Chapter 1:

She didn't remember her life before the Tower. Sylina Amell was sure she had had a mother and a father, but all she remembered was coming to the Tower. She remembered being afraid, she remembered crying countless nights in the apprentice dormitories, and she remembered being told to obey all commands given to her, whether it be from a harrowed mage or a templar.

When Sylina first arrived at Kinloch Hold she was five, one of the youngest apprentices they had ever had. Her family had sensed her magical ability in her early years and had promptly handed her over to the Templars. Life was hard for the little girl - all the other apprentices were older than Sylina and she was always alone. A few of the older mages took pity on her and tried their best to make the girl happy. The First Enchanter was among them.

Over the years, Sylina accepted that the Tower was going to be her life, but that didn't stop her from dreaming of escape. She had so many dreams. Dreams of her family coming to get her, of living away from the Tower, of being told that she was so advanced in her magic that she didn't need to be taught anymore and could live free from the Tower. Sylina was daydreaming constantly, and she often got in trouble for it. She lost count of the times she was disciplined by the older enchanters because she lost concentration during a lesson or was daydreaming during a lecture.

Sylina also spent a lot of her time reading. As soon as she was taught to read she was always found with one in hand. She buried herself in the few novels the Tower possessed. She read them countless times and kept a few under her bed for when she felt lonely. She imagined knights and princesses, dragons and griffons. At night, her dreams were filled with fantasy – sometimes, she dreamed she wasn't a mage, but a noblewoman with countless suitors who wanted nothing but to please her every whim and sometimes she dreamed that she fought in great armies, or explored uncharted territories.

As her childhood slipped away, Sylina became aware of whispers. She would walk down the hall and feel people watching her. She didn't understand why. All her childhood, she had felt safe walking through the halls on her way to the library or lessons. Sylina was always aware of the templars, but she had never had to worry about them. She attended her lessons, practiced her spells, and though she occasionally snuck out of bed for a trip to the kitchens or a late night library visit, she had never done anything that warranted the templars' attention.

But now, it felt like everywhere she went templars were watching her. It frightened her. When she was sixteen, Petra, one of the older apprentices, who was soon to go through her harrowing, pulled Sylina aside in their dormitory.

"Watch yourself Sylina," Petra said in a hurried whisper. Petra had always been nice to Sylina, though she rarely interacted with her since Petra was a more advanced apprentice and not in any of Sylina's lessons. "You're not a child anymore, you're a woman. The templars know that."

"What in the Maker's name are you talking about?" Sylina whispered back, confused. Of course she was a woman. What did that have to do with anything?

Petra looked around to make sure they were not being overheard and simply said, "Keep your head down, don't make trouble, and don't go anywhere alone." Then Petra hurried off, leaving a very confused Sylina standing in the dormitory.

When Sylina told Jowan what Petra had said later in the library, he got very uncomfortable. She nudged him in the ribs and whispered, "What? What do you know that you aren't telling me?"

"Sylina...just follow her advice. Don't go anywhere without me and don't cause trouble." Jowan turned back to his book. Sylina grabbed it and scowled at him.

"I am not a child Jowan! What will happen if I go somewhere alone? Tell me." Her green eyes flashed angrily at him. She had been treated like a baby her entire life in the Tower. Older mages had always treated her like the child they never had. It had spoiled Sylina just a bit.

"I...please Sylina. Just..." he couldn't meet her eyes and looked down at his hands which were clenching and unclenching.

"Hmm, so the littlest mage is finally all grown up?" Anders peered from behind the bookshelf smirking, "And perhaps I am not the only one wanting to discover all the secrets she has been keeping."

"Shut up Anders!" Jowan snapped at the older mage.

Anders moved from the bookshelf and sat down next to Sylina his arms resting on the table as he leaned back, looking completely at ease.

"What are you talking about?" Sylina asked, inching a little bit away from him. Anders had a reputation. Even she knew that.

He chuckled. "Well my beautiful temptress, it is well known throughout this Tower that you are...hm how shall we say it? Untried and untested?" He smirked and moved closer his hand reaching out to touch her long black hair. Sylina jerked away and practically landed in Jowan's lap. Jowan scowled at Anders.

"Go away before we get caught speaking with you and the templars think we are planning to escape." Jowan said glaring at the man.

"I am simply trying to inform our young friend here that if she wishes to change that fact I am more than happy to oblige."

Sylina blushed. Then, gathering her courage, she looked at Anders. "I don't see what...that...has to do with me keeping my head down and not walking around alone."

Anders laughed – loudly – and the whole library turned to look at them. Sylina buried her head in her arms and wanted to disappear. When he had finished laughing he turned to her. "That, as you so preciously put it, has everything to do with the templars." He looked at her confused face and sighed. His eyes became slightly serious and he leaned in and whispered, "Sylina, the templars do what they want, take what they want, and nobody tells them no."

"What does that have to do with me? I have never had to worry about templars. I don't try to escape every ten minutes like you."

He leaned back and smiled, "Well you should. It is wonderfully exhilarating." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Among other things," he added. Jowan scowled even deeper at him. "But, we aren't talking about that. Well we are, but we are talking about the templars, and you, and how you should be frightened of them."

Sylina sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please Anders, for once in your life just tell me whatever it is you want to say."

"Okay, you goddess." He looked around, sighed, then leaned in again and whispered in her ear, "The templars will take you. They will do it against your will and no one will stop them."

Sylina's eyes went large and she moved away from Anders. She shook her head. "No. No, you're wrong."

He smiled, though it did not reach his eyes this time. "Do you think you would be the first? Do you think it has not happened to countless apprentices before you, male and female?" He grabbed her arm as she tried to get up. "Sylina it will happen if you are not careful. Templars are not to be trusted."

Sylina pulled her arm from his grasp and stood up. Her breath was short, her heart racing and she felt a cold sweat breaking out all over her body.

"Sylina." Jowan said, but he couldn't meet her eyes. She looked around frantically searching for a way out. The windows were all too high up and small. She turned back to the two men. Anders was looking at her worriedly and started to stand while Jowan continued to stare at his hands. Sylina turned and ran. She thought she heard Anders call after her.