Authors Note: Time for another chapter. Wonderful, isn't it? On to chapter three, which took me forever to write on my lazy behalf! Don't worry for all the people who are looking for the romantic parts, I got some little fluff in there. It's not much, but you'll see~! *laughs evilly* ^_^ And this chapter might be a bit boring...I don't know, just read it and see for yourselves. Another point I have to bring up, I have school starting now so I won't be updating as much, even though I haven't been updating that often. I'm also working on another story called, "Black Tie," (Don't ask about the name just yet) and another story where I don't have a name for it yet. So it just might take me a bit to come out with chapters. But keep reviewing anyway, I love it! Oh, and I almost forgot…another reason that chapters are coming out slowly is because of school starting. Grrr! But I'll keep working on it! ^_^ Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Me! But I do have to give credit to Tamora Pierce because she inspired me to write this.

Chapter Three - Attack at the Palace

"Kylie! You scared the living daylights out of me!" shouted Aiden, pacing back and forth in her room. "You didn't show last night; didn't inform me just one little bit that you wouldn't be there, when I'm stuck at that cursed Dome waiting every single minute! I thought something had happened to you!"

"Didn't know you cared so much," said Kylie, the corner of her stubborn mouth turning up in an awkward grin.

Aiden spun around, glaring at the girl. Kylie frowned. It was unusual to see good-humored Aiden so angry over one small slip on her part. "What do you mean you didn't know? Damn it, Kylie! I've known you since you were eleven and I was only thirteen. I brought you to this life, which I regret! I can't leave you alone for a minute!" Kylie began to open her mouth, but he continued. "You've done this to me before, plenty of times I might add, but you're lucky that Clara said—

"Clara...? Clara!?" Kylie interrupted, her voice rising as she stood up off her bed. He had named the one thing that drove her crazy. It seemed to her that every time they had a…discussion…Clara's name turned up. "Clara has absolutely nothing to do with this!"

"She's the one who helped me to believe that you were alright—"

"Which you should of believed anyway! All you talk about now is Clara, Clara, Clara!" Kylie clenched her fists at her side. 'Don't do this to me Aiden. Not now!' she thought. "I know how you feel about her, and how she feels about you...but just because you love," she spat that word out in disgust, "each other, doesn't mean that I have to like her just as well! I never liked her, even from the beginning!"

Aiden's cheeks turned crimson. "I know you don't," he said quietly. "I was just worried, that's all."

Kylie was too angry to stop just there. "You don't need to be! I can fend for myself, I can take care of myself, and you know that just as well as I, or Clara does!" She sighed and stormed out of her loom, stomping down the hall and leaving Aiden who sat on her bed and put his head in his hands.

***

"Clara, you didn't bring me any information from the past night, and the Prince's squire is the only one that stands in our way," roared a burly man with dark black hair and even blacker eyes. "I thought you were spying, not playing around!"

Clara ran a hand through her black hair and sighed. "They had a change of plans last night. Aiden's friend didn't show and I couldn't get at her. I don't think it's as easy as you think."

"Damn it! Clara, she's sixteen years old for Yutainen's sake," he cursed, naming the god of thieves and rogues. "Do you think she's going to be that hard to kill?"

"My lord, she's already had at least five assassins come after her," she replied, trying with all her self-control to keep from shouting at the man that was hovering over her, despite her tall height. "That blasted thief knows what she's doing. Despite the fact that Aiden and I know she's a noble, she's kept under that assembly of thieves easily!"

"And how was she not found out?"

"By a name trade and a disguising spell. She goes under the name of Kye when she's in the dome."

"Well, I don't care how she keeps her identity secret, but she's the only one that can stop us! For some reason, my power was stored within her. And it's not going to stay that way, do you hear?"

"Yes my lord, I hear what you're saying."

"Then kill her…tonight at the ball."

"I will. Give me time."

