©2000
Alanna sighed, looking out over the practice courts. They were empty, but it was winter, and anyone sane enough would practice inside. Alanna was still not completely sane. She had only just recovered two weeks ago, even though the confrontation with Roger and that poison had been over four months ago. She sighed, pulling her cloak tighter and walking into the gardens.
She looked around and felt comforted by the desolation of the gardens. It was only two weeks till Midwinter. She sighed again, and sat down on one of the marble benches. Life was getting complicated. Too complicated. Half the things that her dream family had said were true. She did jeopardize herself, and she knew it. She admitted that she liked that live on the edge kind of life.
But it wasn't fair to her family. Alanna knew that. George had accepted it, and had never tried to hold her back, no matter how much he wanted to. Her children, they didn't really understand why their mother had to keep disappearing on them, then reappearing. Thom was just beginning to understand, but he still didn't like it.
That was one thing she had always regretted. Not being apart of her children's lives. With Thom, she had been in and out so often, he valued each minute he was with her. She knew from Buri, Daine, Thayet, and Maude that he often got bad dreams about her not coming back. Now, Alan and Alianne had started to join their older brother in those dreams. Alanna hated it, but couldn't help it.
Someone walked up and sat next to her. "Silver for your thoughts," Jon said.
"So much?" Alanna inquired. "My thoughts aren't worth a silver."
"Allow me to judge. I'm the one who inquired, remember?" Jon said. He slipped an arm around her waist and rubbed her shoulder with his other hand.
Alanna sighed. "I'm thinking about that nightmare the poison caused. Thinking about how that dream apparitions seemed so real with such real accusations. I'm actually thinking about how right they are when it comes to my family."
Jon winced. "Pretty dry thinking, but important." Silence closed in, until he interrupted it. "Alanna, you can't help not being home. You chose a long time ago that being a knight was the kind of thing you wanted to do. You chose it."
Alanna looked very sad. "I know. But, then, I didn't want children, or a husband. Then, I only wanted to be a warrior. Looking back on the twenty-four years that I've been training and fighting, it seems worth it. Then I turn my thoughts to the impact it has on my family, and it seems worthless."
She was silent for a minute. "Buri, Daine, Thayet, and Maude all tell me that when I'm gone, Thom, Alan, and Alianne have these horrible nightmares in which I don't come back. In which I die so horribly, that they scream in the middle of the night." She sighed. "Jon, I don't know what to do. I want to be fair to my family, and spend as much time as I can with them.
"Then again, I want to be in the thick of a battle, fighting for my life. I want to be doing things, being in council, fighting, anything. But, I can't help think of what would happen if I actually did die. Or, what would happen if the children hurt themselves while I'm not there. Jon, I'm so confused!"
She buried her face in his chest, and her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Jon couldn't believe she felt this way. She had always put on a brave front, and Jon had always assumed that that was Alanna. That Alanna was always brave, was always fearless. Now he knew better. She was afraid, deeply afraid. Not for herself, but for her family.
"It's okay," he muttered into her hair, stroking it with hands that shook. "Hey, it's okay. Go on and cry. You need to let it all out sometime or other. Now's the best time, while you have someone willing to let you cry on their shoulder."
Alanna took his advice and cried long and hard. Jon noticed someone in the shadows, but chose not to do anything. Instead, he held his friend and tried his damned best to dry her tears.
"Hey, it's okay. C'mon, Alanna," Jon said soothingly. She straightened and sniffed. Her eyes were a bit bloodshot from all the crying, but he didn't care. She still made his heart wrench with love.
"Oh gods," she said. She whipped her eyes, and sniffed again. "I must look like a hag," she said, with a faint smile.
"You'll never look like a hag to me. You'll always be beautiful," Jon said. He held her again, trying to block out the memory of what had happened in that dream the poison had caused. He tried blocking out the part where he and Alanna had made love, because it felt so solid it made him scared. What scared him even more was how much he had wanted to.
"Let's go inside," Alanna said. "We're about to freeze out here. At least, I am."
"A very good idea," Jon said. "I forgot to bring a cloak out with me."
They got up and left, but Jon felt that person watching them. He got a very uncomfortable feeling. He put a protective arm around Alanna and led her inside.
As soon as Alanna had gotten into her room, she had stripped off all her clothes, except for her under garments, and gotten into bed with a mug of strong tea. Taking a long sip of it, she set it down on the nightstand and picked up the book lying there.
