Isabelle Condoin coughed nervously.

This couldn't be good.

She stared around the room and moistened her lips. A fear, started in the depths of her heart, was running through her entire body. She had been foolish, stupid and naive. How in the nine hells could she have believed Duncan when he had told her that it was a good idea to join the city watch? A good idea… She could slap herself in the face.

The urge of using magic had been there since she was little. Using fire felt good… it felt normal, natural. She couldn't help it. It was not the problem of not controlling it; it was just the simple fact that whenever she could use it, she used it. But now, in the late afternoon, her impulsive solution had doomed her mission. From the moment she had whispered the words, she had known she was in big trouble.

There was the problem of not handling the situation peacefully… But lieutenant Roe would have turned a blind eye for that. After all thugs were thugs and it would have been easy to convince captain Brelaina that the thugs got what they deserved.

But the other problem was not so simply handled. Using magic as a member of the city watch was not allowed. Sorcerers were bound to other groups, with their own rules. Using magic made things complicated and the situation at the docks was complicated enough. And also it was suspicious. A fighter for good, who used magic that simply?? The link with the academy was simply made, she knew. And from there it wasn't hard to think of the little girl who ran away so long ago. The little girl who had betrayed Neverwinter in the eyes of many…

She looked up and in her brown eyes the marshal saw no fear. Cormick just knew that this girl was on their side and that he had to keep her out of trouble. Losing a good member of the watch… he couldn't stand the thought of that. She had been one of the few who had not been corrupted. One of the few he could actually trust. And without her they would haven never met Randar, who had proven himself as a worthy member of the watch. Thinking of the young man made him look at Isabelle closer. She had been very protective of the young drow. She had told him she had been in West Harbor many times and that she was a friend of Daeghun. But he had no idea how that could help her now… She had lost the trust of the watch by lying to them. There were severe consequences for people who lied to them, but in this case it would feel injust… After all, she had saved many by using her magic. She had kept her oath. The marshal sighed, glad that he wasn't the one to interrogate her.

"I'll leave this to you, lieutenant Roe. I'm sure you're quite capable in handling this situation," Marshal Cormick said.

The lieutenant glared at him. He knew precisely why the Marshal was doing this. But because the marshal had higher rank than him, he could not say a thing.

"Thank you for your assistance, Marshal. You've been very… helpful," the lieutenant said sarcastic. "Why don't you inform Captain Brelaina of Randar's mission in the docks? He'll be done soon, I'm sure of that."

"That's a great idea. I'll go to her immediately. Good day to you all," the marshal said with a smile on his face.

The marshal turned around, nodded at Isabelle and left the building. He stood still for a moment. Had he seen some thugs around the corner? He shook his head. Of course not, he was seeing things. He had been hunting them day and night, it was only normal he started daydreaming. He walked further and just when he arrived at the gates to the Merchant quarter he heard an explosion. He turned around quickly only to see smoke coming from the centre of the docks district...

"Look Isabelle, I have no idea how to deal with this. I think you owe me an explanation…"

"Lieutenant, you are correct. But my use of magic does not mean I am a traitor of Neverwinter! I have never been a traitor. It's not because she had been one, that I'm one! I left Neverwinter so many years ago. I have no intention of harming it… I'm only here to visit Sir Nevalle and to see him one last time before I leave Neverwinter for good…"

Lieutenant Roe, startled, opened his mouth to say anything, but was interrupted by her again...

"Please sir, you must believe me. I have served the watch well. I've done everything to make the docks safer. Has that not proven anything???"

"Isabelle, calm down... I have no idea what you're talking about…"

Isabelle frowned. She got confused. He's lying. He knows precisely who I am…

"Sir, you now know I'm Isabelle ConDoin, right? The student of Lady Aribeth…"

The lieutenant turned pale. He came closer to her and grabbed her both hands.

"What?" he whispered, " it can not be. She was killed many years ago, bye Sir Nevalle's father…"

Isabelle shook her head…

" No, I… I got away. I had killed all his guards and then I had run away…"

He had to sit down, this was too much to take… He looked around for a chair, and found one. Right at the moment he sat down, the world exploded…

" How bad is it?!" the marshal yelled at one of the guards.

The guard shook his head.

" It's bad sir! The lieutenant and that young woman are still in there! But the explosion came from his desk… if they were there, then they had no chance.."

" We can not give up on them! Get water!! We have to safe them!!!"

Isabelle blinked a few times with her eyes and felt an ache run through her entire body. She slowly moved her legs and arms and sighed, relieved. Everything still worked. But where was the lieutenant?? She got up slowly and then saw the young man. She tried to get to him, but the fire that had started at his desk was spreading quickly.

