Her time in captivity was slow, tedious, and gave her plenty of time to think about everything Selosion had said. The country of Seborati, that's what she said. Adrius Sebora, it had to be him.

She had to admit it, Adrius was an impressive man. A high functioning psychopath with a country named after him. She liked it better when she thought humanity was on the brink of extinction.

That name, Sebora, it brought back such memories. She passed the time by speaking of the bad old days with Silas. They spoke about what they remembered of before, but mostly they talked about the war. That talked about how horrible it was, what they did to survive, who they lost, the whole sad story. They both had a lot to tell, and they'd each heard the other's tale a hundred times. They'd lived through it together.

She could still see it so clearly if she thought about it, thirty years later and she could still see that battle field, even when all else was hidden from her sight forever. She could still see Adrius laughing. Silas told her again not to dwell on it. They had all been taken in by his act, they'd all trusted the bastard. Thirty years later they were still paying for it.

She still remembered the day she met Adrius Sebora. Even before he started the war that nearly ended humanity, he'd always been an ass. She has never met anyone half as arrogant or a quarter as cruel. She hadn't known about the second one that day, and she liked to believe that in the beginning he hadn't been. After coming to know the man as she did now, she knew he had never been kind. Whatever organ produced kindness, he just didn't have one.

She didn't know that at the time. She actually believed he was her friend. It was scarcely a year before the great war would break out, but of course she didn't know that either. They met at a dinner thrown by the guild of scholars, in those days a powerful guild that ran the most renowned school on the continent of Aldreth, certainly in the kingdom of Crestan, which had been her home.

He'd been in a sky blue silk shirt, with his red-blonde hair combed back, loitering near the h'orderves the first time she saw him. She'd been 27 then, so young. She'd still been a student then, and fascinated by the visiting foreign noble.

It made her angry to think of that stupid person she'd been, watching him over the rim of her wine glass like some lovesick child. She was hardly the only one. None of them could have known what he was, what he would become. She had all but swooned when she saw that he was looking back at her.

It was some time later when she finally worked up the nerve to approach. She went to the table he stood near, and took a skewer of grilled chicken and onions from a serving tray before greeting him.

“Greeting to you, milady.” His voice was courtesy itself and he inclined his head to her. “I do hope this night finds you well.” To say the least, it did. The wine was beginning to go to her head, though she'd had but the one glass. “What name could belong to one so lovely?” And with that she had been truly smitten.

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She'd given her name, and received his in kind, though of course she already knew him. Everyone there that night had. The fact that he was even here, they all thought, meant that peace was coming. It was a good thought, a comforting thought, it encouraged the kingdom to lower its guard, just like her. Both she herself, and her country would face the consequences of that.

They talked about his homeland, the war, peace, her time with the scholar’s spire, just everything. Before she knew it an hour had passed.

“I have to ask, will you bring peace?” Her voice was full of pleading. He stood up, and stood in salute with his hand over his heart, and locked eyes with her.

Adrius met her gaze. “ Everything I do, I do to create a more peaceful world.” His gaze was intense, and haunted her ever after, as did his words. In some insane way, she thought he really believed it. That was the most dangerous thing about him. He was absolutely convinced of his own righteousness.

They'd talked for much of the night, working their way slowly around the tables and sampling various fine finger foods. When the night was coming to an end, he offered to walk her home, which she accepted.

Suddenly a loud sound stirred her from her memories. Someone was knocking on the door to her room. announcing their presence. She had a suspicion as to who it was, which was confirmed a moment later when Adrius opened the door and strode into the room.

“I am pleased to inform you you look well,” He said, voice still full of the courtesy she now knew to be false.

“Your presence feels exactly the same as when we last met. Sickening.” It was no exaggeration. Having him in her head made her almost physically sick. Even speaking to him was revolting now.

“You are naïve. I only do what is necessary. The existence of Scholar's Spire threatens the entire world that I've built from the ashes of what was.” In all this time, he'd not changed in the slightest. He spoke the words aloud for no other reason than to show he could when she could not.

“We will have a trial for you.” She laughed aloud at the very thought of what a joke such a trial would be. “You will serve as a warning to your students. I killed one of them today. She fought fiercely.” She felt as though the hatred would burn a hole through her.

“I did not hate her. I do not hate you.” She felt him move as if to touch her, but wisely thought better of it. “The books you are trying to protect are the most dangerous objects ever created. Such things must be controlled or destroyed.”

“The students of the Scholar's spire always have and always will work towards the common good.” Her voice rang in her ears. She thought absently of the fact this man was one of only a few people who actually knew the sound of her voice.“We have always been the ones to control the books, providing them to the public, supervising and when necessary policing their use.”

“It is not enough. It was never enough. Books and writing are simply too powerful to be in the hands of the public. Even your impermeable contract, your stone lore, is far from enough.” Her heart nearly stopped when she heard him name the document. “Yes, I know of it. So I shall track down every copy and smash all but one to ruble. Perhaps even destroy them all. You will tell me the location of every copy you know of.”

This time he did touch her cheek, and turned her head in what she could only assume was his direction. “Let us be done with this preamble, Madgera. We both know how the story ends.” She made not a move, scarcely even seeming to breathe.

“You will be tried, and if found guilty executed, publicly, in just a few hours,” he said coldly. “I suggest spending this time in quiet contemplation. Perhaps you shall be pardoned, allowed to live out your days in Seborati. I doubt it, but anything is possible. There will be a plate of food sent up shortly.” And with that he strode out of the room and left her in the familiar darkness.