Settling into the covers, she opened it, and fell into the book, forgetting everything except for the words on the page. She stopped only when her jaw started to crack from the yawns. Sighing, she put the book down. She finished off her tea, and extinguished the candles and the fire with a thought, and let sleep claim her at last.
Alanna awoke suddenly. Something, she wasn't quite sure what, had aroused her. She sat up, yawning slightly, and lit the branch of candles on her nightstand. Only then did she see a cloaked figure standing next to her bed.
She gasped, and backed into the headboard of the bed. She felt something wet on her forehead, where her head had collided with the headboard. Her vision wavered in and out. She was quickly loosing her grip on reality. "Who are you?" she murmured. "What do you want?"
She barely heard his answer, but what she did hear scared her: "I want you."
* * * *
"Gods!" Jon cursed. "Who the hell would take her?"
Raoul shrugged. "The same one who sent the poison. Maybe some obsessed lad who wants her for himself."
Jon sighed. "She isn't beautiful compared to Thayet. And Thayet was alone all evening. If he wanted some toy to have fun with, I would think he'd go after Thayet, not Alanna."
"Maybe to us," Numair said. "But maybe to him. It might also be a her. Though, I tend to agree with you Jon. Alanna is not beautiful. The best she could hope for is comely."
Jon sighed. "Numair, Alanna is beautiful, in her own way. I should know!" He grinned slightly. Numair looked at his friend with some curiosity. "But I doubt it's a her." Jon pointed to Alanna's clothes and the fact that the bed was very rumpled. "It was a male. Why would a woman abduct another woman who is wearing nothing at all?"
"Nothing at all?" Numair asked suspiciously, and a little curious.
"She doesn't wear anything to bed. Gods know why!" Jon muttered. He went over to the pillows and lifted the left one, revealing a dagger. "Hmm. Bad sign. Alanna's habits are easy to figure out."
"Especially to one of her old lovers," Raoul retorted. Numair's eyebrows raised into his hairline and stayed there.
"Shut up," Jon snapped. "Alanna always has a hand near a weapon. This person must have caught her off guard, perhaps when she just woke up."
Jon saw drops of blood on the pillow and the headboard. Alanna's? He went over by them and extended his hand, palm down. The drops glowed violet: it was Alanna's.
"He's armed, or she hurt herself," Jon muttered.
"I'll go alert the guards," Raoul muttered.
"I'll try and look for her with magic," Numair said.
Jon sighed. "I'll tell Thom, and send a letter to George."
"What?" Thom asked, sitting down hard. "How?"
"We don't know," Jon said, watching Thom's face. "Looks like he came in through the window."
"He!" Thom yelped.
Jon winced at his mistake. Neal, Roald, and Keladry of Mindelan had been eavesdropping by the door, and now fell into the room on to the floor. "You three didn't have to stand by the door," Jon said sourly. He noticed Thom's face was completely white.
"Would this be the same 'he' that sent the poison to Ma?"
"It might be, and most likely is," Jon said.
Thom gulped audibly, and bit his lip. He was so much like Alanna, and didn't even know it. He couldn't even notice it, since she was away all the time. Jon suddenly realized what Alanna had been talking about. "Will she be okay?"
"Of course she will be. I've seen your mother get out of worse," Jon said. He excused the lie mentally, saying that Thom needed the reassurance.
Thom nodded. Neal sighed. "This isn't good, is it?" he asked bluntly.
Jon winced. "No. It's not. It's not good at all."
Roald looked at his father. "Is this some obsessed lunatic?"
Jon drew a deep breath and let it out. "We think so. I hope not. Because, if it is, the chances of him stopping are very slim."
Thom gave an incoherent yelp and then broke down crying onto Roald's shoulder. Jon closed his eyes, trying to keep back tears of his own, and left. He tried to ignore the fact that Keladry of Mindelan was watching his retreating back, but couldn't. He didn't even get out of her line of sight when he pushed himself up against a wall and started to cry himself.
There was going to be a very small chance of getting Alanna back alive, if they even got her back.
Alanna looked around, clearly petrified. She was very glad she had decided to wear her breastband and loincloth to bed instead of sleeping bare as she usually did. Obviously her captor wasn't happy about that.
