The summons came early on the morning two days after Kat's first visit. Even if it gave her the chance to stretch her legs, Jinx could sense the danger being pulled out of their prison cell posed.

"It's going to be fine," Jazz whispered to her.

She glanced up at him to make sure he wasn't looking into their futures, but his eyes were black and warm. She tightened her jaw and forced herself to look forward, but her entire body was tingling with anxiety. And fear. Maybe he could reassure himself by glancing at the strings of fate, but she always went in blind.

There was something else that Jazz was never able to understand. The fact that despite all her strength and independence, she needed him. Not to protect her or save her in any way, but for the comfort his presence gave her. He didn't know that meeting him had put her life back on track, that he'd already saved her in every possible way by giving her a new life. Purpose.

And now, as they walked towards someone they used to know, someone she might have even called a friend at some point, she was convinced beyond any doubt that something bad would happen. Not to her, but to him.

"Hey." Jazz's voice was soft.

She didn't dare look up at him. He reached out and took her hand, intertwining their fingers together. She held on, squeezing just to feel him there.

"What's going on?" he whispered.

"I don't like this," she whispered back.

He gave a low chuckle. "Of course you don't. We're being taken out for interrogation and possibly a dash of torture."

She looked up at him at this. His eyes were twinkling with mischief. Her heart swelled with both pain and longing. She'd found him so handsome from the moment she'd first met him. The crimson hair, the dark eyes, his rough edges which could also be so soft... The way he smiled and drove all her fears away. He still was breathtakingly amazing, and what made him even more so was that he didn't seem to know or care. But just looking at him gave her strength.

"I know, I know," he said with a sigh. "Not funny."

"Not funny at all."

She could sense he wanted to tell her to stop being so bleak, but he tightened his hold on her hand. The gesture, though simple, sent shivers down her spine. When she glanced up at him, his eyes were trained forward, focused, and there was a slight clench in his jaw that indicated playtime was over. It was in moments like this that she felt her love for him might be the end of her.

"Let's see what she wants," he muttered. "If worst comes to worst, we'll blow our way out of there."

"She could kill us, Jazz."

"She doesn't have the skill to kill us."

"We don't know how much Lucille enhanced her powers!"

"I said skills, not power."

They both fell silent as they finally stepped out of the circular prison and into the streets. It was amazing to see sunlight again, but Jinx couldn't linger and enjoy it. A small contingent of soldiers on horseback awaited next to the entrance, dressed in what she assumed to be the uniform of the royal guard.

The prison guards handed them over and seemed glad to be relieved from their duties. Jazz and Jinx were not given horses, so the procession moved painfully slow through the dusty streets. Not before long, a small crowd gathered to stare at them. Fair-skinned children even pointed at Jazz, their eyes wide and fearful.

"Is that a demon?" one of them whispered.

Jazz's hand twitched in hers and she was convinced he wanted to turn and make faces at them just to scare them. But the gravity of the situation was not lost on him. They were being paraded through Corosa as proof of aggression from Iride.

Determined not to waiver, Jinx held her head up and her back straight as she walked towards the castle. The thin spires soon came into view. As they walked towards the gates, the crowd thickened, more and more people pointing. At first, they were distracted by Jazz's darker complexion and his tanned skin. Not long after, they realized the oddity of one of their own holding hands with what they assumed to be an Iridian. She didn't care. She wouldn't let go of Jazz for the world.

So, they entered the castle together, their fingers entwined. The moment her feet crossed the threshold, a wave of cold surrounded her. At first, she thought it had something to do with Kat's presence and her magic, but the further they walked, her steps became heavier and her heart thumped unevenly against her ribs.

It wasn't Kat. She remembered.

Jinx had walked these halls before, as a much younger version of herself. The fear the sight elicited seemed to seep out of her very bones. She thought she was over it, that she'd long come to terms with her escape, the fact that the Steward didn't get to lay a hand on her. And yet, every step took her breath away.

Jazz tightened his hold on her hand. She jumped and looked up at him. There was a frown on his face, his eyes filled with worry.

"You're burning me."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She reined her magic in before it became visible from the outside. She didn't want their guards knowing they were both magic users.

"I know this must be hard for you," he muttered.

"Well, it shouldn't," she mumbled back. "Nothing happened." Nothing happened.

"Are you kidding?" He raised his eyebrows. "Everything happened. Everything changed here."

That was true, but for her, unlike for any of her friends, the change had been positive. Her magic was a blessing she still held on to. And right now, it would protect them both.

The guards stopped in front of the entrance into the throne room and two of them pushed the massive doors open. In a matter of moments, they were facing Kat, high on her throne, and another man who, by his heavy armor and wolf head sigil, appeared to be the general of the Endirian army.

