Free The Dark by Marianne Curley Page A

concern yourself.’
    ‘I thought they were going to burst into flames, like that small fire did when you made it explode.’
    She wants me to explain. ‘It was just a skill I was taught to use when confronting an immortal. That’s all.’
    She peers at me with narrowed eyes, her curiosity thoroughly aroused. ‘Really?’ Her mouth twitches at one end, then the other. And while she’s keeping her thoughts well screened, it’s clear she’s come to some fascinating conclusion about me. ‘All those years ago you must have been an Apprentice. Who was your Trainer?’
    For some reason Isabel makes it sound as if the answer to this question will solve the mystery about my unusual display of powers tonight. I don’t want to give her information that might make her leap to any wrong conclusions. I don’t know who my parents were. I was raised in many houses, by both peasants and soldiers. In some of those houses I was a slave. It wasn’t until I turned eighteen, and became indentured into the Guard, that I found a form of peace. I have no last name. The only real family I have ever known is that provided by the Guard. ‘Look, Charlotte is safe.We’ve done our job. We really have to leave now.’
    She tries to grab one of my slightly glowing hands, but I turn away.
    ‘Not until you tell me who your Trainer was.’
    ‘What difference does it make?’
    She lifts one shoulder. ‘Then why not tell me?’
    ‘Because you’ll only jump to conclusions. Crazy ones.’
    ‘Yeah, well, why don’t you let me be the judge of that?’
    ‘We have to go, Isabel. There’s so much to do when we get back.’
    ‘I understand, but I’m not leaving until you tell me who your Trainer was.’
    I groan and shake my head at her persistence. Standing with her hands on her hips, staring at me, she’s not going to change her mind. That is apparent. ‘All right. I was Lorian’s Apprentice. Does that satisfy your curiosity?’
    ‘Aha! I thought so.’ Anyone would think this news is the most momentous she’s heard in all her life. And then another thought hits her. She gets excited, like a child with a brightly coloured parcel in front of her. ‘Tell me one more thing and I’ll never bother you again.’
    Now this I doubt, but I relent all the same. There’s a feeling I can’t get rid of that we have to hurry back to our time. ‘This is the last question you get to ask about my past. We have to return to the Citadel now; time is passing too quickly.’
    ‘Tell me how long.’
    ‘I don’t follow.’
    ‘How long were you Lorian’s Apprentice?’
    Her question is intriguing. I honestly don’t know why my apprenticeship took so long. Maybe I was just a slow student.
    ‘Well?’ she repeats.
    ‘I don’t know why you’re so interested, but for what it’s worth, I was Lorian’s Apprentice for two hundred years.’

Chapter Seven
    Isabel
    Two hundred years! Arkarian was trained by the Immortal, an apprenticeship that took two hundred years! There’s so much to Arkarian I don’t know. So much I want to learn. Strange how the girl, Charlotte, felt drawn to him. Why? And finding out he was trained by Lorian is staggering to say the least.
    And then there was that moment. That moment in his arms.
    But he’s right about having to return to our time quickly. It’s dangerous to delay. Lathenia’s warning keeps ringing in my ears. And we still have to find out how to stop Laura from taking her own life.
    We shift to the Citadel and neither of us takes the landing well. We end up rolling across the floor in a room that seems to be moving. Arkarian helps me up. ‘Something’s wrong.’
    ‘I feel it too. Look at this room.’
    A doorway appears that has a warped look, as if it’s struggling to stay open. Arkarian’s eyes widen. ‘Let’s go!’
    The doorway isn’t fully formed; we have to pushthrough it to get out. Running down a corridor, Arkarian leads the way down several flights of disappearing stairways.
    ‘Where are we