Author's Note: Sorry guys, I've been a bit busy lately. I was also struggling to think of an idea for this next chapter, but do not fret I have a fantastic idea, well at least I thought it was fantastic.

Chapter Nine – The Gods' Power

"What did Thom do?" Roger asked, fury rising to his face.

"Thom brought her back to life, I think," Delia said, venom dripping from her voice.

"WHAT! WHY DID HE BRING HER BACK TO LIFE!" Roger was screaming at the knight and lady.

Delia cowered behind Alex who was taking the brunt of Roger's heat. He watched as Roger created a ball of orange fire in his hand. Roger hurled the fire at a chair.

"Bring. Me. Thom," He told his two minions, "NOW!"

Delia and Alex hurried off to find the squire, terrified of Roger's wrath that could turn on them at any moment.

"Sister, 'Lanna, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry!" Thom sobbed, sitting by his sister's bed in the infirmary.

"Thom, she is going to be fine, you need not worry while she is under my care. Now you must run along, I'm sure you have errands to be running," Duke Baird told the young man, trying to slowly shove him out of the infirmary so that he could carry on with his duties.

Thom took the hint and left without another word, he passed Prince Jon on the way in. They gave each other a subtle nod, but did not acknowledge each other in any other fashion.

"How is she, your Grace?" Jon asked quietly, respecting the other healers and patients at work.

"She's better than she was an hour ago; her body is still in shock though," Baird replied, giving the young man a sympathetic look, his affections for the girl were quite evident.

Jon nodded and sat down beside Alanna's bed. Baird hid his smile as he bowed to the prince and went to tend other patients.

Alanna was drifting through her dreams. She was following Thom down one of the many palace halls. He didn't seem to be going anywhere in particular. He turned down another hall and entered a door.

Alanna followed and was met by hundreds of books on hundreds of shelves. She noticed that the shelves all had plaques on them with a different use or type of magic.

This must be the mages' library, she thought to herself.

Thom sat down at a table piled with scrolls. He picked one up leisurely and began to read.

"Thom!" Alanna turned to see Alex standing in the door way of the library. "Duke Roger is looking for you."

Alanna watched Alex smirk and saunter away from the room.

That's odd, why is he in my dream.

Jon watched Alanna toss and turn in her sleep. He pushed strands of hair away from her sweaty face and mopped the sweat from her face with a cool compress.

"Alanna, please get better," Jon whispered softly to her.

He held one of her hands in his own. It was ice cold and she was shivering.

Thom entered Duke Roger's room and Alanna stepped in behind him. Roger stood by the windows. He held his jeweled scepter.

"Thom, did I not tell you that you were to stay out of my way?"

"Yes, your Grace," Thom replied, nervous and anxious of what Roger was going to say.

Alanna decided that Roger didn't even know she was there. He went on a tirade about how Thom shouldn't have saved her, that the gods would be furious with him for bringing his twin back to life. It was the gods choice who would move on to the Peaceful Realms and when.

"And now Thom, the gods have decided that it is time for you to move onto the Peaceful Realms." Roger pointed his scepter straight at Thom's head.

Alanna lunged for Thom's hand and just in time too. She brought up a shield just in time to save her brother's hide. She drew power from both of their Gifts, putting all she could into protecting them.

"What-what is happening?" Roger screamed as the orange blast began to break up.

Jon yelped and dropped Alanna's hand as he felt it grow incredibly hot all of the sudden. He stared at the girl as she shimmered an eerie amethyst colour.

"Duke Baird!" Jon couldn't help it, he yelled for the chief healer.

The duke came at run and skidded to halt in front of Alanna's bed.

"What on earth?" he didn't to touch her, he himself could understand when great powers such as the gods were at work.

Thom stood behind a wall of purple flames. He felt like someone was squeezing his hand tightly, but there was no one there. On the other side of the wall of flames, his knight-master was sending blast after blast of orange magic at him, trying to shatter the powerful shield that was cast before him.

"Stop trying to defend yourself you stupid boy! My power is far greater than yours! You'll drain yourself before I will myself!"

Thom heard servants running up the stairs behind him and into the room. They stood there mouths agape, the scene was a mess.

The plush purple couches were aflame, and the Duke of Conte was hurling fireballs at his squire, who stood behind a wall of flames. Before their very eyes the duke began to pale. Sweat dripped freely down his face.

In one sudden movement he collapsed, the servants rushed forwards to his aide. The wall of purple flames disintegrated and Thom stood there motionless. He watched as the servants carried Roger out of the room and presumably to the infirmary.

Jon and Duke Baird watched as the purple light faded from around Alanna and waited until they were sure that was no longer going to burn them alive before touching her.

Duke Baird had Jon help him move Alanna onto a stretcher and then they carried her to a private room. When they'd settled her on the bed both men looked at her skeptically.

"I've never in all my years seen something like that happen." Baird mopped his brow with a cloth.

Jon dragged a chair over to the bedside and sat down. He ran a hand through his hair and watched Alanna.

Alanna opened her eyes. Jonathon was sitting next to her bedside quietly conversing with Duke Baird.

"Thom?" Alanna croaked, her mouth was so dry and parched she couldn't even speak.

"Alanna! Oh thank the gods!" Jon grinned and poured her a glass of water so that she could speak.

When her throat was no longer dry she was able to speak. "Where's Thom is he alright?"

Jon looked at her confused. Why wouldn't Thom be alright? He hadn't fallen through the ice. And then something occurred to him. Maybe when Alanna had turned purple and grown to a boiling temperature she had been connected to her brother with the Gift.

"I'll find him Alanna, I'm sure he's alright." Jon told her as he summoned a servant from outside the door. "Why are you so worried?"

"He…and then…Duke Roger attacked him!" Alanna burst out, tears flooding her eyes.

"No, Alanna it was just a dream. Thom is fine, and Duke Roger never attacked him." Jon tried his best to console Alanna.

Faithful strode into the room and hopped up onto the bed. Duke Baird followed an annoyed look on his face.

"Out! You pesky cat, the lady Alanna is trying to recuperate and you're going to make my other patients sick."

Faithful switched his tail and curled up beneath Alanna's arm, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep until the Duke had left. Thom is hiding at the top of Balor's Needle, Alanna.

"Did the cat just talk?" Jon asked shaking his head, trying to clear it of such preposterous thoughts.

Yes, and your loyal cousin is being brought into the infirmary after his little duel with the Goddess.

Author's Note: Oooooh, what's going to happen to Thom now that he's wounded one of the most dangerous men in the Eastern Lands? Will Alanna be able to stay safe in the infirmary with the Duke so near? Guess you'll have to review if you want to find out, cause I don't know if I have the motivation to write another chapter at the moment. I'm so cruel aren't I?