In the Shadowlands the Enemy was completing its new plan and it all centred on that baby girl.

"Master how may I serve?" The last Grade 3 Ol asked hesitantly, hiding its face while kneeling. Sweat was already beading upon its brow, testament to the Shadowlord's perfection of the evil art.

"You are my creation and you shall not question these orders. Gather every surviving Grey Guard in Deltora. I only want those who survived the Belt's and Lief's purge. The Shadowlord hated calling his enemy by their name, it made them more real.

"But, Master they inform us-"

Red lighting blasted into the Ol, savagely ripping at its core where the Shadowlord's mark was held.

Screaming, the Ol begged his master to stop. Stop so that he could show his devotion, his loyalty. "Yes Master yes! I obey you without…question."

"Good, now send out my message."

Lief couldn't find Jasmine. She was playing hide and seek with him and she was really good. Smiling at their childish game, Lief called out for her, half expecting a response. When he got none he laughed and continued looking. She always took hide and seek so seriously! When he found her she was going to pay. He smiled at the thought.

'Oh she's going to pay the full price…'

"You would think the baby's crying would have been a dead giveaway." Jasmine grinned as she jumped out of a tree branch and landed in front of Lief. She'd strapped the baby firmly to her back so it barely felt the impact.

Lief bust out laughing at the sight of them. She looked so…un-Jasmine with the baby on her back. Jasmine started to blush, she'd obviously didn't see the joke and didn't approve of being laughed at. She put on that thinking face, like the one she had when solving that riddle before the Lake of Tears.

This only made Lief laugh harder till he was clutching his sides. He wasn't crying, but he was close. When he finally choked out what was so funny Jasmine bushed the deepest scarlet. Finally Lief thought it was time to stop. He lent over and kissed her lightly on the lips. Jasmine undid the knots holding their precious bundle and silently lowered it into the leaves. Looking at her leaning down like that Lief couldn't hold back his feelings. Wrapping his arms around her lower waist, he pulled her back into his body. Jasmine's widening eyes abruptly closed when Lief started kissing her neck. She led her head fall back onto his shoulder, glad that he was only a little taller then her. Jasmine wasn't loud but when his kisses went lower then her neck her breath came out heavily…