I've never been in cramped spaces and I seem to also have claustrophobia. I never knew that until now.

The walls of the dungeon seemed to be pressing down on me as if trying to strang me. The ceiling threatened to crush me under its weight.

The place was damp and dark with eerie, fluorescent algae growing on the walls, feeding off the moisture.

There was not a sound of any soul and I wondered if I was the only prisoner kept there, or if I was the only person who was being isolated in the fear of me having a bad influence on other captives.

The more I thought, the less I liked it.

They say, your head is a very dirty place in which you can be. I believe it now because if I can't reign my thoughts in, I'll die of a heart attack even before my trials.

I wondered what Poppy would have done in my situation. She wouldn't have broken down.

Her mind is far stronger than me. She would have found out a way of escape by now. But I'm a failure as usual.

Thinking of Poppy made me feel more helpless... Maybe she's now a Vešterka. Maybe she eats the sprites, but she's my sister. You can't just ignore the connection of blood.

Those people had been drawing my blood and probably testing it for the presence of magic in it. They were very disappointed to know that I am utterly useless.

What if they kill me? Rather — what if the keep me imprisoned forever in this hellhole?

I closed my eyes and clutched my head in my hands in despair, curling up in a fetal position — the only posture that gave me a sense of security.

I was so engrossed in blocking our my surroundings, that I didn't hear them when someone opened the gates to my dungeon and a stately figure was towering over me.

"Aaron, get up... It's time for your trial!"

Claramay!

Despite everything that happened... I still couldn't forget her. One word from her always brought a rush of warmth in my heart.

I peered from between my hands and my eyes met hers. They were completely still, devoid of any emotion or any clue that she recognized me.

'We don't have the entire day young man. Move your lazy ass and be up on your feet, unless you want to be dragged all the way,' her voice was crisp, businesslike.

Dejectedly I got up.

She mumbled a spell and handcuffs appeared on both my hands.

Well secured, they started marching me from the cell to my doom.

To distract me from the thoughts of my imminent death, I started studying the members of our entourage.

There was only one guard except for Claramay and that guard seemed to be even afraid to raise her head. She scuttled forward, in a way which stated she'd easily choose another job over this one any day.

I lagged behind and surprisingly Claramay did too until we were in a line and she was walking beside me.

'Umm... Nina... Could you please go up and see if they're ready? I'm keeping an eye on him,' her voice suddenly boomed in the caves.

Nina, who was only too eager to escape from the company of a good Vešterka and a supposedly evil human, scurried away in a hurry.

Just as she was out of sight, I felt a hard push. Before I realized what was happening, I landed against the wall, face forward and I felt the wall slip. I tumbled into pitch darkness.

Someone climbed in behind me and the door closed like Aladdin's cave.

For a second I could only hear the sound of fast breaths. My assaulted was close at hand. A blue fire lit up suddenly and I saw a profile of the face.

Claramay!

I was so dumbstruck that I opened my mouth to scream.

She clapped her hands on my mouth to muffle any sound and whispered fiercely in my ear, 'What the hell are you doing you, idiot? They'll catch us!'

I nodded my head up and down, almost comically.

Her blue eyes looked at me, critically analyzing me to make sure I won't scream. Then she released my mouth and shrugged.

The handcuff chains broke!

I was free again.

But I was more confused than ever.

'What is this place?' I whispered.

'A secret tunnel leading to the outside,' said she, typing away furiously on a small cellphone like device in her hand. 'I'm searching for the GPS. We need to get out of here without the guards noticing.'

'Why would you save me?'

She ignored my question and went on with her device.

'Why did you pretend as if you don't know me?'

No answer.

'What are you? And why do they trust you? Are you not a Vešterka?'

Her eyebrows frowned in frustration.

'Why the hell did you save me if you just wanted to torture me with your silence?' I screamed finally.

She turned around and grabbed my collar, pulling my face so close that our lips were inches apart. But the fury in her eyes made all romantic thoughts burn to ashes.

'Because you don't understand when to wait and watch and give up. What the hell were you thinking, you moron? You would have gotten yourself killed out there. You and your big mouth —What would have happened to me if...' she stopped midway, carefully putting on the mask of neutrality again.' I'm getting you out of here at all costs!'

My eyes drifted back to her lips again. The plump lower one, which she was chewing. That showed how anxious she was about our little adventure.

The little space made me shiver. We could as well have been kissing.

I remembered the feel of her lips on me and the euphoric high after an intense episode. My eyes met hers and a thousand thoughts seemed to be fleeting thorough her mind.

I suddenly catch a glimpse of the old she in the new feelingless eyes. It was Claramay, my Claramay, just a colder and more mature version.

She bit her lip again.

Did she also remember things that happened between us? Was she also thinking about our first kiss?

'Umm...if you're done, could you please leave my collar?' I mumbled to break the awkward silence.

She let go of my collar immediately and jumped back two clear feet.

'We'll go,' the cold version was, back after just a moment of vulnerability.

She turned around, signalling for me to follow...