Sorry I took so incredibly long to update, I know that many people were getting impatient to know what George's plan is. I've been so busy with school, with finals and beginning the college search and everything, it's just been so overwhelming. Luckily, writing is kind of like therapy for me, so I was able to get another one down.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and special thanks to my awesome beta LadyKnight 1512, who is incredibly speedy.

George insisted that Kel get some rest, while he himself slipped out into the evening. She took a bath, letting the hot water soothe her aching muscles and wash away the dried mud and blood. But as much as her body relaxed, her mind simply could not. Images of Neal beaten, tortured, helpless, dead, flew through her mind, no matter how she tried to push them away.

She finally managed to fall asleep on the creaky bed, but she was plagued by dreams of the spirits rampaging through Tortall, killing her friends, and Raydon himself, a faceless figure, laughing maniacally as he carried out sick methods of torture on Neal. Kel jumped when George laid a gentle hand on her shoulder to wake her a couple hours before dawn.

"Bad dreams, lass?" he said sympathetically, seeing her white face and wary, haunted expression.

She nodded, sighing. "I need to finish this. I'll lose what little sanity I have left if I don't soon."

George nodded sagely. "Oh, the rest of us lost our sanity long ago. Y'get used to it after a time."

Kel had to smile, thinking of the unusual ways of many of her friends.

"Now, I've managed t'get some information regardin' the whereabouts of young Queenscove, and the plans for bringin' 'im up to Raydon," said George, heading toward the door. "I'll let you get dressed while I go fetch some breakfast for us. We'll talk while we eat."

Once the door had closed behind him, Kel rose and stretched, and then dressed quickly, feeling like her purpose had been renewed. She was combing her fingers through her hair when George returned with a tray of steaming food. Kel's stomach grumbled as the smell reached her nose. It seemed like it had been forever since she had eaten a hot meal at the last inn.

George explained as they ate: "They're keepin' him in one of the cells in the city barracks, fully guarded. Raydon must've told 'em that he's pretty important. The guards change shifts at dawn, and I've got a diversion set up to keep 'em occupied long enough to slip in and find Neal.

"And free him?" Kel asked anxiously.

George shook his head apologetically. "We can't. I'm sorry, lass, but we can't."

Kel knew that he really was sorry, but she didn't understand why they couldn't rescue Neal and return him to her arms as soon as possible. She opened her mouth to voice this protest, but George cut her off.

"We need him to lead us to Raydon. The soldiers that are bringin' him up plan to leave shortly after dawn, and we can follow them right up to the Rat's doorstep. If Neal disappears, they'll go lookin' for him, and waste time that we could be usin' to find Raydon, and we'll most likely lose our only chance for an easy trail up. We can't give up this opportunity, Kel," he said, seeing her troubled face. "We may not get another one—and all of Tortall is dependin' on us now."

Kel nodded, understanding, but not liking, the situation. "Well then why are we even going to him if we can't free him?"

"He has to know the plan, so he can leave deliberate signs for us, in case we can't follow very closely, or they're very good at coverin' their tracks."

"And I need to apologize for abandoning him," Kel added quietly.

George shook his head again. "Kel, if they had that much of a watch out for Neal, they must have orders to capture you, too. It's amazing that you got into the city undetected. We just can't take the chance of you riskin' yourself like that. You can't go with me to see him."

Kel jumped to her feet. "George, I have to see him," she insisted. She felt like one of her young nieces or nephews when they didn't get their way. She wanted to stamp her feet and throw a tantrum, but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself.

George looked unhappy. "No, Kel. I can't let you come," he said, gently but firmly.

Kel pushed her frustration into her fingers and curled them into fists. "Please, George, I need to see him. You should understand, you know what it's like when the person you love is in danger and you can't help, or even see them. I'll be careful; I won't get caught or give anything away."

The former thief-king hesitated for a moment, but shook his head again. "This is spy's work," he said. "Any more people add just that much more danger. We just can't afford to risk you. You're too valuable to lose."

Kel sighed and sat back down, defeated. "Maybe I don't want to be so valuable," she grumbled.

George smiled crookedly at her. "Most valuable people don't get a choice."

Kel raised her eyebrows at him and couldn't help but smile a little back. She admired his ability to stay calm and maintain his sense of humor in bad situations. She shook her head. She was used to being the one giving orders and keeping a cool head.

It's crazy what worrying about Neal is doing to me, she thought. To George, she said, "All right, what do you want me to do, then?"

"Get our horses and packs ready to go at any time," he answered. "I'll take care of the rest." As he turned to leave, she called after him.

"Make sure you tell him to mind his tongue!"

Kel drummed her fingers impatiently across her knee. George had been gone for well over an hour and she was growing more restless by the minute. She had followed his instructions, preparing everything for their journey, and she was waiting in the stable with the horses for his return. She looked out the small window beside the door; the sky was lighting. Dawn, George's time for meeting with Neal, was well past. From her position sitting against the gate of Peachblossom's stall, she could see if anyone approached the stable, but no one did.

A nearby horse whickered softly, causing Kel to jump in her agitated state. She shook her head at her own jumpiness, and pushed herself into a standing position, and craned her next to check once more if George was coming, when she saw that he indeed wasn't, she began to pace nervously up and down the table.

What could be keeping George? Did he get caught? Was he hurt? Had he even been able to get to Neal?

Neal.

The single name, and the feelings associated with the person to whom it belonged, hit Kel so forcefully that she actually stopped pacing and tears sprang to her eyes. She took a moment to wipe them away, lost in the growing feeling of helplessness and loneliness that attacked her when she was without him. It terrified her that it felt like a major part of her was missing and it terrified her even more that one person could her affect her so much.

She blinked the tears from her eyes and resumed her pacing, this time to distract herself from overwhelming thoughts of Neal. Peachblossom reached out and gripped her sleeve in his teeth as she walked by, stopping her in her tracks. Kel glanced around and realized that she was making the horses nervous. She quietly apologized, not caring that they couldn't understand her, and reclaimed her seat on the floor, resigned to wait in stillness.

Worry made the time crawl by before she heard footfalls and the door swung open to reveal George's large form. Kel realized that she had been holding her breath when he finally let it out. She leapt to her feet, searching his face for any signs of what he had experienced, good or bad.

George simply accepted his horse's reins from her with a nod of thanks, and said, "Let's go."

Are you excited for another big adventure? The thrill of the chase? Even if you're not, tell me what you did think in a review!