His shoulder was beginning to hurt by the time he reached the gates and passed through them. His head was pounding harder than ever and his legs were cramped from having been tied for so long, but he barely noticed the discomfort as he crept timidly across the outer courtyard and through the gate in the curtain wall. His heart was pounding with fear as he expected Philip to jump into view at any moment, furious with him for having run away and ordering him to carry out terrible penalties that the hypnosis spells would compel him to perform.

     He reached the main doors without seeing anyone, though. Without seeing any sign that the castle was inhabited at all, or had been for at least a hundred years. He grinned as he thought that he could have brought Jack and Toby and his two sons in with him, in perfect safety, or could he? In the two years he'd been here he'd seen many spells cast by Molos Gomm that lay dormant until triggered by a specific event. Who knew what spells might have been cast to defend against unwanted intruders?

     Reaching the old wizard's bedchamber, he paused by the door before entering, listening intently for any sound coming from inside, just in case. He heard nothing, though, and indeed the room was empty when he cautiously opened the door. Everything neatly arranged and tidy, waiting for the master's return. Tak stumbled eagerly across to a large wooden chest standing against the far wall. It was locked, but the key was hidden in a secret alcove in the wall above it. He'd seen Molos Gomm putting it there many times.

     The chest was full of old, yellowing papers, creased and torn from the old wizard's impatient rummaging. In amongst them were old faded items of clothing, a couple of books and some small boxes, locked shut and no doubt containing some interesting things. Tak pushed them aside, looking for what was underneath. There it was, right at the bottom. About the size of an egg box and bearing the symbol of Caroli, Goddess of Healing. Opening it carefully, he saw green velvet moulded to form six soft depressions, two of which contained small glass ampoules filled with a clear fluid. He carefully picked one up, snapped off the top where the glass had been deliberately weakened and gulped down the contents.

     Tak had never been healed by holy power before, and the sensation that filled him as it took effect made him gasp out loud. It was as if someone had deluged him with ice cold water, except that the sensation went through him as well as over him. New strength washed through him and suddenly he was better. Much better. His body sang with health and vitality. His skin was pink and healthy and the skin of his wrists was clear and unmarked. He laughed with pure joy, closed the chest and danced back out into the corridor.

     He was closing the door behind him when a thought struck him. Why hadn't he taken a potion of healing with him to Aldervale? He'd been hoping it was simple poisoning that had been afflicting Lyssa's father, and he'd known Molos Gomm had potions of healing in stock. If he'd taken one of them with him, he could have cured Jack Nowl as soon as he'd arrived. They wouldn't have had to send away for the cleric. They could have started back to Castle Nagra there and then, with Toby with them, and he could have spared himself his whole ordeal as Jack's captive.

     He laughed as he thought of it. Wizards were supposed to be intelligent. Evil, but intelligent, but how bright was he to have overlooked something so simple and obvious? Well, he'd had other things on his mind, like just overcoming his hypnotic conditioning long enough to get out of the castle. He consoled himself with that thought as he trotted down the corridor, still chuckling to himself under his breath.

     He sobered as he approached Philip's room, though. Chances were he was still in there, giving Lyssa a last seeing to before rising to start the say, and Tak didn't want to confront him just yet. He listened, therefore, trying to hear movement. Any clue that the older apprentice might still be in there.

     "Welcome back, Sir," said a voice.

     Tak almost jumped out of his skin in shock and surprise. It was Trobo, descending the stairs and gazing impassively at him as he waited patiently for the young man to make room for him to pass.

     Tak stood and moved aside, his heart hammering with fear. "Good morning, Trobo," he said as levelly as he could. He decided to bluff it out. "I, er I had business in town."

     "The young lady's father?" asked Trobo. Tak nodded apprehensively. "Will she be leaving us?"

     "Yes, as soon as Philip's, er, finished with her."

     "Master Philip left his chambers some time ago, Sir. I understand mistress Lyssa is now alone. Should I prepare the horse and cart to take her home?"

     Tak struggled to keep the astonishment out of his voice. "T-that won't be necessary. Her father's waiting for her just down the road."

     "Very good, Sir," said Trobo, giving a small nod. "I will inform Mrs Parla that there will be one less for dinner."

     He squeezed past the dumbfounded Tak and proceeded down the corridor like a perfectly made, well oiled automaton, leaving the apprentice wizard gaping like a beached fish. The idea that the houseman might cooperate with him against Philip's wishes had simply not occurred to him. Could it be that Trobo was also worried about a backlash from the townspeople and was keen to end a potentially dangerous situation? Another thought occurred to him. Could he have saved himself the long and almost fatal walk into town by asking Trobo to lend him the horse and cart? But if he'd done that he wouldn't have met and made friends with Toby and his family and he would probably have died at the hands of Jack Nowl. Funny how things turned out. He smiled to himself as he returned to Philip's chambers and knocked on the door.

     There was no answer so he went right in. Lyssa was still in Philip's bed, holding the sheets to her chest, staring at him with eyes that were red from crying. There were tears still glistening on her cheeks, but with an effort of pride and willpower that made Tak's heart go out to her she lifted her chin and met his eyes steadily.

     "Have you come to avail yourself of me as well? Well that's what I'm here for and I've got nothing else to do..."

    Her voice broke at the end and her chin trembled with humiliation and shame, but then she gathered what was left of her strength and dignity and dropped the sheets. Baring her breasts and daring him to do what he would. Making it an act of defiance. "Come on then, might as well get it over with."

     Another tear leaked from her eye despite her every effort to stop it and her courage broke Tak's heart. "I've come to get you out of here," he said, glancing back at the doorway to make sure it was still empty. "Your father's waiting to take you home."