Well, Alanna thought. One point for me, not that it's much of a point. You can easily get me undressed. Alanna felt sick at the thought. Oh gods! How am I going to get out of this one?
Then her captor came over to her. He reached out a hand and stroked her thigh. Alanna glared and kicked him. If he hadn't jumped away, she would haven't made him hurt real bad.
"Now, now," he said. He took off the cloak. "Let's not fight and make it hard on yourself."
Alanna glared. "Lay one finger on me, and I swear, you will be in for a world of disappointment."
"Why? What will you do?" he asked, fondling one of her breasts.
Alanna kicked, and scored. He clutched his lower belly in pain. "Hands off!" she snarled.
He recovered quicker than she thought. He backhanded her. "Enough, wench!" He grabbed her shoulders and threw her to the ground. She hit her head on the floor, and was knocked out. But not before she saw him advancing on her and not before she felt him rip off what little she had on.
When Alanna next woke, her loins hurt terribly. She could barely close her legs, without screaming in pain. She suddenly felt as weak as a day old kitten. She was on a bed, and she felt violated to the fullest. She tugged her protesting body into a sitting position, pulling the sheets around her body.
There, lounging on a couch was her captor, and the one who had raped her to the fullest. "Morning, love," he said, getting up.
Alanna glared, and remembered her Gift. She sent a full blast at him, which he countered and turned on her. It vanished before it got five inches away from him. "Why the hell are you keeping me here?" she asked, very unnerved and trying not to show it.
"Why am I keeping you here?" he echoed. "Because you are mine. You have been promised to me by your father. Long before you can remember. When you were three, I was six. And you were promised to me. You are mine by right. That marriage to the so called baron is a null. Those children, bastards. You, sweet, are mine."
"What!" Alanna snapped. "You really are insane!"
"Thank you," he said, bowing. "I doubt--"
Sounds came from the door in the room. Alanna prayed to the Mother that it was help. And her hopes fell as a servant came rushing into the room.
"My lord," the servant said hurriedly. "There is a squad of the King's Own coming this way. I believe they may have search warrents. The Knight Commander is in the lead."
"Thank the gods!" Alanna breathed. "I knew they wouldn't let me stay kidnapped for long."
"KIDNAPPED!" he roared. "How dare you!"
The servant ran from the room. Okay Alanna, how will you get out of this one? Just makes lots of noise. Some firebolts can't hurt. Anything to get Raoul over here.
Alanna called up fireballs and hurled them at him. All which hit the ground, which was what she wanted. The place would light up in the color of her Gift, and it would be a becon, she hoped.
Then again, Alanna thought, wincing as he struck her head with his elbow. Maybe that won't happen. . . . Then darkness closed in.
"There!" Raoul said, pointing to a manor in the woods. It was lighting up to be a steady purple. And then it started shaking, badly. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped.
"Numair?" Raoul asked with hope.
"She's in there. That's the place I got a hold on before," he replied.
"Good," Gary muttered. "I want this over as quickly as possible and with as little harm done to her as possible."
"C'mon," Raoul said, dismounting. "It would be better on foot. They won't see us that easily. Numair, can you shield us?"
"I am," Numair replied.
"Good. Let's move."
Alanna looked up and around. Her captor was gone. So was the manor she was in. Instead, she was in the woods, and moving. Someone had a hand around her waist, and was keeping her on the horse. She moaned slighty, and heard Gary's voice.
"It's okay. We've got you," he whispered in her ear.
She looked over her shoulder and was relieved to find that it was Gary. She grinned and heaved a sigh of relief. She swallowed, trying to wet her throat, and gave up on that.
Gary dismounted, and helped her down, and wrapped her in an enveloping hug that hurt. "Oh, gods I'm glad your all right."
Alanna nodded, coming imperiously close to tears."Thank you for coming after me," she whispered.
Gary smiled warmly at her. "Numair used magic to find you, we went for you. Everyone was worried sick." He didn't say anything about her appearance, and for that, Alanna was grateful. He grinned and stepped out of the way as Jon hugged her tightly.
"Gods!" he said into her shoulder. "Don't you know well enough to stay out of the way of kidnappers?"
Alanna laughed. "I thought I did." She sighed, and looked him, then asked softly. "Mind if I go get changed before I freeze?"
He laughed and came along with her. "I'm going to stay right here because we need to talk. Okay?"
