Time in a Bottle

Misha awoke to someone tapping on his shoulder.

"Go back to sleep Sally."

"Sally is still asleep."

Misha's eyes flew open, rapidly scanning the figure that stood over him. It was a bored looking woman, maybe in her mid 30s. Misha scrambled off the bed, quickly pulling his daggers from his belt on the floor. His looked at the woman in confusion as she continued to move normally.

"Calm yourself. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here on behalf of Lady Tempora."

"Tammy sent you?"

The woman nodded.

"Your voice is familiar. Who are you?"

"My name is Celia."

Misha took a step back.

"You're a time mage?"

"I am a spirit, bound to the Lady. Now follow me."

Celia briskly walked out of the room, leaving a Misha to catch up.

"Hey, can I at least get dressed?"

"Your people don't cover themselves. And no one can see you anyway."

"What do you mean, no one can see me?"

"Time is frozen."

"Oh, so that's why my knives didn't work."

"Indeed."

Misha jogged to keep pace with the taller woman. The whole time, she never looked at him or slowed down.

"Hey, where are we going?"

"The royal prison."

Misha decided to follow her lead, and save his breath. He would need it if she planned on maintaining her pace for long. What could have a spirit in a hurry?

She came to a dead stop in front of the aforementioned prison, and Misha only barely kept upright when she stopped.

"Jeez. A little warning would have been cool."

"You must remember not to touch anything. The last thing the Lady needs is Bast on her case."

"Who?"

"The Lady Tempora, as you know her, Tamara."

"I know that, who the hell is Bast?"

"The god of... actually, it doesn't matter. We really need to hurry."

Misha followed her into the prison, carefully avoiding touching anything. Through a long hallway, Misha passed cells holding the city's most dangerous criminals. Murderers, rapists, fire starters, people who wear Crocs, etc.

Misha had grown up in the royal manor, but he had never been to the prison, despite it being only a short walk away.

For the first time in years, Misha was surprised by his people's ability to work with trees and wood. Even though there was no metal and very little stone, the wood that made up these cells was much harder than most metals.

They came to a stop in front of the very last cell. There she was. His sponsor. His love. His raison d'être, if you will. Chained up like an animal. She was frozen mid-glare, likely at the guard behind Misha.

"Sathis, you know Vanala won't spare her. You'll need to break her out. The festival of Navan Zahr is in 2 days. You must act tomorrow."

Misha looked over Stephanie's slender form. The violent, explosive anger that had been building within him cooled into pure determination. An unyielding desire to win filled him with drive. In that moment, he would have destroyed anything, or anyone who stood in his way.

"Take me back. I have work to do."