***

"I hate him sometimes!" Kylie thought aloud, pacing back and forth through the gardens. "Know-it-all. He does this to me all the time! I'm sixteen…know what I'm doing…he can't figure out that—"

"Here again?" asked a familiar voice. Kylie spun around and cursed under her breath.

"What are you, stalking me or something?" she spat, glaring at him.

Karnen held up his hands, as if to surrender. He winked at her and grinned widely. "I swear I'm not. You seem to like my hideout though, don't you?"

Kylie looked at him, questioning his words. "Hideout?"

He nodded and rested on the trunk of a tree. "Got to get out of squire work sometimes," he said, looking at her with a solemn face. She grinned at him.

"And I thought I was the only one who hated palace work."

"You don't seem like the normal ladies around here, who love anything involving the palace," he told her. "Not what I expected."

"What did you expect," she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

He made a face, thinking. "The usual."

"Which is?"

"Someone who doesn't ask so many questions and isn't so curious," he replied, grinning. She raised an eyebrow and smiled herself. "So, why are you here anyway?"

She blushed. Her temper wasn't a topic she loved to discuss. "Um…" she stammered, which was unusual for her.

"Let me guess. Some boy broke your heart?" he asked with a wink, which made her blush fade.

She laughed. "Yeah, right! Like I would have that problem!"

He surprised her by gently putting his slender fingers under her chin and pulling her face up to look him in the eyes. "No, you would. Your face is too pretty to not be noticed." Kylie could feel her cheeks growing warmer as her face turned crimson yet again.

Karnen let her chin go, the expression on her face clearly stating how uncomfortable she was. "Are you going to the ball tonight?"

"No—" she started, but then remembered that she wasn't going with Aiden until after the ball, if she was going with him at all. Which Kylie highly doubted. "…Yeah. I think so."

"Go with me then." He ran his fingers though his hair nervously. "I mean...you don't have to, but if you're going...I thought—"

"Sure," she replied, ending his stammering. "I'd really like to."

Karnen's face brightened up. "All right then, you'll meet me there before hand?"

Kylie nodded, then grinned. "As long as you don't bring your usual ladies that aren't curious enough." He laughed.

"But it'll be such a disappointment if they don't come!"

Before they could say anything else, a voice came from nearer to the palace. "Karnen! I thought you were tending the horses!" He sighed.

"Duty calls; see you," he called, running off to the stables.

Kylie raised an eyebrow. ­'Maybe social activities might be more interesting from now on,' she thought, a slow smile spreading onto her face.

***

"May I have this dance?" Karnen asked, a boyish smile spreading across his face as he held out his arm.

Kylie put on her most mocking blank court face and frowned, followed by her placing her arm lightly on his. "Another?" she drawled, yawning and making no emotion show on her face.

"Perfect imitation of most of the court, I must praise you for that."

"Only most?"

"Except you, and you are apart of the court if you haven't noticed."

Kylie shrugged. "'Tis a boring life, but we'll deal."

"I admire your bravery," he replied, trying to imitate her drawl. She curtsied and they began dancing.

Dancing with Karnen wasn't like the usual dancing that she did. Yes, the steps were the same, but it didn't seem as long-lived as the others seemed like. Instead, they were much shorter, and afterward, Kylie was left red-faced and breathless from all the movement. The two went to a table near the front and sat, talking.

Before they could get deep into conversation, Kylie stopped dead in the middle of a sentence. There was a crash, like a glass pane in a window breaking. An arrow pierced itself into the table, three inches from where she sat. A gasp of panic aroused from the guests around her. Another one went through the already smashed-through window and lunged itself at Karnen.

With a grunt, Kylie kicked along the floor and his feet came right out from under him. The arrow hit the floor a few paces back. "Everyone, out!" she heard him cry, along with the yells of others. More arrows came through, as a group of people dressed so no one could reveal their identity came through the main doorway. They unsheathed swords and looked around, as if looking for certain people. One of them, a very tall one, came up behind Karnen and raised his—or her—weapon. Kylie grabbed a long knife that was strapped to her leg under her dress and threw it. It landed squarely in the attackers chest.