"Sure. After I get some clothes on," Alanna said. He came into the main room and sat down while she went to find some clothes. She came back five minutes later wearing a white shirt and breeches. She was just putting an arm sheeth on, as she saw the look on his face. "What?"
He sighed. "Nothing. Just glad that you're okay. Mithros, I thought we'd lost you! Do you know who that man was?"
"No," Alanna said frankly. "Never seen him before in my life. Though, he said we had met when I was three or something. Um," Alanna closed her eyes and remebered what he said. "He said that my father promised me to him. That my marriage with George was null and the children were bastards. Felt like killing him on the spot."
"He got away. Raoul said they searched the manor, but found only you," Jon brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. She grinned. "He said that you were in horrible condition. What happened?"
Alanna winced as she sat down. "He raped me," she said softly. She shuddered. "At least now I know how it feels." She closed her eyes in pain. "Jon, I never want to feel like that again. Never."
Jon nodded, and held her tightly. "It's okay. It's over. There's no way we're going to let him take you again. All right?"
Alanna nodded, and someone burst into the room and flung themself onto Alanna. "MA!" it cried, and fell into her arms crying.
"Thom," Alanna sighed. "Oh, Thom!" she hugged her son tightly and Jon took that time to vanish into the hallway.
"Hello Papa," Roald said.
Jon grinned. "Good that you told Thom that Alanna was back. I doubt you could get those two apart with out a prybar."
Roald grinned. "True."
Alanna held her son as he cried. "Ma, I thought I'd lost you."
"You'll never lose me. You're stuck with me, for good," Alanan said, rocking back and forth with Thom on her lap.
"Good," Thom said, drying his eyes. "Can we keep it that way?"
Alanna grinned. "Try and make me change my mind. You, Alan, Alianne, the twins, and your father are stuck with me for good. And I'm not going to change my mind. Not ever."
"Good." Thom's cries stopped and he sniffed. "Da's here."
"He is?" Alanna asked. "When did he get here?"
"Last night. He's going to be looking for you," Thom said.
"I know. But you're staying here, right?" Alanna asked.
"Right," Thom said.
"Wrong," George said from the doorway.
Alanna grinned. "Why wrong?"
"He's got lessons as a page, remember?" George said. "Unless you want punishments from Lord Wyldon."
"Nope. I don't want any punishments from the Stump," Thom said. He jumped up, kissed Alanna, and ran out of the room.
George grinned, and went to Alanna, holding her tightly. "Never, ever, get kidnapped again."
"I won't," Alanna said. "Not unless it's by you."
George grinned. "Very funny."
"I thought it was," Alanna said, trying to look hurt. Georeg chuckled and put her at arms length, and back over to the bed, holding her hand. Alanna grinned, and held onto him tightly as they fell onto the bed together. "I think you're far more ambitious than I am," Alanna said, between kisses.
George grinned, but didn't reply. In a few moments, Alanna didn't want one.
Alanna sighed, looking around the Hall of Crowns. Why she was here, she didn't know. She could help but get the feeling that something was definatly wrong. She toyed with her emberstone, wishing she could feel at ease. Suddenly, Alanna sneezed four times in a row. When her eyes cleared, the Goddess stood in front of her.
"Goddess," Alanna breathed, falling to her knees.
The Goddess smiled. "So, we meet again," She said. "You have lived up to your destiny."
Alanna looked up into Her eyes. "I have?" she asked, not knowing what She had meant. Alanna had spent her entire life fighting the normal "destiny" of nobleladies.
"You have," the Goddess confirmed. "Yet, this next year will be the hardest for you yet. That man was only one of several challenges to come your way. And with each of those challenges, Tortall will be in greater trouble."
Kel, Neal, Roald, Thom, and Daine had dropped by the Hall to see what it looked like. Seeing Alanna talking with the Great Mother Goddess had shocked them all into silence.
"Trouble?" Alanna asked, quickly. "So, there is something wrong?"
The Goddess smiled. "You should learn to trust your insticts, my daughter."
Alanna smiled. "I should, but my common sense argued that nothing was wrong." Alanna shook her head. "I still have a lot to learn, don't I?"
"Yes, but your learning," the Goddess teased gently.
Alanna sighed, something nagging at the back of her mind. "That poison," she began. "What was it? I mean, I've looked through all the books of sorcery ever written, and I cannot find a spell like that."
