed with s It was a sharp smell, an unfamiliar smell Her heart lurched with despair

The room had three men, two of which were Dochte Mandar In the center of the roo She could not see its face, but she saw its pocked surface glowing red hot Kneeling before the Leering was Martin, in chains, his hands s stone The Leering was blackened, diseased, constantly burning as the one in the grove she had seen before The torturers were pressing Martin’s hands against it, and he hoith pain

Lia shook with rage and she felt the hands tighten around her arhts, but it would not obey her She ground her teeth, breathless with agony at seeing him suffer Her mind went black with fury

With a quick pull on her arms, she sla her He yelped with pain as she tugged her arm free With her free hand, she struck the other Dochte Mandar in the throat and he let go as well, gagging at the blow Lia rushed the two holding Martin and that hen she saw the otherHe clipped her fro her arm and then she found herself face first on the floor, arm yanked back so hard she wailed in pain

"Thank you, Kishion," said the Alderainst the floor She could only see the Aldermaston’s fur-lined boots "Chain her hands and ankles She is as dangerous as this one Just as Dieyre warned Strip her weapons"

Lia wanted to struggle, but she could not think beyond the excruciating agony happening in her shoulder The kishion controlled her as the chains were brought Her boots were removed and her ankles shackled Her leather bracers were stripped away and replaced by iron locks as well Lia struggled as they took away her rucksack, her dagger, her gladius, but she could not resist Someone untied the pouch at her waist and opened it

"Ah, a Cruciger orb!" the Alderifted, as ere told Wonderful Take the other wretch to his cell I would speak with her a moment"

Lia was dumped uncereony She panted, blinking the tears away as Martin was dragged to a door made of iron bars and thrust inside

"Leave us," the Aldermaston said pleasantly

"Be wary," the others warned "Be on your guard"

"The kishion will keep me safe He is trained to kill mastons and hunters Even Pry-rian hunters" The others of the Dochte Mandar abandoned the chamber and the door was shut and locked from without

Lia scooted away fro of everything light and good was sucked from her as he approached The kishion loitered in the shadows, his eyes on her constantly She glanced about the roo five doors made of bars on five of the six walls and the other one they had entered from made of solid iron She could see Martin slu

"The only reason you would have this," the Alder the orb in his hand "Is if you could use it You are strong in the Medium, child That will serve you well here"

Lia clenched her jaw, staring at hi