The Claiming (Book 3)

Chapter 18

     Tarn shook his head in disbelief, "He used the Unhallowed to ward his castle? That doesn't make sense. The Brotherhood has always been against him."

     Crina shook her head, ignoring Tarn, "That isn't possible. He can't just take someone's power. That power, the ability to use it comes from within us. It isn't something we can just take out of a pocket and set it down to use at some other time when we feel like it."

     Long ago, Wyck had wanted Autumn's powers so he experimented on her with the help of a sorcerer. They created a spell to take her powers. He never possessed them, but he took them from her for a time. Obram knows of that spell and brought the Unhallowed to Malganadem to protect his castle.

     Brae closed his eyes, "And that sorcerer was part of the Unhallowed?"

     Yes. After what happened, he started the Brotherhood to keep Obram's family from using them for their gain. Until the Oracle.

     Tarn snapped his fingers, "I remember this one. She's the only daughter born to one of the brotherhood. She was supposed to be a secret."

     "Sounds like a familiar scenario," Rayen spoke under his breath, but Brae heard.

     Brae shook his head, "And this is just coming out now? Don't you think this might have been more helpful to us before we came here? We came in blind. Cera walked straight into his open arms thinking that she could win, that we could win. Who knows what's happening to her right now!" Brae ran both hands through his hair and stared at the crumbling castle, "I...I don't know what to do." Brae let his hands fall to his sides and closed his eyes. Cera, talk to me.

     We just learned this as well. We have found that our sister has been keeping a great deal from us. We do not believe it was by choice. Once she fell under Cera's spell her walls came down. We have learned a great many things. The protections on the castle being the most important right now. Obram is protected from Cera, Amarundia looked to Crina, then Tarn and Brae, and from you all.

     "Yes, you've told us. Renna was helping. How?" Crina frowned, "How can he be protected from any of us? If Wyck had Autumn, wouldn't Obram need us?"

     Fenulmaria spoke with her head bent, What do most dark spells require from a person, my lady?

     "Blood, but how would he have my blood?"

     Fenlumaria raised her head at Crina's gesture, Your hair.

     Rayen frowned when he remembered, "Cera cleaned your wound. You were bleeding when Renna yanked your hair. There must have been blood on it when she left."

     "Renna! Next time I see her..."

     Brae turned and rubbed his hand over Crina's head, cutting her off, "She held a blade to Cera's neck. I saw the mark; I've seen everything that happened when she returned. She had her blood too."

     Tarn looked at Brae, "That could be why you don't feel her then. But Renna's never been anywhere near me and she would never dare to do something like that to you. How would she have our blood? More importantly, how do we stop that? How do we undo a spell like that? I've heard and learned many things while I traveled the lands, but this? I don't know how to undo blood magic."

     Brae shook his head at Tarn and berated himself, "I'm such a fool. Trill would work spells in front of me and I never paid attention."

     "Me too, but I did, and she never performed blood magic."

     Rayen turned to the dragons, "Go and get Trill."

     All four dragons turned to Brae.