Kat was a sight to behold. Wearing a silver gown which hugged her body and a crown that seemed to be made out of icicles, she was the image of an ice queen. Even her hair and eyes seemed to have lost some of their color, leaving a ruthless ghost behind.

"The prisoners, your Majesty," one of their guards said with a bow.

"Thank you," Kat answered, her voice lacking any feeling.

With an imperious wave of her hand, she dismissed her guards. The cavernous room remained empty of any other guards, and Jinx took it as a good sign. Maybe Jazz was right, and Kat lacked the magical skills that would allow her to finish them off, but then again, the woman before them hardly resembled the innocent little country bumpkin Jinx had met months ago.

The moments the door closed after the guards, Jazz bowed deeply before her, a smirk on his face. Jinx couldn't. She just gave the tiniest nod of her head, then settled to wait. She was grateful that Jazz didn't let go of her hand.

For what felt like forever, Kat just surveyed them from her throne, her fingers clasped against the armrest so tightly, her knuckles were white. If not for her vacant expression, Jinx would have taken it as a sign of nerves. Ever since she'd visited them in the prison, she'd noticed there was something different about Kat. She seemed a mere shadow of who she once was, now only made solid by her ice.

Jazz had admitted that it could be the effect of Lucille's influence. Jinx thought it didn't matter and they shouldn't have let themselves get caught. They could have been safely in Iride by now.

But now, even that shred of humanity seemed to be gone.

"Well," Kat said, her voice as cold as her features. "I see you are in no hurry to speak."

"It is you who have summoned us, your Majesty."

Jinx could detect the scorn in Jazz's tone and hoped Kat wouldn't. Fortunately, she didn't seem to notice anything wrong with the affirmation because she nodded to the man beside her throne. He was tall and broad, with light blond hair and pale blue eyes. The poster boy for Endirians everywhere.

"You should go first, General."

The man narrowed his eyes at them, his gaze flying from Jazz to her as if trying to determine how dangerous they were. Jazz was similar to him in size, maybe a bit more broad, but lacking any weapon or armor. She barely reached their shoulders, so to an untrained eye, she could look frail.

"Are you really Talian?" the general asked, nodding towards Jazz.

"Yep," he answered easily.

"Then why are you here? And why are you with her?" His eyes rested on their still joined hands.

Jinx wanted to pull away, but Jazz wouldn't let her go. After a feeble attempt, she gave up. Why take this tiny bit of comfort from herself?

"We already told your queen. We're here to check on her."

"Check on her." The man's tone was disgusted, as if they'd implied they wanted to murder her.

"Yes. We know each other. We've been on adventures together."

"We are friends," Jinx added.

From her throne, Kat huffed. The man turned to her, a questioning look on her face. She only raised her eyebrows and Jinx had no idea what that was supposed to mean. It felt odd to see her communicating with someone without words, someone who wasn't Cage. Sadness for their fate overwhelmed her because as much as she'd had issues with Kat's judgmental nature, she could see she and Cage truly loved each other, that they seemed destined to be together.

Now, Jinx was convinced that Kat couldn't even remember Cage anymore, just like his feelings for her had been blocked by Cecille's magic. Lucille's method had been even harsher.

"The Queen does not consider you friends," the man said.

"Now that's just hurtful," Jazz said.

Jinx wanted to thump him for being so quippy, but she'd much rather keep holding his hand for support instead.

"Look," she said. "You must know that you had a life before this. You didn't just pop out of the ground as the queen of Endir. How much of that do you remember?"

The general turned to Kat again, seeming interested in the answer himself. Kat ignored him, her unnaturally light eyes narrowed at Jinx.

"You are not here to interrogate me. You are here to answer my questions."

"Yours or your mouthpiece's?" Jazz asked.

Jinx winced, but Kat merely smiled in a sick, twisted way, as if she'd finally caught them.

"My, my, you have quite the mouth on you."

"And you should know that," Jazz muttered. "What do you want to know?"

"Why are you spying for Iride? Neither of you are Iridian."

"You should know that already," Jazz said. "Which is why I will let you remember it."

Kat's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't toy with me, Talian."

"We have names, you know," Jinx said. As much as she feared the outcome of all this, she was starting to lose her patience as well.

"Allow me not to care about your names or your feelings. Now, answer my question."

⚜⚜⚜

Not the best break off point, but I decided to leave you hanging. Quite a tense conversation going on here. And you get Jinx! She's definitely not having a good time, though...

I'm sure this conversation will go marvelously and no one will get hurt. You'll just have to stick around until that is confirmed.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to vote and maybe leave a tiny comment.