Karnen blinked, and turned to see the person fallen, and dead at that. He flashed her a grin and ran off to help others who were in the same problem as he was a few moments ago.

It only took a few moments for Kylie to see what they were doing, that is, besides killing anyone they had in sight. She gripped her knife and turned around, seeing another attacker raising their sword. Kylie rolled her eyes and ducked the blow, barely missing it. She held up her knife, which was no matched for the long blade, and held it against the sword. She gasped as she saw determined amber eyes staring back at her under a mask.

She knew exactly who that was. Clara.

She turned down, letting her swipe over her head and then throwing the knife. It missed and went over her shoulder, hitting a wall. Clara swiped again but she ducked, but got nicked on the shoulder, which started to bleed all over her long gown. She cursed and held it gently with her other hand. There was nothing she really could do. She ducked under Clara's overstretched arm (with a curse word from Clara) and spun around, backing right into Karnen.

"Fancy meeting you here," he muttered, looking at her over his shoulder. Seeing her wound, he turned around quickly and turned her around as well. "What the…?"

"Don't worry 'bout it," she interrupted, starting to feel giddy from the loss of blood. "Go, I can help myself," she told him, and as if to show him she pulled out another knife, but a much shorter one.

"No, you're hurt—"

"I'm fine! Help the people that are defenseless!"

Seeing that there was no way to change her mind, he sighed and ran off to help them

Kylie smiled, satisfied and turned to resume to battle.

Before she could do anything else though, strong hands gripped her and turned her around. Karnen pressed his lips to hers sweetly and let her go before running off again. She gaped and pressed her trembling hand to her mouth, right before everything went black.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Was it a cliffhanger? Hehe, not really that exciting but I think you'll live till next chapter, which'll be up soon since I already started working on in. Now here's some answer reviews, thanks guys!!

PunkPixie87: Yay! I like more praises! I feel loved! Karnen…I don't like him so much either, sorry to say 'cause he's my own character! He must hate me right now! Aaah! But…yeah. I like Clara too, even though she's a bad guy…wait, did I spoil it for anyone? It's mighty obvious…but that's okay. Thanks for the original part! I'm trying to keep on the original stuff 'cause I hate to copy other people and I'm trying to be creative. And as for what bands I like? Aah! TOO MANY. I'm really starting to like New Found Glory, Avril Lavigne, Blink, BRITNEY SPEARS who's my complete favorite (LOL just kidding! Got you there, didn't I?), Sum41, Pink, Jimmy Eat World, some of the stuff on the Road Rules CD, and I was listening to Green Day the other day (Ha! I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!) and they're punkish and it's fun. I like so many more but I can't remember them all. How 'bout you?

CoolBreeze: Thank you so much! I'm trying to keep with the story, but I'm a natural Leo and I skip from idea to idea. But I love writing this and I hope you enjoy the coming chapters!! And we'll see what happens between Aiden, Kylie and Karnen…hehe! That's the most fun part to write! ^_^

dragon queen: Hope it's villainous enough! (It's so fun making characters that are on the wrong, or what the nobles think wrong, side!) Thanks so much!!

Mystikat: Ha!! I remember that remark! (I'm touched…in the head!!) Every time I read, "I'm touched," I now think of that. And look, I mentioned you again! Yay! Now, isn't trouble fun? I love it! And more to come!

Loony: Thanks! I really don't know what is up with Karnen. I don't like how I portrayed him in the 2nd chapter, but I have NO idea what's the deal with him. ^^;

Stewbug: Yay! Meghan reviewed! I'm loved, and thanks so much! So, how did it end in your dreams? ^_^; Lol, I'm always up for future ideas!!

Which reminds me…people, if you have any suggestions or comments or creative IDEAS (I love and would love to hear them!), e-mail me at Soccer_Freak088@yahoo.com. But if you're giving me ideas, then please DO NOT use the review board thing. 'Cause then others will see them and I can't use it. What's going to happen is going to be a complete surprise!