(A N)

And here ya go! A bit longer wait then usual...Hehe! Sorry about that! :P *Runs away from rapidly forming mob of angry readers*

Anyways, as always, I want to thank LovelySOS, -Ya know, the one with that awesome contest,- and quinnyandco, and my long-suffering mom...She had to put up with a LOT of writer's drama this week. XD

Jake?

His voice stunned my senses, and the smothering panic I'd experienced in the pond, roared back from my suppressed memory.

What was Jake doing here? The last time I had seen him, he had gone mad and tried to drown me; and suddenly, he was attending an elegant masquerade ball? It made no sense to me, and my mind struggled to comprehend these conflicting thoughts.

"I wish you would hurry up and dispose of the boy, Natalia." Jake complained.

I froze in place; the bush's branches gently tickling the back of my head. Natalia? What was she doing here with Jake?

"The little Cahill brat keeps trying to escape," Jake continued, thankfully still ignorant to my presence behind the bush. "He even BIT me the last time I caught him. Can you believe it? Why is he in your dungeon, again?" Jake's voice was full of an angry irritation that I'd never heard before.

My breath came faster, and hot blood pounded in my head. Cahill? An image of my brother swam in my vision. In my imagination, Dan cowered in a dank cell, planning escape after failed escape, while eerie shadows danced off stone walls. I squeezed my eyes shut in horror.

"No." I breathed quietly, the word light as it left my mouth. It couldn't be Dan... Ian had said he was freed... Hadn't he?

Would Ian lie?

Natalia's cold laugh interrupted my nightmarish thoughts. "Don't be so impatient, Love." She crooned, making my skin crawl with imaginary spiders. "He'll tell us what we want to know soon enough. He cares for his sister too much to foolishly risk her life by defying us."

I shot back involuntarily at her words, horrified. My hair snagged painfully on the branches of the bush, causing them to rustle, and I froze again, terrified I'd given myself away.

Natalia didn't seem to notice the noise I made, but Jake eyed my bush suspiciously. I did not breathe, and I realized just how similar the situation was to my first encounter with Natalia. Now, Jake opened his mouth to speak, and I sucked in my breath, certain I had been discovered- but no. A masked couple was emerging from the garden, chatting, and giggling quietly as they came closer, and Jake's mouth snapped shut, momentarily distracted.

Natalia noticed the pair, and furrowed her brow. "I think I'm in need of some punch, Love." She said, quickly heading back into the lively ballroom.

Jake's brown eyes scrutinized my hiding spot a moment longer, then he turned and trotted obediently after Natalia.

As soon as they were gone, I untangled myself from the bush, and stood there, panting heavily.

A cool breeze whipped around my bare arms; it was ghostly, sending Natalia's voice back to me, and I shivered.

"He'll tell us what we want to know." Her voice whispered, echoing in my mind and sending cold chills up my neck. The wind swelled, sending another burst of the conversation my way. I trembled, hugging myself tightly as the words hissed around me like tendrils of smoke. "Or risk her life."

Quickly, I tore off my mask and kicked aside my delicate dancing shoes, gasping as my feet hit the frigid, wet grass. I needed to get to Dan before Natalia's words could become a reality. Rashly, I wished that Ian would appear, but he was probably back where I'd left him, in the garden, and I had no time to try to convince him to help me. With some trepidation, I bit my lip, gathered up my heavy skirts, and ran.

I struggled along the fields leading to the castle, my bare feet slapping the ground with each painful step. Thunder rumbled overhead, and with a groan, I felt a heavy droplet of water splash onto my shoulder. Within seconds, my dress was soaked, my hair flattened, and I was in the midst of a full-fledged thunderstorm.

The wind whipped about, freezing my wet skin, and it was almost impossible for me to move in my sopping gown. Tears mixed with the rain, running down my cheeks in salty streams. Come on, Amy! I told myself, dodging a rapidly forming mud puddle. This is no time to cry, Dan needs you! Lightening flickered brightly overhead, and I braced myself for the thunder that followed. BOOM! A tree groaned, and I yelped as it fell dangerously close to me, demolishing a nearby garden shed.

I need to get out of this storm! I thought wildly, stumbling to avoid a dead branch that fell into my path.

The castle loomed up ahead, its lights flickering sickly through a torrent of rain. I chucked my dress over my shoulder, blushing slightly at my now visible undergarments, and dashed towards its protective walls as the world exploded around me.

I ran though the castle, wincing as my wet feet slapped loudly against the floor. I feel like a drowned pigeon. I thought dismally. I'm glad Ian isn't here to see this. Then my face flushed, remembering the look on Ian's face and the way his hypnotic amber eyes bore into me seconds before we...

I shoved open the door to my bedroom, causing it to bang sharply against the wall.

NO.

There was no "We". Ian didn't care about me, and I certainly didn't care about him. I collapsed on my bed, and lay there, my chest heaving from exhaustion. I was shivering, both from the cold, and the way Ian had looked at me, his handsome face framed in the wolfish mask as his eyes held mine-

I sat up so abruptly that black dots danced in front of my vision. My face burned, and I felt ashamed and embarrassed at my thoughts. Stop it, Amy, I scolded myself. Poor Dan is in a dungeon, and you're thinking about Ian's EYES?

I turned my attention away from this disturbing thought, and instead, towards getting out of my water logged dress. I struggled and shimmied until it came off with a sucking slurp and crumpled in a heap at my feet.

I sighed, and quickly changed into my usual gray dress, glancing nervously at the clock as I grabbed my shoes. I had to hurry, the ball wasn't going to last all night; Natalia and Ian would be returning soon.

I snatched the knife Grace had given me, silently thanking her for teaching me how to pick a lock, and rushed down the hall.

"Hold on, Dan," I whispered. "Here I come."