The Shadowed Land
Page 43
"Well, you did just save my life," Rik said. "You seem like the good guys down here."
"Then you'll join us?"
Rik bit his lower lip. "I'll think about it."
* * * * *
Danica lay on a smooth white bed, shivering in the underclothing her captors had given her. She was hooked up to all kinds of glowing devices she didn't understand. The room was filled with beeping noises, with men and women in white coats. The air smelled of alcohol and other cleaning agents.
She'd been unconscious for much of her time here. At some point, they'd told her she was in the New Earth Empire. It was the most bizarre place she'd ever seen. A place of wondrous technology she couldn't even begin to describe.
She felt like drifting off to sleep again. They'd injected her with numerous substances, most of which had made her sleepy. She had no idea what they intended.
At first, she'd fought her captors, earning herself some bruises. Now she lay there, resigned to her fate, praying that Berig, Aric, and the others had made it to Luminia. She didn't expect them to come looking for her. How could they know where she was?
"We're almost there," said one of the men in white coats.
"What do you want with me?" Danica asked, her voice barely a croak.
The man smiled. "We want to make you a sorcerer."
"But you can't make someone a sorcerer," she said, though she had no idea if that was true. "People either have the talent or they don't."
"Until now," said one of the women. "The Webs of Fate told us you'd give us the opportunity to test our theories. You see, you're a Weaver, a very strong Weaver. Somewhere in you lies the spark for magic, but for whatever reason, that talent never surfaced."
Danica struggled against her bonds. "But why are you doing this to me? Shouldn't I have some choice in that matter?"
The man shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm afraid you're too important to have a choice."
"Let me go!"
"We can't do that," said the man. "I'm sorry."
Days passed in a blur of images, of needles and cold beds. Danica slept most of the time, but when she was awake, she lived in terror. She prayed for this to end. It did not.
One day, she came more awake than she had in a long time.
"It's your time," said the man in the white coat.
She felt groggy. "My time to do what?"
"You're going to open a portal to the Shadowed Land, and when you return, you're going to bring Krinir back with you."