Author's Note: First thanks to Hope and love, Dodo.123, and Luvergirlofbooks for reviewing the last chapter. Also congrats to Dodo.123 and Luvergirlofbooks for getting the last chapter's song right ("Leave the Pieces" is by the Wreckers). Next I want to say congratulations to Luvergirlofbooks for your correct thoughts on Allanah's heritage (for the rest of you who didn't think about it, it's confirmed in this chapter). Next to address Luvergirlofbooks suspicion about Will I'm not going to tell you yet but there is a poll about it on my profile (or will be shortly). Finally sorry for the long time between updates and I don't own. Enjoy~SunlightOnTheWater

The next couple of days followed a rather chaotic but completely useable pattern. Everyone but Jonathan were up at six in the morning; Ian and Allanah to work with the unbroken horses, Meg to cook breakfast, Will to help in any way he could, and Halt and Gilan to investigate any new lead on where the murderers might have gone. Known only to Gilan, Halt, and Baron Arald was the fact that there were three sets of footprints and not only two. They had matched two to the two men Allanah had killed but the third was mysteriously missing.

It was the evening of the third day that something came out that Allanah would have rather kept secret. It all started with a fire. Halt and Gilan were just returning to Meg and Ian's home when a soot covered boy raced by them, almost tripping over his own feet in his panic. "What's going on?" Gilan called after him.

The boy didn't pause but turned to yell over his shoulder, "There's a house on fire over that way." Gilan and Halt exchanged glances a moment before they started running. They saw the flames even before they reached Meg and Ian's home. They didn't see any of the inhabitants though. The two Rangers stopped at the edge of the yard and stared in horror at the fiery inferno in front of them. No one would live long enough in that blaze to survive. That was when the main door flew open and a sooty figure dashed out holding a child and dragging another behind her. Allanah collapsed a few feet away from the blazing house coughing. The two didn't hesitate to rush over.

Will glanced up when they were only a few feet away, coughing violently and brushing soot out of his hair. "Anyone else alive?" Gilan asked but Will shook his head and began to cry. Jon let out a weak cough and began to choke. Allanah let out a wounded cry as the color began to fade from her youngest sibling's face. Jon drew in one more rattling breath but never let it out. He convulsed once and then fell limp in her arms.

Allanah shook him once and then began to sob quietly as Will looked on with wide eyes. Will then turned to the two Ranger's with a look of rage on his pale face. "They started the fire on purpose," he said, voice shaking with anger and hurt. "They wanted us to die."

"Meg and Ian?" Gilan asked, feeling disbelief but Will shook his head before the Ranger could ask more.

"Two of Amherst's men," Will said coldly.

"We'll bring this matter before the other Rangers at the Gathering," Halt said. "I'm beginning to think this might endanger more than just Redmont."

The fire brigade had arrived by then and the yard had erupted in pandemonium. In the noise and chaos of the attempt to put out the blazing house none of them noticed the figure creeping away into the black night and in the hurry to save Meg and Ian none of them cared.

"They are dead my lord," the man proclaimed confidently from his position kneeling at Amherst's feet.

"Rise and tell me how you know," the lord commanded.

"I watched and saw no one leave the blazing building alive," the man proclaimed arrogantly. He had completed the task that none of the others had dared to try. He had killed the girl and both boys in one fatal and untraceable stroke. His joyful inner proclamations were cut off by the chill of a cold voice.

"You lie. I was told by other sources that a boy and Allanah survived," Amherst said. Before the unfortunate man could protest Amherst made a motion and a sword appeared through the man's chest. He had only time to stare at the bloody blade in shock before he slid foreword off it, falling dead on the ground. "Well done my son," Amherst said, turning to leave. "You leave tonight. Kill your sister and you will be rewarded. Fail and I will kill you like any other."

Amherst had no doubt that Keaton would succeed. He was a strong young warrior much like Amherst had been and he was fueled by hate. His bastard daughter stood no chance against his favored son.

And before you shoot me I'm sorry about Jonathan but he had to die. It was necessary for the progression of the story. Review and check out the poll~SunlightOnTheWater