Sleep didn’t come. Not while I was in the presence of a Black Weaver who worked under Pane when I was completely drained of my own magic. Sleep wouldn’t come easily. It didn’t help that I was shivering uncontrollably in our sheltered meadow that had a fire in the center of the frigid darkness. Light snow had started to drift lazily to the ground though it would never touch us. He, the Black Weaver, had casted a Jinx that acted as a barrier around the small clearing. Though it didn’t keep in warm air or keep out cold, it just kept physically solid things from entering and exiting.
I might have actually cried then and there if it weren’t for the training I received at the Academy. Instead small whimpers escaped my lips as I struggled to keep from sleep. I was offered warmth, a blanket, body heat, but I had refused with harsh words; as I should have. The man I had refused the welcome into warmth from was Fleete Steel. Also known as “The Water Worker” in his home town before he deserted them after several assassinations and multiple attempts to overthrow its rule. He had joined the Black Weavers afterwards and I’ve grown under the knowledge to despise the group of traitor Magicians.
“Just take the blanket, you’ll freeze.” spoke the low voice of the Weaver himself. I pulled myself into a tighter ball, my back facing him, in an attempt to keep body heat in,
“Good, let me freeze. I’d rather do that than go with you.” Pure venom dripped from my words and I heard him sigh. I risked a glance over my shoulder at him; his torso was bare, free of a shirt which surprised and angered me, the heavy blanket he was covered in reached a small ways past his abs for him and his arms where crossed behind his head. He still had plenty of Magic and could circulate it throughout his body due to his rank and experience to keep him warm. I snorted and looked away; He’s stronger than I am. I couldn’t get away if I tried, even with full Magic. Damn him, if I had my powers right now the least I could do was stay warm.
“It’s too bad I can’t let that happen. See I promised to bring you back alive and if you freeze, well I would fail at my mission. You will take this blanket even if I have to force you to. You don’t have a choice, little sorceress.” He said, his voice was quiet and dark, I narrowed my eyes,
“Don’t you dare touch me…” I growled as I propped myself up on my elbow. I shot a glare over my shoulder meant to kill before standing up and stepping quickly away from him towards the fire. Before I could take more than five steps he was in front of me, black fog misting around him. He stood about a foot or so taller than me and I had to admit his height was intimidating for a prime Magician but I knew better than to show weakness. I bared my teeth even though I had no means of shifting into an animal.
“Get under that blanket.” He growled and jutted his chin towards the large sleeping mat I had been laying on a minute before that was covered by the large, black, blanket.
“Bite me.
“I gave you a choice,” he sighed, “You refused,” he threw me down and I landed with a solid thud but pain didn’t register, I was to angry for a simple feeling like pain, “I warned you I would use force. You didn’t listen.” I scowled up at him for a second then scrambled to make a break for it. He teleported next to me and pinned me in a flash.
“Get your hands off of me!” I yelled at him, he looked down at me with a cool, amused gaze.
“Good night.” Was all he said before flopping down next to me, one hand tugged the blanket over us completely then reached over my chest and hugged me, pinning my arms to my body with his one arm. He settled and held me roughly as I struggled and lashed but it was helpless, he had me good. I gave one last thrash but got nowhere new. He held me tighter and his hand readjusted around my belly and held me in a better grip as his other hand made for a pillow under his head.
The mere fact of being this close to anybody made me growl deep in my throat. But then I realized that my body heat was returning to normal from its nearly freezing state. That’s when the ache of tiredness in my bones hit me and my eyelids grew heavy. I tried to fight sleep, not daring to fall asleep next to this bloodthirsty criminal such as Fleete but I couldn’t fight it any longer. I let out an ample sigh and with my body warming ruefully next to Fleete Steele's welcomed a deep sleep that I had tried to fight for so long.
