Yay! Yay for this chapter! Yay for Lady Knight! Yay for Tamora Pierce! Yay for everyone!

Hoooooooooooo boy. I think I had too much of my sister's birthday cake.

Well, yes, I got Lady Knight, and now I'm going to rant, so if you don't have it yet, skip to the story!

AUGH! How could Tammy leave it like that?!?!?!?!?!?! It was awful!! It was like a cliffhanger at the end of the BOOK! Augh! And NO ROMANCE! I was extremely disappointed, especially since NEAL CALLED HER LOVE. That was really cute. but he's getting married (dammit), so I guess it doesn't count. So now . . . I'm a Kel/Dom fan! Yay for Dom! And I didn't like the refugee thing at first, but about the third time through I started liking it more and now it's migrated to awesome. So I'm okay with the plot. BUT STILL! NO ROMANCE! And I was a little surprised that Kel and Cleon broke up like that. It seemed *snickers* like my story. That was more than a little strange. Hmmmmm . . . do you think there'll be another Tortall series? *keels over at thought of another Tortall series, than revives* and Dom and Kel will hook up in it? *keels over again* Okay, enough of my incessant chatter. Read the chapter!

Good lord. The twenty-eighth chapter. I really must try to wrap this up.

An Unexpected Ally

The two Tortallan knights spent slightly less than half an hour on the dance floor before they could make an inconspicuous exit. Once they were in the deserted halls, Kel and Neal hurried to their rooms, anxious to make plans for the next night.

They reached the narrow hallway where their rooms were located. Neal had just opened his mouth to speak the password that would open the door when they heard, "Why hello!"

Turning around, they saw Edward striding down the hall.

"Hello, Lord Edward," Kel said with a smile. Neal inclined his head.

"What a night, eh?" Edward said, yawning. "I'm afraid I must retire. Good night, Kel, Neal." He opened the door to his rooms and went inside. Shrugging, Neal opened their door, and the two of them entered.

Kel and Neal were two steps inside their rooms when the same thought occurred to them. Kel whirled to look at Neal. "Did he–" she started, then broke off her question as they both sprinted across the hall to Edward's door. Kel knocked on it frantically.

Edward opened it immediately. "I thought you might be wanting to have a chat," he said, face expressionless. He waved them into his rooms.

Once inside, Edward slammed the door and turned the key. He turned to face the two of them.

"You are in deep, deep trouble," he told them flatly. All traces of his former, bubbly self evaporated. Kel shot a panicked look at Neal. "Did you ever stop to check for other people around when you were talking so secretly on the balcony? No-you-did-not. And now Helena knows. And she has gone straight to the top. She's telling the King, possibly as we speak."

"Wha–Wha–" Kel stammered, gasping. She was having trouble finding her voice.

"Oh, we know all right. So would anyone else within a fifteen foot range of where you were standing, but luckily for you, we were the only ones. And now, you've blown it. And you don't have much time to find whatever it is you're looking for. So go get ready, because I'm going to lead you to the Treasury in three minutes. And you better hope that what you're looking for is there, because as sure as the Black God kills, you won't be getting a chance to look anywhere else."

"But–But why?" Neal managed to gasp out. He looked as thunderstruck as Kel felt.

"Why am I helping you? Hmm." The man pursed his lips. "I know what my country's doing, and I don't like it. You two seem like you're trying to do something about it, and for that I thank you. But enough! Go! If you really are a knight, milady, I doubt you'll be wanting to wear that beauty of a dress when you try to escape from the King's men!"

Kel jumped, looked down at her puffy light blue dress, and sprinted back across the hall again, followed closely by Neal. Kel tore off her dress, wincing as the delicate buttons ripped out. She opened one of her saddlebags, pulling out a plain tunic. She grabbed her sword, two daggers, and her longbow, piling everything on since there was no way they were going to be able to take the saddlebags. Across the room, Neal did the same thing.

Kel looked longingly at the green creation, sitting untouched on the dressmaker's dummy. Neal caught her looking and said, "Don't worry. I'll act like I did last night whether or not you're wearing a pretty dress."

She laughed and walked quickly out the door. Edward was already in the hall. It took Neal less than a minute to exit their rooms, and when he did he looked regretfully back into the rooms. "I liked that place," he said.

Edward started off down the hall, but paused before going more than three steps. "Hmm," he said. "It might be a help if–"

Kel cut him off. "Edward, we don't have the time. What do you want?"

"Shield me," Edward said flatly. "You don't have to worry about consequences; at least not in this country. But I have to stay, and I don't want to be executed as a traitor. So shield me."

Neal held out his hand, palm open. Green fire streamed from his fingers, settling as a cloak around Edward. Neal snapped, and the fire flared and disappeared.

"You're invisible to everyone but us," Neal told the man. "Now, lead."

Edward took off at a run, leading them through the halls. Their cover was blown; the two knights didn't pause when they saw others heading down the hall. Instead, they just ran through the middle of the crowds, knowing that it was only a matter of time until the King caught up with them. Heads spun, following Lord Gabriel and his Lady as they sprinted down the passage in commoner clothes.

The lord of deGrindemark led them out a door, than into another door, through a passage – Kel lost track of the turns they made. Gods, she thought. This King really hides things well!

Three minutes later, Edward halted in front of what looked like a cellar door. "Here," he said, panting. "This is the door. Guarded by magic and locks, but I suppose that's no problem for you, right?"

Neal smiled smugly. "Not a problem at all." Standing in front of the door, he closed his eyes. He gave an impressed whistle. "This King has some major paranoia problems. This is one extravagant spell." He stopped talking.

A white flare blasted through the room. Kel and Edward, with no magic to speak of, only caught the physical effects of the spell breaking; the flash on their eyes took more than a few seconds to go away. Once she could see clearly, the first thing she noticed was Neal lying sprawled on the ground.

Kel ran to him and fell on her knees. Reaching into her belt pouch, she lifted out a small vial. She removed the stopper and held it under Neal's nose. Coughing and choking, Neal revived. Smiling, Kel put the vial back in her pouch and stood up again.

Neal held out his hands, and she grabbed them and pulled him up. He reached into his own belt pouch, he lifted out a lock pick. It was the work of seconds to flip the tumblers and open the Treasury door. It swung downwards, revealing a marble staircase.

Edward took a step back. "I'm afraid this is where I'll leave you two. If I go any farther I may be caught in the act, and that would be . . . bad. To say the least."

Kel and Neal nodded, but their attention was on the staircase.

"Um . . . " Edward said hesitantly. "The spell?"

Neal jumped. He waved his hand. "It will dissolve as soon as you enter your rooms."

Edward bowed. "Then I take my leave of you both. It's been a pleasure to know you. The quickest way out is two left turns that way." He pointed to the door they had come from, then bowed once more and took the same way out.

All right, here's the deal. I'm posting this short boring chapter because that way the action is all in one chapter and it turns out for a better read. Sorry for the inconvenience. Well, next chapter up soon! And while it may not be exciting, something happens. And the story's almost over! *bawls* but then I can focus on my thief one. Yay for thieves! Anyway . . . new chapter coming soon!