A/N- I can't actually remember if Evvy can see magic, I don't think so, but it makes the story funner and fanfics are all about being partly non-canon. If you think of anything that you want to have happen or correction, let me know. Thanks!
Briar rolled his eyes and tried not to smile. Evvy giggled, then straight out laughed. Rosethorn grinned smugly at Briar and with a flick of her fingers, the vines released Briar and he crashed into the creek. He popped up sputtering loudly and waded to dry land.
"You look like a wet cat!"
"Thanks ever so much Evvy." Briar ran his hands over his clothes, brushing water away. His face turned serious again as he glanced up at the Yanjingi prisoners. "So what do we do with them?"
Rosethorn stared at them thoughtfully. "I suppose the best thing is just to truss them up as solidly as we can, and then-" she drew the others close, "get to the Circle Temple as fast as we can. At my guess, we could make it there tonight, if we hurry."
Briar's mouth dropped open. "Why didn't you say it was so close?"
"I didn't want you to know and be anxious about it at the gate."
Briar sighed, then shrugged. "I suppose." He turned to the hedax and the scouts. "Let's get it done. I'd like a decent meal tonight."
Evvy squinched her eyes and watched Briar's magic tumble through the vines. The soldiers' vines re-wrapped themselves tightly and stopped moving. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rosethorn shoot Briar a look. He caught his teacher's eyes and the vines loosened slightly. "Alright. The vines will release them sometime tomorrow." He looked hard at Rosethorn. "Stupid bleaters won't starve or nothin'."
She nodded and swung her pack onto her shoulders with a sigh. Briar and Evvy followed suit and walked back to the main road.
*****
The night was cool and quiet. The trio had walked along the road for hours and hardly seen anyone. When people had come, the mages had taken care to hide in the shrubbery at the roadside. As they waited behind a tree for the most recent person to pass by, Evvy's eyes began to drift shut. She slid sideways into Rosethorn. The older woman nudged her upright. "Don't sleep yet, girl. We're almost there."
"That's what Briar said last time," Evvy mumbled.
"Yes, but Briar doesn't know where we're going does he?"
"Mmm..." Evvy was almost asleep again.
It seemed a moment later and Rosethorn pulled her up again. "Come on. Just a little longer." She glanced at the sky where the first streaks of dawn were whiskering the sky. "Do you think you can run? It'll be faster and you'd wake up." The woman didn't wait for an answer, but broke into a jog, her pack thumping her back. Briar grabbed Evvy's hand and pulled her along, stumbling through the half-darkness. Later she realized she couldn't have been fully awake, as it seemed only a few blurry minutes passed before she could see a large grey stone wall looming closer and closer.
Evvy blinked herself awake and let a tendril of magic swirl out to investigate. It was old granite, its sparkle dimmed by hundreds of years of weathering and protective charms. The stone didn't clamor at the girl's magical touch, much to her surprise. It was calm and greeted her cautiously, like a new cat. "Is that it?"
Rosethorn smiled tiredly. "Yes. This is the original Circle Temple. Living Circle Temple, Briar. All my life, I've dreamed.... Never thought I'd see it like this." She snorted. "Things are never as we expect though, are they?" She slowed to a walk and they approached the great stone heights carefully.
A huge oaken door, heavily reinforced with iron and bronze sealed the wall. The wood had scorches, dents, and all manner of repairs and charms set into it. Rosethorn's fingers traced the wood wondrously.
"Mila...."
Briar's hands explored the other side of the door and Evvy set her cheek against the stone, letting its power refresh her. Briar grasped a large bronze ring set into the door.
"Rosethorn?" He didn't lift it, but waited for his teacher. "Should I-" he waved at the door with his free hand.
"How else are we going to get in, boy?" Nonetheless, she paused for a long moment before "Yes."
Briar swung the ring back and let it drop.It boomed loudly against the door and they flinched away at the sound. Rosethorn squared her shoulders. "I doubt once is enough. I'll try once again, then Evvy, you bang it once too. It's a once in a lifetime occurrence."
Thunk.
Thunk.
They stepped back and stared at the door. After a moment, Evvy stepped up to it again. "It's not going to open itself, pahan-door or not." She had just grasped the ring, when a small slot, high up the door opened with a loud crack.
Brown, almond-shaped eyes peered out. "Please state your names, and what you're doing here at the crack of dawn."
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