By the time I see Eret walking towards our hiding spot, it must be early evening. I keep holding on to the idea that maybe, just maybe, it was in fact four days until Thor's day and not three. That'd be nice. It would mean I have until tomorrow at sunset until sunset today.

I poke my head out from the hut as Eret looks up, waving at us. I glance around, noting Nightstar as she snorts and glances around warily. She eyes me, arching an invisible eyebrow as her ear plates flatten.

"I'll go down first," I say to the others, climbing onto Nightstar's saddle. "Stay here."

"And if something happens? Then what?" Tuffnut demands.

"You fly away and don't look back," I utter.

I click my tongue, spurring Nightstar out into the darkened evening sky. She lowers herself gradually, beating her wings every now and then to keep the momentum at bay before touching down. I slide off Nightstar's back and give her a subtle motion to remain in place as I start towards Eret.

"Hey," he greets.

"Hello," I utter, keeping my voice smooth and collected.

He shifts in place, still casting shifting glances at his surroundings. He gulps. "Uh...look, I'm not sure whether you had a plan or not, but...erm..."

He wipes his forehead, clearing his throat. I arch an eyebrow at his fidgety ways. Even when he was a dragon trapper, I only ever saw him on edge when Drago staring him in the face and seething. His dark eyes look behind me for a brief second, then over his own shoulder.

"I have a few ideas, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about," I say. He doesn't respond, making me snap my fingers. "Eret."

He meets my eyes. The emotion in them startles me. They're wrought with pain, anger, and above all that, gut-wrenching fear. He drags his tongue over his cracked lips, moistening them just a tiny bit.

"I'm sorry," he says, his tone low and flat.

Before I can question what he's sorry about, a blunt object cracks against the back of my head and I collapse, my vision spiralling. I hit the ground face first, tasting the ashy dirt as my head throbs from impact.

"Thora!" Nightstar's roar sounds in my ears.

I can't make myself answer, my eyelids growing far too heavy to keep open. I blink slowly, my ears ringing as I watch the fuzzy outlines of Eret's boots approach. As I slip away into unconsciousness, I feel rough hands grip my arms and hear the flurried wingbeats of dragons as my friends flee for safety.

----------

When I come to, the first thing I hear are muffled voices. I keep my eyes shut, feeling as if there's a second heartbeat in my brain that's making it throb against my skull. Ever so slowly, I peel my eyes open, only to flinch and shield them again from the glaring torchlight.

"She's awake, my lord," Eret's voice says from above me.

I don't hear the next command, but I do feel the sudden jolting of a strong pair of arms dragging me forwards. With one more shove, I sink to my knees, head hung and hair loose around my face. I clench my hands a few times, becoming faintly aware of the chains surrounding my wrists and ankles.

I lift my head, reopening my eyes and blinking a few times as I readjust myself to the torchlight. I can now see that I'm kneeling at the base of wooden steps, and as my eyes follow the path they lead upwards, I add internally that the steps lead to a throne.

Seated on the throne, however, is the object of my focus.

Seeing Alrek again makes my blood boil, and it doesn't help that he basically looks the same as he did when I last saw him. His red hair has greyed with age, but the fiery hue is still mostly present, and he has an eyepatch over one of his eyes. His face is still riddled with scars, his angular jaw set in a deep frown.

"Is this her?" he asks, his voice grating on my ears as his eyes waver from me to Eret.

"Yes sir," the former dragon trapper says, gripping his spear a little tighter.

Alrek arches an eyebrow, but turns his attention to me. "You."

I cough, wincing a little. "Me?" I ask, my voice a soft whisper.

"Yes, you," Alrek spits. "Who are you?"

He glares at me, massaging his scarred knuckles. I lift my head further, keeping my chin higher and flicking my hair out of my eyes as I take a slow breath in.

"I'm Thora," I say. He doesn't give any response, urging me to add in, "Thora of Hermaōr."

He lets that sink in for a second or two before a boisterous laugh escapes his frame. He slumps back in his throne, his cackling making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. I cast a quick glance in my peripherals to see that Eret looks just as uncomfortable.

"Is that so?" he cries out, finally cutting off his laughter. "I have never seen you before in my life! You are surely mad!"

I don't know what else to do. I can't convince him with the same story that I did with my friends. Eret shifts again, his spear making a small thunk against the floor as he taps the base of it against the stone.

"That is because I am not from this world," I say, a tiny smile playing across my lips. If I look insane to him, so what? "My world is different. In my world, I killed you with the sword hanging from your belt, the one that belonged to Thord of Hermaōr."

Eret's face turns a shade paler. Alrek's face flashes with an emotion other than amusement. His gnarled hand slips to the hilted sword in his belt, the glittering black gem catching my eye more than anything.

"I possess the same necklace that adorns your throat, the same one that belonged to Thord's wife, Sigrid," I continue, pushing myself to my feet as best as I can with the shackles and tilting my head back so that he can see the jewellery I speak of. "I married the chief of this village that you killed in cold blood. In my world, I am the daughter of Thord and Sigrid, the last of the Slayers."

Alrek gets to his feet, his countenance angry yet amused all at the same time. Even so, I can see the uncertainty in his eyes as he stares at my necklace. As he gets nearer, I can feel the thrumming energy within his blue gem. I'm so close.

Alrek's calloused hand surrounds my arm, yanking me towards him as his fingers tighten. I clench my jaw, forcing myself to remain silent as he leers in close, glaring right back at him.

"Is that so?" he asks, his breath seeping across my face and making me gag inwardly. His free hand toys with my necklace, my skin crawling at his touch. He looks up at Eret and shoves me back. "Untie her."

Eret looks between him and I, dark eyes filled with confusion. "Uh...sir?"

"Untie her. I want to see what fight this supposed daughter of the Slayers has left." He gives me a mocking smile. "If she is as powerful as she claims to be."

Alrek steps back, leaving me in my place as he pulls his sword out. Eret sets his spear to the side and walks towards me. He situates himself directly behind me, and it isn't long before I hear the shackles click. He pulls them off, carrying them back to his spot.

"I will kill you," I growl, lifting my fists. My eyes flicker back to his necklace, my necklace, and I swallow the lump of rage growing in my throat.

He lets out one more short, harsh laugh before rushing towards me, sword blade glinting. He swings at my head and I duck, feeling the wind that the blow created. He retaliates swiftly and goes in for another hit. I dodge to the side, the tip grazing my cheek. I don't let it slow me down, and I throw my hand out towards his throat and latch my fingers around his necklace, yanking at it. He chokes, swinging the hilt of his sword into my gut and making me stumble back, gasping my breath.

He knocks me down with a solid kick, pinning my arm beneath his foot as soon as my back is on the ground. He digs his sword into the chain of my necklace, lifting it up as the tip of his weapon grazes my chin. His smile widens.

"Foolish girl," he laughs.

He jerks his sword, leaving another cut along my jaw as my necklace breaks off and goes scattering across the floor. I make a strangled noise and grasp for it, clamping my hand over the jewelry right before it gets out of reach. Alrek releases my arm and turns his attention to Eret.

"I've become bored with this heretic. Toss her in the dungeons," he orders. "I'll deal with her tomorrow."

Tomorrow...my deadline will be passed, perhaps imminent. I shut my eyes, clenching my fingers around my necklace as the guards jerk me up and start dragging me towards the dungeons that never existed in my real time. I don't struggle, choosing to remain limp and submissive.

I'll be home soon enough, in one way or another.