Someone grabbed me and dragged me out of bed. I tried to scream, but a huge hand was over my mouth. I struggled to get free. Something went over my eyes and they started to drag me away. I struggled to wiggle free of the strong grip, but it was like iron.

I was taken outside. I shivered in the night air. Then someone pushed to the ground, harshly. A foot was put heavily on my back and pushed down, hard. I let out a cry, since no one was covering my mouth anymore. My hands were forced in front of me and something cold and smooth was clamped onto my wrist. I pulled helplessly to be free.

"Ah, the cursed boy."

The voice sent shivers down my spine. I wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed almost inhuman. Without trying to, I froze.

Someone grabbed my chin and forced my head up painfully. I gritted my teeth. "Hello," said the same, cold voice. "Did you really think you were safe?"

"Who are you?" My voice came out in more of a whisper. It was deeper. I hadn't used my voice in years. It sounded foreign to me.

"They call me Canus, but that's not my real name. But Canus will do. Now, who are you?"

I swallowed. "Don't you know?"

Canus laughed. "Very funny. All we know is your this dang boy we've been trying to find for three years or so. I'd like to have your name, so we don't have to call you 'boy' all the time."

"Asher," I said.

"Asher," Canus said. "A good name."

I was grabbed the the collar and forced to my feet. As soon as I was let go, I tried to make a run for it. I didn't get too far, because of the metal cuffs around my wrists. I could hear the clacking of chains. With one tug, I was thrown forwards right on my face. I felt a sharp kick in my side from some sort of metal boot. "Good try, Asher," the same, cold voice of Canus said. "But there's no escape."

"What do you even want with me?" I asked, fear flooding my voice.

"Oh, I don't want you. My master does."

Master? "What does he want me for?"

Canus laughed without humor. "Nevermind. We take you to him and we get the prize."

"What prize?" I asked. I didn't even think anyone knew about me. Could this all be about my powers? Did he work for the king? Were they going to lock me up? Force me to the front lines and use my as some sort of a battle weapon? The possibilities of what was going on was endless.

"Get moving!" Canus yelled. "And you, get up." I scrambled to my feet. No use getting kicked again. There was the sound of a whip being cracked and the whine of a horse, then I was pulled forwards sharply by my arms. The shackles around my wrists must have been connected to a link of chains and now was most likely being pulled by the horse.

I couldn't see where I was going, so I tripped several times, ran into trees, and had no idea where I was going. Every time I tripped, I was dragged a few feet until I could somehow stumble to my feet again, or when the horse stopped and the men would kick, or even whip me until I got up. Then, I would be struggling to keep up again.

Finally, night fell. They didn't unchain my hands or take my blindfold off. They simply made sure the chain was tight enough around a tree and then no one bothered me again.

I could smell the scent and hear the sound of fire. I didn't completely reach where I was, so I struggled to keep my worn, torn cloak on me. There was also the tempting smell of meat cooking over the fire. My stomach grumbled and my throat went dry. But no one came over. It was like they forgot me.

What just happened? I asked myself. How does a normal day turn into being kidnapped by...whoever these guys are. And they know about my curse....

My curse. Only Bretta knew about my curse. Right?

A new fear ran through my veins. Someone else knows about me! But how? Had they been spying on me? Are they the same men who killed Bretta?

Some of my fear turned into anger. If these were the same men who killed my sister, they'd better-

"Oh, give the boy some water at least," Canus said, interrupting my thoughts. "We've got a long walk tomorrow and I don't want him passing out so we have to carry him."

My head was forced back suddenly and something was forced into my mouth. I almost tried to get it out, until cool water ran down my dry throat. Right then I didn't care who was giving me this, I was just happy to have something to wet my dry throat.

All too soon, the container was empty and the man left, leaving me shivering and alone again. I wanted to cry, but tears didn't come. Come on, Asher, you'll be a man in less than a year! Men don't cry! But I didn't care. I just wanted to go home, to be normal like other boys my age, to have Bretta back, to be fed and wear fitting clothes, to run, be happy, a normal life.

That last thought was what I think broke me. Tears sprung to my eyes before I could stop them and dampened the blindfold over them. Then they started to run down my face. The exhaustion and pain from the day suddenly crashed on me. Soon, I was silently sobbing.

Strangely enough, I didn't cry myself to sleep as I thought I would. When I stopped crying, I sat awake for a few moments. Then, I heard the two hushed tones of two of the men. I strained my ears and held my breath to hear what they were saying.

"Why do you think this boy's so important anyway?" The first one asked.

"Because he's dangerous, just like our master," the second one said.

"But what makes him so special? If he's so much like our master, then why does he need him?"

"I don't know," the second man said. "But I don't want to disobey orders. Remember what happened last time when Ràul made him mad?"

"Yeah, they were still finding scraps of him last week, weren't they?"

A shiver went through my spine. The way they said it made it seems so casual. I closed my eyes, not wanting to hear anymore.

"Eh, Clyde, what'll happen to the kid? I mean, he's just a boy, ain't he?"

"Who knows," the second man, Clyde said. "The important thing is, we'll be so rich, we won't have to worry about the guilt."

Then there was silence. I tried to even my breathing and stay calm, but after what I had just heard, I thought I'd never be able to sleep again.

Suddenly, sleeping was the least of my priorities. A hand slipped over my mouth and a tip of something cold and sharp pressed lightly on my throat. "Stay calm, boy," said an old woman's voice. "I'm not gonna let these goons get my prize. Now, if you'd calmly just relax as I undo these chains..."