" Lieutenant Roe?!" she yelled, worried. There was a pool of blood next to his head. If the head injury was severe, there was no chance in saving him.

But before she lost all hope she saw him moving his fingers.

" Sir? Can you hear me?? Please…"

" S… save yourself… I'm to bad wounded…"

" No sir, I can not …"

But she was interrupted. The whole building was falling down and more and more fire came between her and him. If she wanted to save him, she had to do it now, before she died as well. And she could not die without everyone knowing the real truth of her mentor…

" Isabelle… go… There is nothing you can do…."

She tried to grab his hand and with the second attempt she was successful.

" Come on sir.. get up…"

" I … can't… I can't feel my legs, Isabelle… Let me go, safe yourself… Your secret is safe… with me…"

With his last strength he gave her a push and that saved her life. A bar from the ceiling fell down right in front of her. A second later and she had been death. With one last look at the lieutenant who know was buried under fire, she turned around and left the building…

" Someone's coming out, sir!! It's the woman…"

Marshall Cormick turned to face the income and saw Isabelle coming out. She was injured, but clearly not severe. She ran towards him and he caught her before she fell from fatigue.

" Are you alright?? Isabelle, where is lieutenant Roe?"

She swallowed and looked at him and he saw the sadness in her eyes.

" I could not save him, sir.." she whispered, " His injuries… and the fire…"

" It's alright… you've done everything you could," the Marshall said, trying to comfort her.

He saw tears falling from her face and knew she was in shock. He felt her body tremble in his arms, but also felt the strength that was hidden in the young woman. He knew she would survive all of this. But right now, she had to go somewhere safe.

" You have to come with me, to Captain Brelaina. There I can look at your wounds and you can come at ease.."

She just nodded and looked one last time at the smoking building. Was this meant to be? Was this the will of the gods to keep my secret safe?? But for which price?? A young, good man died… How many more will die before Sir Nevalle knows the truth?

" Isabelle! Isabelle!"

They heard him shouting from a far. "Although he is short for a man, his voice makes up for that" Isabelle thought.

The door swung open and Randar came in. He looked through the room, saw Isabelle and ran towards her.

" Isabelle, are you all right??" he asked, worried.

" There is no need to worry, Randar. I… was more fortunate than your lieutenant, I'm afraid.." the halfelf answered. There was sadness in her voice which the young man had not heard before.

" But you're okay? There were rumors you had severe injuries…"

" As you can see for yourself, she is fine, Randar," Marshal Cormick interfered.

Randar blushed.

" Yes, sir, I was just…" He looked next to him for support, but Neeskha was looking for valuable things and the dwarf was staring at Isabelle.

" The guards told me to report here, sir."

" I know," Cormick answered ," Report to Captain Brelaina. You're excellent work might finally earn you something…" he continued mysteriously.

" Lieutenant Randar," Isabelle said with a smirk on her face ," I could get used to that…"

Khelgar laughed.

" I'm sorry I got the promotion, Isabelle. It was not my intention," Randar said, looking nervously at the young woman.

But Isabelle smiled softly.

" No need to worry. I have to keep a low profile. It's good you got the promotion, though. Now I can help the watch through you without them knowing it. I particularly liked the fact where Captain Brelanai suggested you could keep an eye on me. She definitely doesn't know you very well…"

Neeskha grinned.

" Such a bad boy, huh? Didn't saw that coming!"

Isabelle sneered.

" You should have been there when he …"

" No, no , no," Randar interfered , "No stories about my youth. That's my first order for you…"

" Oh come on, lass. You're taking away all of the fun," Khelgar complained.

" I'm not changing my mind. She knows too much," the drow said firmly.

Isabelle's smile only got bigger.

" And by the way, I can tell stories about her too, you know?"

" Yeah right," the halfelf said sarcastic, " what kind of stories do you have? How all the town was startled when I first visited it? Or when you saw me for the firs time and called me an angel?"

Randar blushed, while his other companions laughed.

" Not funny!" the drow shouted ," Some day I might actually be able to get you back with that, when I know more about your youth!"

Isabelle's smiled disappeared.

" Let's just continue. We have a lot of work to do."

She started to walk faster so the others had to catch up. Randar looked at her back.

" What is she hiding? What happened in her youth that could have made her so sad? And why does she have to stay at a low profile? She's the best thing that could have ever happened for the city. If anyone could take on those thugs, it is her! Something weird is going on here, and I'll do my best to figure it out!"