Time started to lose its meaning. Minutes and hours blended into one continuous loop and I had no idea how long I had been sitting in my cell before someone came to find me. To distract myself from painful thoughts, I took to counting the floor bricks. One hundred and sixty four. I counted them four times just to be sure. I had just moved on to wall bricks when a sound startled me into losing count.

It was Eiet, one of my father’s knights. I wanted to be relieved to see him, but with how things had been going, I imagined he was just as disgusted by what I was as my parents had been. He stepped inside, but came no further. After a couple of moments, he took a deep breath and started speaking. “I am to take you to the carriage.”

I remained slumped on the floor, all the will in my body having completely evaporated. For some reason, I thought that if I could just stay where I was, everything would be okay. But I knew I wouldn’t have the chance to test that feeling. Eiet bent down next to me, his expression pained. “M’lady. Please. If I do not do what I’m told, I will be punished. You must know better than anyone how cruel your parents can be.”

Eiet was my friend. He was the only one of my father’s knights with whom I had any sort of personal relationship, and so I didn’t want to get him into trouble. If I escaped or didn’t get to the carriage, my father’s fury would fall upon him. I shuddered as I thought of what the Lord of Eleanor would do to a knight that let his possessed daughter get away. I helped Eiet pull me to my feet. “Eiet, please, you have to help me. They are going to have me executed.” Tears were brimming in my eyes once again.

A darkened crestfallen look overran Eiet’s face. “I know, and I wish I could help. But I cannot right now, my lady, no matter how much I wish to. They will know, and I fear the punishment for me will be far more severe.” He looked at me with more resolve. He was clearly trying to buttress my emotional state and his own at the same time.  “But I will try. As soon as I can help you without suspicion, I promise I will do so.”

I nodded. There was nothing more I could ask of him. He was doing his job and I believed again that he would help me no matter what. “Why aren’t you disgusted by me, by the magic?” I asked as he led me down the narrow passage way.

Eiet looked uncomfortable and a faint blush crept up his cheeks. “I… I just know you, my lady,” he said, too quickly. I had a feeling he wasn’t telling me the whole truth. “You have a good heart, and whether you have magic or not, that isn’t going to change. You are the only person in your family that has treated me like a human being.” His eyes momentarily betrayed a sad hopelessness. I stopped abruptly, knowing he would too. As soon as he did, I reached out and pulled him into a hug. Without protest, he hugged me back.

“I will find a way to help you, I promise,” he whispered into my ear.

“Knowing that you care is enough for me.”

He started leading me again, this time holding my hand. Before we went outside, he stopped me. He gestured with some rope he was holding in his other hand and I turned my back to him. I let him take my arms and bind them behind me. He then led me outside to the carriage.

Or, rather, the carriage and more. The normal carriage was there --  the one in which my parents, brother, and I usually rode – but connected to it was a small cage, big enough for an animal… or in this case, me. I swallowed, but tried not to show how disturbed I was by the sight.

Eiet unbound my arms. Gently, almost as a kindness, he pushed me into the cage and locked it. When he was done, my whole family walked into view, each wearing a look of distain on their faces. Even my brother, Zane, couldn’t stand the sight of me. My heart tightened in my chest. Overnight, I had gone from beloved daughter and sister to something unknown to be feared and hated. It was like I never even existed.