Survival

"Hanna?" Aurora could not believe what she was seeing. As the Fate reached out and touched the Empress's hand, the world slowed and froze around them. "What is happening?"

"I have stopped time to speak to you." Hanna said.

"You like to do things in a dramatic way. This must be important." The Empress remembered that the first time Hanna had visited, it was as part of her horrible vision.

Hanna clicked her tongue. "Hush! This is serious. Not even the High Fates know I am here and Justum will be quick to bring me back to Mystic Spires when he realizes that I am gone."

This was serious indeed. "I am listening."

"Young Alaron did not go the mountains."

She and Mairwen were right to be concerned. The Empress's heart sank. "Where did he go?"

Hanna's words were barely a whisper. "To betray you. You were supposed to remove Cafer from his life…"

"We thought that we had!" Aurora defended herself.

"As did I, my dear. But u