The Goddess sighed. "Of course it isn't in a book. The spell came from a god. A war is raging, and it seems the Chosen are the ones being effected. The man who actually sent the poison, he was a Chosen of that god."
"What he said, is it true?" Alanna asked. "Is it true about what he said about my father?"
"No," the Goddess said.
Alanna breathed a sigh of relief. "How can I thank you for your favor?"
The Goddess smiled. "Your life is my thanks. You are a Chosen to make any goddess proud." Then She vanished, and something crashed.
Alanna spun, a dagger in her hand, facing the door. Daine, Thom, Roald, Neal, and a girl she didn't know were by the door. All wore the same awe-struck faces. Rolling her eyes, she sheethed her dagger, and walked over to them.
"What?" Alanna asked.
"You… Your on speaking terms with the Goddess?" Daine asked, a little surprised.
Alanna was aware that her old reckless grin was on her face. "Of course. I told you I didn't get to my position by ignoring the gods' will. But, of course, when someone is fifteen and very headstrong, the thought can cross your mind."
Daine thought of something fast. "Ever been to the Sea of Sands?"
Neal, Roald, Thom, and Kel stared at her. They all knew the legends of how the gods took mortal heros there to test their strength and courage.
Alanna laughed shortly. "Yes. Hated it there." Then a thought crossed her mind. "When you were up in the Realms, did you happen to see a black cat with violet eyes?"
Daine blanched. "Y-yes. Why?"
"Hm. I knew it. That cat was too impudent not to be a god!" Alanna muttered.
"What?" Daine croaked.
"Aw, nothing. I'll explain later." Alanna grinnined. "Faithful. A god! Hah! Serves that cat right." Then Alanna turned the corner and vanished.
"She has hidden depths," Neal muttered darkly.
"Who doesn't?" Kel asked.
Daine sighed. "How did she know about that cat?"
"Faithful?" Thom and Roald asked together.
"You haven't heard about him? Hunh, I thought everyone knew," Thom said.
"Well, I haven't. I doubt Faithful is his real name anyway," Daine said.
"It's the name Ma came up with," Thom muttered. "He wandered into her camp site when she was fifteen. From then on, that cat interjected many comments and lots of backtalk to Ma."
"Yeah. Papa 'knighted' the cat. Um…. Lady Alanna said that Faithful was like a protector. She would have died at Princess Josiane's hands if Faithful hadn't attacked the princess. Faithful died, I guess, protecting Lady Alanna," Roald said.
Daine, Neal, and Kel stared. "Did you know that she went to the Sea of Sands?" Daine asked.
"No," Thom said. "But maybe I can get it out of her."
"Or maybe she'll give you the same answer she gave you when you asked about her Ordeal!" Roald said, grinning.
"'None of your business!'" Thom and Roald contemporaneously.
Kel stared at them. "How well do you know the Lioness?" she asked Roald.
He laughed. "Let's put it this way: she's my mother in as every way, except for flesh, that my real mother is! Also, she's my Godmother."
Thom grinned. "Same here with Queen Thayet." He grinned roguishly. "Actually, sometimes Kally, Liam, Roald, Jasson, Ali, Alan, and I concider ourselves siblings. Ma and King Jonathan act the same way. Ma's the only person I know who can get away with calling the king some pretty nasty things, and vice versa."
"Is that why they're talking to each other again?" Kel asked.
"I guess," Roald muttered. Then he grinned. "Then again, maybe it's Lady Alanna's way to pull a prank on him."
"Like what?" Daine asked. "Pulling the rug out from benth his feet?"
"Been there, done that!" Roald and Thom said at once.
"To dump wine on him?" Kel asked.
"Been there," Thom said.
"Put a frog in his bed," Neal hazarded.
"Done that," Roald said. "Many times when she was his squire. All ranging from frogs to snakes to spiders."
Kel grinned. "Tar, oil, and feathers."
Thom and Roald grinned. "She didn't do that to Papa," Roald said carefully. "But she did do that to Sir Raoul."
Kel, Neal, and Daine stared. "She's good at pranks," Neal muttered.
"Oh yeah!" Thom said.
"But then," Roald said. "So is Papa."
Daine grinned. "Don't we have something to do?"
"Yeah," Roald muttered. "Council…. Yippee."
