Jeff’s stomach turned cold. How did the nobleman find her, and how did he do so without making a sound? Taking a step back, she glanced around, expecting city guards to show up as well.
“It’s only the two of us,” the man said with a cold smile. “When they failed to catch you in the market, I had to take this matter into my own hands.”
Not waiting to hear more, Jeff spun around and tried to run. At the same time, the man gestured with a hand, and Jeff’s body froze, locking her in place. In contrast, her eyes continued to whirl this way and that as if trying to escape their owner by themselves.
“Uh-uh, we’ll have none of that, this time,” the man chuckled. “There are no witnesses here, so I am free to exercise my power freely. You see, I am a wizard, and one of reasonable ability, I might add.” Moving around to face the girl now gazing back at him in silence, he bent down and plucked the talisman from her unresisting hand. “Lucky for you, I can tell you have no idea what this is. Therefore, I don’t have to destroy you. Those pesky memories will have to go, however. For your own protection as well as mine.”
Jeff wanted to scream as the man’s hand descended over her eyes, blocking out her vision entirely. Then, to her surprise, nothing happened. Slowly, the man’s hand dropped away to reveal the look of contemplation in the man’s face. Turning the talisman over in his palm, he spoke again. “On second thought, this situation has intrigued me. I am rather difficult to pickpocket, you know. In addition, I placed quite a few wards over myself and this artifact to prevent theft. Yet, you managed to take it from me without so much as breaking a single ward. You have talent, girl, much more talent than you realize. It would be such a shame to waste it.”
Reaching out a finger, he tapped once on Jeff’s forehead and turned around. “Come along, my girl. There is much to do.”
Against her will, Jeff’s body straightened up and marched after the man. To her astonishment, a rippling circle appeared in the air into which the man stepped and vanished from sight. Only a step behind, Jeff also entered the circle, and the world faded into a new setting, which happened to be…