     She stared at him in disbelief and suspicion, expecting it to be a cruel trick of some kind. "It's true," Tak cried impatiently, rummaging through chests and drawers looking for her clothes. "Get dressed, quick!"

     "Really?" begged Lyssa, her voice full of desperate, pathetic hope.

     "Really," He found her clothes and threw them at her, then left the room. "Hurry!" he cried before closing the door.

     She emerged five minutes later, dressed the same as when he'd first seen her. "But he cursed my father. Put a spell on him..."

     "It wasn't a curse," said Tak as they hurried down the corridor. "Or a disease. Philip poisoned him, like a common criminal. All it took was a cleric to heal him. He's fine now and waiting for you."

     "Poisoned!" gasped the girl. "Just a simple poison... Daddy'll kill him. You don't know what he's like..."

     "I have some idea," muttered Tak to himself. "You must talk him out of it, though. Philip doesn't know many spells, but he knows enough to kill your father if he does anything foolish. I know what you've been through. I've had to endure the same thing for the past two years. I can only imagine how much you must hate him."

     Lyssa stopped suddenly, turned to face him. "What do you mean, you've had to endure the same thing?"

     "You don't think Molos Gomm brought me here for my mind, do you?"

     She stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Then you're a prisoner here, just like me?"

     "For the moment, but I'm learning magic from him and one day I'll know enough to kill him. They'll both pay for their crimes. I promise you."

     They reached the main gate without any further encounters and ran across the inner and outer baileys with their hearts pounding, dreading to hear Philip calling a challenge from a high window. Rationally, Tak knew they had escaped. They were out of range of any spell the young wizard could possibly have learned, but it wasn't until they reached the gatehouse and scrambled through it hand in hand that he allowed himself a sigh of relief. Then he heard a cry and his heart froze in terror, but it came from ahead of them, not behind. It was Jack Nowl, crying for joy at the sight of his daughter and running to meet her.

     They met a hundred yards from the gatehouse. Jack gathered his daughter up in a great hug, both of them sobbing with joy and relief. Tak walked away to give them some space. He joined Toby and his sons further up the road, where they were watching the scene with damp eyes.

     "Jack'll thank you for this one day," promised Toby, putting a hand on Tak's shoulder. "When he's back in his right mind."

     Tak nodded, still watching the weeping, laughing couple. He felt a warm tingle in his soul. It was the knowledge that he'd done a good thing, and that simple feeling made all his suffering of the past two days worthwhile. He searched his head for any trace of anger or resentment at Jack's treatment of him and found none. No-one who showed such joy and jubilation at being reunited with someone they loved could be all bad.

     "Are we in any danger here?" asked Jame nervously. "Maybe we should move a little further from the castle."

     "Wouldn't do any harm," agreed Tak.

     Jack and Lyssa were already walking back, however, the father with an arm around his daughter's shoulders and glancing uneasily back at the castle. When they reached Tak's group he stared at the apprentice wizard with suspicion. "What price do I have to pay for my daughter's return?"

     "I'd say you've both already paid enough," replied Tak. "Just go home and get on with your lives."

     "You expect me to believe that? You just stroll into a castle that armies fear to approach and walk out with its greatest treasure? Just like that? You couldn't have done that without Molos Gomm's consent. What price does he ask in return?"

     "As I've said before, this wasn't Molos Gomm's doing but his apprentice, Philip. Molos Gomm..." He nearly said 'isn't here,' but stopped himself just in time. "...couldn't care less about her coming and doesn't care about her going. He prefers good looking boys."

     Toby looked alarmed and glanced at his sons.

     "You don't have to worry," Tak reassured them. "He has more sense than to steal them from so close at hand. He fishes further afield. Philip, though, is young and stupid. He can't see the dangers of angering his neighbours."

     Jack's eyes widened with realisation. "So I was right. You did it to save yourself."

     Tak nodded with downcast eyes. It was the truth, after all. "Don't think about rousing the town to attack the castle," he warned. "You might win, you might kill Molos Gomm and all the rest of us, but too many of you would die, and horribly. I've seen his power."

     "He threatens us," said Jack, his eyes burning. "Now we see him as he really is."

     "Jack, for the sake of the Gods..." Toby shook his head in exasperation. "Come on, let's get out of here."

     He and each of his sons shook hands with the apprentice wizard, and before Jack could stop her Lyssa ran forward and hugged him long and hard. Then she drew back a little to peck him on the mouth. He stared in astonishment, his lips tingling delightfully as her father pulled her back, and he wondered whether the girl had given Philip as much pleasure in three days as she'd given him in that one moment.

     Their parting was complicated by the problem of how to turn the cart around on the narrow road. In the end, Tak had to climb aboard, drive it into the castle courtyard (again searching the windows for any sign of Philip), turn it around there and take it back out to where the townspeople were waiting. Jack examined it carefully as he climbed aboard, as if fearing it had been infected by some kind of evil force, but then he beckoned Lyssa to join him and the two of them headed back to town at the greatest safe speed they could manage. Lyssa waved back once, and Jack said something in a sharp, angry voice. Then they rounded a bend and passed out of sight.

     "About time you were going too," said Tak, "and I need to get back to my studies if I'm ever going to be strong enough to kill Molos Gomm."

     "You'll always have friends in town," promised Toby. "Jack will be telling his version of the story, but I'll be telling the truth. We'll make sure people know how it really was."

     Tak felt himself choking up with gratitude and emotion. "Thank you," he managed to say. "That means a lot to me."

     "Come and visit us sometime, if you can," the farmer added. "We'll be glad to see you."

     "I will, if I can," promised Tak.

     They shook hands again, and then the townspeople mounted up and rode back along the road, looking back and waving as they went. Tak waved back until they passed out of sight, then walked slowly back to the castle.