28

"The important thing is that you are alive."

The priest points to an open cell door. "Inside," he mutters. "Now."

You grab one of Talandor's arms with your two bound hands and assist him to his feet. The two of you shuffle into the cell, since your bound feet will not allow you to move fast. The priest clangs the cell door shut behind you. You sit down with Talandor against one wall, where you can see what the priest is doing. He begins chanting and when he is finished, a strange shimmering barrier takes root around the bars of your cell.

You sigh. There goes the route to escape. With a simple shrug, you break the chains that bind you and reach to assist Talandor. He is bleeding profusely from one shoulder.

"I can bind the wound for you," you tell him.

He nods slowly.

Gently, you lift part of his tunic and tear strips from your own tunic to bind him and stop the bleeding. The priest seems to be watching the whole process eagerly, taking in Talandor's partial nakedness, so you move to obscure his vision of him. After several moments, you have his wound bound and you carefully lower his tunic back in place. Afterward, as you sit back, his head sags against your shoulder.

"They were waiting for us," he whispers.

"I know," you tell him

As the priest moves away, he speaks again. "You broke the chains. Can you bend the iron bars?"

You nod. "Yes, but there is a magical barrier which I doubt either of us could pass."

"What are we going to do?" He asks.

Next