I smile as I walk down the large corridor leading back to my bedroom. It felt good being on decent terms with Alyn. I wasn't sure if we'd be friends but at least I could get across that I'm not a threat to the castle. But the Protea camp does concern me. Maybe I could talk to him more about what we can do about it.

I reach my room and open the door and suddenly I get a bad feeling in my gut. Something wasn't right. My room looked the same as it did when I left but something felt wrong. Just as I try to retreat, a hand covers my mouth and another shuts the door suddenly behind me. The smell of sweat and unwashed clothes fills my nose. I feel something sharp poke against my side and I realize what's happening.

"Make a noise and you'll be dead before someone gets here," a husky voice whispers into my ear. I force myself to remain calm and think of how I can loosen his grip and knock the knife from his hand. I search the room but everything I can use as a weapon is too far.

I hear the door open and the sound of footsteps. Someone else must be entering the room.

"Did you find it?" The man holding me says. His voice was muffled like he had a rag over his mouth.

"No. There's guards everywhere," the other voice says, his muffled as well. Are they searching for something?

The man behind me mumbles something before telling the other man to watch me. His hands release me as he dashes through the door and the other man approaches me. I use the distraction to my advantage and thrust myself against him, causing him to stagger and stumble backwards. I slam my elbow into his ribs and knock the knife out of his hands. I quickly reach for it but he recovers faster than I thought and pins me to the wall.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he purrs. A strong chill spiders down my spine, causing the hair on my neck to rise. "You're going to be a good girl and do as I say, you hear me?"

The urge to bite his hands runs through me but all I can manage is a slight nod. His hold tightens as he leans closer and whispers, "Help us find what we're looking for and I'll let you live."

He lowers his hand slightly to allow me to speak. "What is it?"

I wait for his answer but we're interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps. The door opens and Alyn's panting form stands at the threshold. His eyes widen when he sees the situation I'm in.

"Cyra," he says through gritted teeth. The man behind me is unsure of what to do with Alyn's presence and I try again to subdue him. I knock the back of my head against his jaw and pain radiates through my skull. The man curses and I quickly grab a candlestick off a nearby table and slam it against his head. The man drops in an instant, his body limp on the stone floor.

Alyn rushes over to me and examines the unconscious body before us. "You knocked him out cold."

"I guess all those lessons weren't for nothing," I say straightening my back. "I told you I knew how to defend myself, but you wouldn't listen." Suddenly the pain of skull meeting jaw hits me again and I clutch the back of my head.

Alyn steps towards me, his face covered with concern. "Are you hurt?"

"I'll be fine. I'll probably just have a bad headache for a while. You can thank me for saving your life later," I say while taking a seat on the side of the bed.

Alyn rolls his eyes and sheathes his sword. He kneels over the man and searches his body. He wore black, a mask covered his hair and face. "Could be a scout sent to survey the castle. Dammit. How did they get past? I thought I had this place secure."

Alyn lets out a disgruntled breath and I try to find something to say. "You're doing your best, Alyn. For all we know, they could have been planning this attack for awhile now. You can't prevent everything, you know."

"When I heard there was a strange man spotted in the castle, I immediately ran here. I almost thought I was too late," he says, rising from his crouch. He stares at the body before extending a hand to me. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I told you, I can take care of myself," I say and grab his hand.

"Let's get you somewhere safe and have your head looked at. In the meantime, I have some investigating to do." He nudges the man with his boot and the man groans. "Let's see how much information I can get out of him."

"I want to help."

He shakes his head, "No. It's too dangerous."

"I'm the one who knocked him out, remember? I think you're the one who would need my protection."

A smile plays on his lips. "Try convincing Giles of that."