Red Snow: Chapter Four

Breen felt very awkward. He didn't know what to say. The Kaplana turned to face him.

"If I free this sorry.." she paused for a moment, obviously searching for a word that covered the true extent of her feelings toward the both of them, she didn't find it "..boy, you will owe me a blood debt."

"Why just me?" Breen asked.

"Thou rang the bell, did thy not?" She queried. Breen felt his insides shrivel.

"Aye, I will do it then." Breen said defeated," I, Breen, son of Ko'l, do bind with blood an' words an' witness myself to ... "

"Revanșă, daughter of Nenorocire," Revanșă supplied.

"...until I have proved myself," Breen finished. Then in a rite as old as time, she took Breen's forearm and using her claw drew a line just below his wrist then gave him her arm to do the same with his knife, and clasping forearms sealing the oath with blood and binding him to her until the terms were met. Breen knew that if he died before he'd found out and completed what he had to do he would never know the peace of the circle and would be trapped until in this existence as a shade until he had.

"You are free to leave," Revanșă told Aren as she freed him, "You, however, stay here," she said as she turned toward Breen,"There are beds this way. Follow me," she turned and walked through a door that Breen hadn't noticed earlier

Breen watched Aren give the door Revanșă had walked through a frightened glance before jumping to his feet and rushing into the darkness.

"Some friend," Revanșă murmured from behind him causing Breen to jump. "Now, unless thy'd rather sleep in tsatsu leavings than a bed, follow me."