A/N- Thanks to all of my reviewers! Unfortunately, my e-mail isn't working so I can only access my reviews from my story.

Gretta99- Thanks for the review! Try re-submitting the alerts, maybe that will help.

Misled Nymph- Thanks! Have you read the sequel to Ranger's Apprentice? I haven't though really want to :)

HappeeGoLuckee- Thanks! Hopefully his plan will work, but due to the fact I like to draw out things you never know:D

Citizen Of Fantasy At Heart- Isn't Junika annoying? Sometimes I just want to write her off of a cliff! Anyways, thanks for the review!

Do you know Emily Davison- Unikum is a defector, he switched sides. So now he's good. And they aren't doing anything because…I don't know. But they will soon, I promise!

tenesychick123- Thanks! Lukiem is very, very evil! Evil characters are ever so much fun to write.

kaypgirl- -Hands cookies with no cherries over- Thanks!

WeepingWillowleaf- Thanks! Junika is totally evil/annoying!

Queen of Crimson- I know…it takes me forever nowadays to update! –mutters about curveballs- And yes, update soon!

Elf-of-Sunlight- I have no idea if it'll have a happy ending. And no, I've only read the first Ranger's Apprentice books! I thought there was only a sequel, but there are four? What are they called?

Erytha- Thanks! And the book is totally worth reading.

Please note, this story has a mind of its own. I'm not really controlling it. So the title and summary have nothing really to do with the actual story. The plot I had originally planned went down the drain, and here we are now. If you have and new title names, feel free to submit them!

Disclaimer-The characters aren't mine, never have, never will be. –sigh-

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Junika had never, ever heard as much swearing as she did in that one moment in time, the moment that she had informed Lukiem that there were now two Kalasins.

The swearing had included various phrases Junika hadn't heard for years, including words starting with the letter f, and ending with –uck. The swearing was in a long string, and she was impressed Lukiem could hold his breath that long.

Finally, Lukiem took a long breath. He was furious and looked ready to kill at any second. He stalked over to a floor-length mirror, took his fist back and smashed it to pieces. The sound echoed in Junika's ears and she winced as a small fragment of glass scratched her ankle. A small trickle of blood streamed out. It was nothing much, but still painful.

The room that the two rebels were in had seen better days. A small but useful bed sat silently in the corner, with a dark, wooden bureau nearby. A desk with papers scattered along it was to Junika's right, and the shattered mirror to her left. The lighting was dim, only coming from the four corners where candles were placed on various paraphernalia.

Lukiem, dark eyes set to kill, looked up at Junika.

"My life has been a chain of bad luck since the day the bitch came," he began; voice much lower that usual, "My wife…child…love…life…all gone. Because of the wench, whatever her name is. She came from that country…and ruined my life. I will get revenge. I'm entitled. They ruin my life, I ruin theirs. Only fair. It's the circle of life. You know what they say…" in a ghostly voice that sent shivers down the blonde girl's spine he said, "round and round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.

"Whoever the girl is, kill her. We cannot afford to have this girl spread what is happening. She obviously knows something unusual is amidst, and so does the Emperor."

Junika began to shiver constantly throughout her body. She began to regret more and more with each minute the way her life had turned.

"I don't care how you do it. You have two days, but don't harm the Emperor. I have plans for him. Just make sure the girl is dead in the next forty-eight hours. Go."

Junika did not need any more telling. She scrambled away from the madman, not bothering to tell him that according to superstition it was bad luck to smash a mirror.

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"So," Numair said, voice tight with tension. The two were seated to the side of the dance floor, opposite each other. For a few spare moments they listen to the melody of the music and the feast for the eyes of the dancing.

"So," said Kaddar.

"Nice to see you again. Shame it's not under better circumstances," Numair said, breaking the ice.

"Likewise," Kaddar said dryly. He suddenly smiled. "Why are you here?"

"That doesn't matter," Numair said, lowering his voice, making it harder for people who might be listening harder to hear. "What does matter is that Daine is Kalasin, Kalasin is missing and I'm in need of a bath. What is that all about? Am I really sure I just saw eighteen-year-old Daine as thirteen-year-old Kalasin?"

Kaddar nodded, and caught a passing slave's eye. He whispered something into the slave's ear, and watched her scurry off, obeying orders to the utmost degree of perfection.

"I though you were going to release the slaves," Numair whispered.

"I was," Kaddar answered. "But…it was just to much of a gap for the Carthaki government to fill. It's going to be damned hard to fix everything that my ancestors messed up. I hope I'm up for the challenge."

"You'll do fine…Majesty, "Numair added at the very end, forgetting completely he was talking to the leader of a powerful country. Being around Jonathan and Thayet had completely changed his attitude towards monarchs, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

The younger man smiled at the older man's confidence. At that precise moment, two people, a man and a woman, made their way to the table. They bowed quickly, so quickly that Numair could not see their faces. The one woman was dressed finely in an orange, velvet dress.

Well, the glass table Numair and Kaddar had been seated on was comfortable with the two of them there. But when Varice, the woman dressed in the orange dress, positioned herself on the right of Numair and Unikum on the left, it suddenly became much more cramped.

"Excuse me?" Numair said, rising, annoyed. He suddenly noticed their company. "Varice?" he asked.

"Sit down and shut up," Varice said, annoyed as much as her tall companion. She glanced quickly at Unikum, and then turned back to her former lover. "Don't say anything until we're finished. This may take some telling."

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Exactly one hour later the topic of the current issue died out among the four seated at the small table, and poor Daine's feet had been aching for the last three hours from dancing with every member of the Carthaki high council.

But at least the four now knew everything about Lukiem. Everything.

They knew his plot, his plans, and most importantly…where Kalasin was.