Alanna scowled at her reflection in the mirror. George lounged on the bed, watching her with an amused grin on his face.
"What is your problem?" Alanna asked, lying down next to him.
He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her forehead. "Nothing. Just never seen you so obsessed with how you look. I'm beginning to wonder if Gary and Raoul brought back the real Alanna, or some very clever look alike."
Alanna glared. "Ask me something only I would know."
"Where did I usually stay in Port Cyann?"
"House Azik, Dog Lane."
"Easy one. Why did you call our wedding off once?"
"Because Thayet was planning it all and she wouldn't take no for an answer. So, I just said forget it. Then we planned it the way we wanted it."
"Fine. You're Alanna."
"Glad you approve," she muttered darkly.
George laughed, and kissed her again. Alanna was tempted to resist him, not in the mood right now, but decided that she might as well; she had nothing better to do, and he need her far more than Jon did at this point.
Night found Alanna overlooking Corus on top of Balor's Needle. It might be closed off for pages, squires, and regular people, but not her. The servents and guards knew she had a strange love of heights, and always let her up. It was also a place she knew she wouldn't be disturbed if she wanted quite, and solitude. The gaurds only came up here when ordered.
Alanna's mind wandered towards the Goddess' words. "Several challenges?" Alanna muttered, toying with the stem of an apple she had taken with her from her room. "With each challenge, more danger? What danger could be so immense that she felt she had to warn me? Would it be a direct or indirect hit on me, or a direct or an indirect hit on Tortall? Omens, I hate them. There is no way to learn what she meant." Alanna grinned ruefully to herself. "Well, at least she's being as cryptic as the badger was to Daine."
Alanna rubbed her head, trying top ease the throbbing. "Things have gotten worse. George is becoming so protective! Sometimes I feel that he's suffocating me. Now, Jon is beginning to get protective. He knows how much I can bear of being cosseted and protected. And that isn't a lot."
Alanna groaned. "Maybe that's a challenge! Having to overcome the fact that Jon and George want to wrap me in gauze and stick me somewhere safe!"
"They have been getting protective of you, haven't they?" a voice behind her said. Alanna turned, and saw someone she didn't expect.
"Thom!" Alanna cried, and threw herself at her brother. He returned the hug every bit as fierce.
"I missed you so much," he whispered.
"But … How?" Alanna asked, pulling away reluctantly.
"The Goddess guessed that you might need someone to watch out for you. I'll be here only to talk to you, and give you support, should you need it. But, do be careful in public. Don't talk to me there! They'd regard you as a crazy person!"
"Gee, thanks," Alanna muttered. She turned and looked out over the city again. Thom leaned on the wall as well, watching her.
"Don't mention it," he said cheerfully. Then he switched into "older brother" mode. "You've been getting into a lot of close calls, haven't you?"
"Yeah, well, that's to be expected in my line of work," Alanna muttered. "You know that."
"I might know it," Thom said, "but it doesn't mean I like it anymore. Alanna, you're my little sister. I love you so dearly that everytime I watch you in a battle and you get hurt, it tears at my heart. I wish I never left the mortal realms," he said, turning to look at the city instead of at her.
"How could you see me in the Dark God's realm?" Alanna wanted to know.
Thom made a sound similar to a laugh. "I'm not in the Dark God's realm," he said.
"Then where are you?" Alanna asked.
Thom grinned. "Of all iornies, the Divine Realms. Looks like I made a god of myself anyway."
Alanna froze, looking at her twin. "What?" she asked, voice soft. A gust of wind blew at them, and Alanna shivered, rubbing her arms.
"Maybe you should start back inside. It's getting cold here," Thom said. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, and vanished. Alanna shook her head. He was good at avoiding things.
Alanna shivered as the cold wind blasted at her. "All right, you got your way, I'm going inside," she muttered, rubbing her arms. She ran down the stairs and over to the rest of the palace. Someone, definatly a god, appeared in front of her.
"It's time," he said, "for you to met your maker." He grabbed her.
"ALANNA!" Jon, Gary, and Raoul shouted, seeing this. They ran for her, but the god and Alanna vanished.
"No," Jon said. "This can't be posible."
"It is," Raoul said. "Looks like even the gods don't want Alanna here."
"We're going to get her back," Gary snarled. "And no one is going to stop us!"
