The rest of the journey passed without incident. They arrived at the monastery a few hours before sunset on the third day. Flame led the way, simply striding confidently up to the door she and Aidan had left by and opening it. It wasn’t locked, and they passed inside. Almost immediately Flame and Aidan found themselves frozen in their tracks as the net of a clerical spell fell over them. The mirror Aidan let out a cry of pain and Flame realized that the clerical magic must have been hurting him, vampire that he was. Saint Drago stepped out of a doorway, and several of his followers, all armed to the teeth, emerged from other doorways.

“Speak the password,” said Drago.

“Palindrome,” replied Flame Song, “and he’s not my husband.”

Aidan’s jaw dropped and he looked at Flame Song with amazement and rage playing equal parts in his expression. “I thought I had suckered you, and you were suckering me all along!”

Flame Song felt the restraint of the spell drop away from her and she shrugged. “I guess turn about is fair play,” she said, quoting one of her Aidan’s sayings.

She felt a faint tug of regret, but dismissed it. He deserved whatever was in store for him.

“Come,” commanded Drago, and Aidan stumbled and winced as the spell dragged him in Drago’s wake. Flame Song followed them both. Drago led the way through twisting corridors and down a flight of stairs. In a dim basement hallway there were heavy oak doors with tiny barred windows. Drago directed Aidan into one such, then followed him in. Flame ducked through the door after them. “What are you going to do?” asked Flame Song.

“I’ll use a truth spell and question him,” the cleric answered.

“Won’t that cause him more pain?”

Drago nodded. “Yes. But I must know how he’s been predicting my every move, and there’s no other way to be sure his answers are truthful.”

“I suppose so… but I don’t the thought of seeing him suffer.”

Aidan had stood silently and glared at them both throughout the whole exchange, but at Flame’s words his expression softened slightly. He looked at her with puzzlement and more than a touch of suspicion. Why should she care anything about him?

“You can leave if you don’t want to watch,” said Saint Drago. “I admit I dislike causing pain when my life has been dedicated to alleviating it, but the good that will come of this far outweighs the evil.”

“I’ll stay,” said Flame. “There are a few things I need to know too.”

Drago nodded his assent and initiated the truth spell. Aidan gasped in pain as it began, then he gritted his teeth and glared even more fiercely.

“How have you been finding out my plans?” asked Drago simply.

Every word seemed to be dragged out of the mirror Aidan as he answered, “It was a spell, several of them. They allowed us to look in on you when you were planning.”

“Who put them there?”

“I did.”

“And how did you get in?”

“More than a year ago, you didn’t know me then. I came as a supplicant in disguise.”

“And is your Flame Song going to see you through the spell and come rescue you?” interjected Flame.

“No,” he replied.

“Why not?”

“Because she can’t use the spell without me,” he said. Then he added, with a malicious gleam in his eyes, “And she’ll be much too busy with her new toy to worry about me anyhow.”

“What do you mean?” asked Flame, her eyes narrowed.

Aidan grinned. “My double, that’s what I mean. She gets to corrupt me all over again. I’m sure she’s busy trying to break him right now. And she’s very good at it.”

In obvious distress, Flame Song turned to Drago. “I have to go, right now! Aidan needs me.”

Drago shook his head. “I do not think that would be wise. A few hours more or less will make little difference at this point, and to be frank you look exhausted. You will do your husband little good if you arrive so worn out you can’t stay on your feet.”

“I…” she hesitated, then gave in. “I guess you’re right.”

“Hey, this spell is still on me, Saint high-and-mighty, I-don’t-like-to-hurt-people Drago,” interrupted Aidan. “Are you done?”

“Yes,” said Saint Drago, and with a wave of his hand he released the spell. Aidan breathed out a long sigh of relief. Drago and Flame Song both left the cell. Drago closed the door after them. “There, he won’t be going anywhere,” he said.

Flame looked at him questioningly.

“It’s sealed with holy power. He won’t be able to do a thing to the door, the lock or even the walls, ceiling, and floor. I’m taking no chances this time. Now, I suggest you get some sleep. You can set out well-rested first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll show you to your room. And,” he added, “I’ll tell my followers about you, so you don’t have to worry about scaring the life out of one of them.”

Flame followed Drago, her steps suddenly heavy with weariness. She was tired, so very tired. When she reached the simple room she went directly to the bed and collapsed into it. She didn’t even bother to undress or to shift back into her natural firecat form as she usually did to sleep. She fell into a deep sleep like falling into a slow-moving river the moment her head touched the pillow.