Hey! Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I'm currently taking my GCSE's so I'm trying to fit writing around my exams and "revision" *cough cough*

But that's not the only appology I have to make since this chapter is really short. I was going to write more to the end but after getting it back from my beta(who did another great job btw) I realised that the ending is far too good to continue afterwards! sorry if that's really evil of me, but I'll try and write the next chopter as soon as I can but considering I have exams each day for the next 2 days, it may be a while before I start (sorry)

Anyways enough about my babbling on, I hope you enjoy reading this (short) chapter and I'll update as soon as I can,

Please please please review! reviews are my drug! hehe :D

Enjoy,

Harlequin x

I opened my eyes to the mid afternoon sun. I had slept all day, which was not surprising considering the events of the previous night, but my mind was still wrapped in a sleepy cocoon of fatigue, and all I wanted to do was go back to sleep.

I changed quickly, knowing I had slept most of the day and that exercise was tomorrow. I still had a lot of work to do to make sure that it would run as smoothly and keep Yelena in as little danger as possible.

The conversation with Ambrose in the early hours of the morning reminded me that he would be asking Yelena again whether she still wanted to be the fugitive. I really hoped she said yes; I really wanted to prove Ambrose wrong, for Yelena's sake as well as my own. But I remained confident that she would doubtless live up to my expectations.

As I walked to Ambrose's office, I reconsidered what he had said earlier. What if he was right? What if Brazell had decided that revenge for his son's murder was more superior to a factory? I knew which one I would choose, and that scared me. The risk of leaving Yelena "alone" in the forest was too high. Ambrose said that I would be so focused on trying to detect the magician that I would miss any of Brazell's thugs, and this time it would be too late to save her. Even though I knew he was right, I wished that he wasn't.

I shook any doubts from my mind as I worked my way around the maze of buzzing desks in the Throne room.

I paused outside his door before knocking loudly.

"Enter," he said.

I sauntered inside and sank down into the chair opposite him. Ambrose ignored my cockiness, and as if reading my mind, he answered the question I had been asking myself ever since our talk in the early hours of this morning.

"Despite the risk, Yelena has still agreed to be the fugitive." I nodded in response, hiding my delight.

I was happy that she had said yes, of course, but the doubt in me kind of wanted her to say no, too. Because what would happen if I failed her? What if I couldn't save her if she got in trouble? How could I live with myself afterwards, knowing that it was my fault she was attacked? How could I live without her?

I shook all these questions from my mind as Ambrose opened his mouth to speak.

"Yelena is insistent that you will be following her and you will keep her safe. Don't let her down." He concluded.

I nodded again, "Yes, Sir." But this made me feel sick to my stomach. Yelena had so much trust in me. Cue the immense guilt if I failed.

"Good. You're dismissed."

I nodded and hastily fled the room. I didn't want to spend more time than was necessary with Ambrose; it wouldn't be long until he started to notice my lack of self-confidence.

The trip to my office was a blur. All I could think about was failing Yelena. After many attempts of working whilst fighting the many doubts floating around my mind, I left for dinner, with my stomach rumbling along the way.

After dinner I went back to my suite. Yelena was sitting on the couch reading one of my borrowed books on escaping capture, her eyes tracing the words and her lips moving to mouth certain words. This gave me the perfect opportunity to discuss the final arrangements before the exercise tomorrow. I still had to ask for her shirt to give the dogs her scent, but even though it was strictly for the exercise, I couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit embarrassed.

"Ambrose informed me that you still agree to be the fugitive for the exercise tomorrow." I started.

She looked up from the book and nodded in response. "I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity. And you said you would be following. You still are, aren't you?" she asked, and for a second I swear I saw fear flicker across her face as she contemplated the possibility of my not protecting her.

I shook any negative thoughts from my mind before giving my reply. "Of course I will," I reassured her.

She nodded again before returning her attention back to my book, thinking that the conversation had ended. I didn't blame her though, since we hadn't spoken much since last night.

"Speaking of the exercise, I need to borrow one of your shirts to give to the dogs so they can pick up on your scent." The words sounded rushed. She looked up at me in surprise at my request, but she nodded her head in agreement and set the book down on the couch, keeping her page, and walked to her room.

When she had gone, I sunk down into the couch, next to the place she had just vacated, and rubbed my face with my hands. Even though I had slept all day, my energy was still draining out of me like a sieve and I needed to conserve energy for the exercise tomorrow.

Yelena came back with one of her shirts, which she handed to me before returning to her place on the couch. I nodded my head in thanks before standing up to leave, and even though the night was still young, I truly needed as much rest as I could get. I was a few steps away from the stairs when I remembered I hadn't informed her about the exact details of the exercise, and I turned around to face her again.

"Leave the castle at dawn; you only have an hour's head start and I advise that you use as much of it as you can."

"Yes sir." She said quietly, and then after a sudden thought continued, "who would taste the Commander's food while I'm gone?"

"We have others trained in the art of poison, but they are too valuable to be used on a daily basis." I replied shortly, before turning around to continue my venture to bed.

It wasn't until I reached my bedroom, that I realised I still held Yelena's shirt in my hands. Too tired to take it to the kennels tonight, I'll just have to wake up earlier tomorrow so the dogs can get her scent before the exercise. Without thinking, I brought the shirt up to my face and sniffed it. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the scent of Yelena, an intoxicating blend of lavender and something else. Mmm...

If I closed my eyes tight enough, I imagined I could pretend she was lying right next to me, completely still.

Idiot!

Shaking my head, I chucked the shirt onto a chair that had my camouflage suit already laid out, before collapsing into bed.