The following days were gloomy and irritably slow. Roald was moved away—as far away from the girls' dorm as possible most obviously. Even though I should have expected that to happen, I cried for a while after I'd heard the news.

I'd been talking to Hayley in the courtyard, catching up on things since we hadn't spent time together in forever.

'I've found the one!' she'd squealed, gripping my hand in excitement and laughing joyfully.

'The one?! Hayley, I'd expect that from Serena, not you!'

I wonder who it is though…Hayley's a very picky, innocent sorta gal…I hope he ain't too much of a bad influence, she's perfect the way she is…

She rolled her eyes at me, waving my comment away. 'He's gorgeous, so caring!' She sighed loftily, holding a hand to her heart.

Blegh. 'Really?' I asked, feigning interest.

She nodded with a gleeful smile. Come to think of it, I thought, she does seem much happier. Her face had taken on a certain flush, her eyes even smiled and she walked with more of a lift.

'He's perfect, Reem! Perfect! He's got the looks, the looks, and oh wait, I forgot to mention…the looks! God of Gods! He's fabulously, fantastically, maddeningly, heartbreakingly perfect! He's so perfect, perfection doesn't even begin to describe his sort of perfection! I mean if you were to—'

'Uh, Hayley?' I interrupted with an amused expression. 'Does he happen to have a brain worth mentioning?! All the rambling you did about his, umm, perfect looks kinda hinted to a huge NO.'

The kind-faced girl chuckled and grinned impishly, sighing dreamily. 'Oh God, yes! He's so smart! And he's a squire too!'

'But of course!'

'So, in conclusion,' she said cheerfully, 'he's smart, perfectly sexy, sweet and so nice…well to me anyway.'

'And where have I heard that same sentence before?' I mock pondered. 'Oh yeah!' I exclaimed. 'In every soppy teen-romance movie ever created!'

She took a handkerchief from her pocket and opened it, revealing small round pieces of delicious looking cake. She offered me some, so I took one with a polite thank you.

I hadn't had decent sweets in so long; I practically gobbled the whole thing up in one mouthful. But my manners for once kicked into action and I took off one piece at a time and chewed considerably before swallowing.

'So tell me more about him!' I said, really interested now.

It wasn't enough that this girl lives in three worlds, here this guy comes along and gives her another one to daydream about! Nice going, dude! Frankenstein will voice his anger at you for creating an even stranger monster!

Her eyes lit up. 'Tell you more? Let's see! We talked for the first time at the ball—your first one, remember?' (How could I forget?) '—ages ago. He didn't seem interested at all then, even bored with me! But suddenly, weeks later, he tracks me down and starts taking me out and stuff! It was really weird, but I'm glad he did! I'm so happy…

'Oh and he's got the most beautiful eyes you could ever come across! I could honestly melt in them—'

'Here we go with the clichés again!' I mumbled dryly. She eyed me firmly, so I spread out my hands helplessly and motioned, with a grin, for her to go on describing her "love".

'So, anyway! Speaking of sexy men, how's yours?'

I blinked at her. 'Mine?'

She frowned at me, taking a small bite out of her cake. 'Duh, the Prince!'

I grimaced at the mention of him. 'Ah…it never started to end, but if it had, the King officially ended it for us, so yeah…'

I could see the sympathy and pity in her eyes. 'It would have never worked out anyway. I mean, a prince and a no-status, Other-World-er crazy girl? Come on! I haven't even seen that in soppy movies, so it has to be impossible.'

I was trying to unsuccessfully lighten up the suddenly quiet tense mood.

'Well, I only asked cause erm…I thought something was up since Roald moved away and…'

My attention faltered. My mouth dropped open. My throat went dry. My vision blurred.

'E-excuse me? What did you say?' I stammered, absolutely shocked.

'I said I thought you guys had some sort of fight cause Roald moved away from his quarters just after he'd been at Wyldon's office. He moved his stuff just after lunch.' Her eyes softened as she looked me over. 'Didn't you know?'

I was still taking in the shock. Why? … Well, coz of me of course! Why else?

'Do you…do you know why? I swallowed hard, wanting and not wanting to know at the same time.

Hayley shook her head, much to my dismay and relief. 'No…sorry.'

I nodded slowly, and smiled weakly when she frowned at me worriedly. 'I think I'll go…get some rest. I'll, um, see you at dinner.'

Se nodded and gave me a quick hug, eyeing me sternly in the process. 'I'll be bringing my new found love of my life to dinner, by the way, so pull a strap on your manners, or else.'

She was trying to change the mood, obviously.

I faked a laugh to satisfy her and nodded, before I walked back to my own room, and cried my broken heart out.

 While I sat in my room that evening, all alone, sick to death of crying, tired and bored, I decided to begin going over what I now called the "Atkin Case".

I borrowed parchment and ink from Hayley's drawer and dipped the qul into the inkwell, pondering in thought. What did I know so far?

I wrote in Arabic in case someone read it.

Case: Atkin

Crime: planning assassination/s

Proof: eavesdropped with Prince and hart about an "assassination" but didn't actually see Atkin, mind-read "assassination".

Other Relative Info:

- has helpers/followers/slaves

- knows I know something (not good)

- has to heave help from inside Tortall

Info that I Must Find Out:

- who he is

- who he wants to assassinate

- what his plans are

- why he's doing what he's doing

- who's helping him

- why they're helping him

- how many are helping him

- where his "homebase" is.

I grimaced at how huge list of the to-do list, but how small the already-know list was.

'Great,' I grumbled, sighing as I rubbed my aching head. How do I do this? I can't just do what I normally would do; bash the perpetrator until I'm told what I want. I need something smart, something cunning. Most importantly something, Atkin would never expect.

I was deep in thought when the doors burst open. I looked up from my and quickly turned the parchments over. It was Khalil, and he could read Arabic perfectly.

He smiled at me and looked around the room, then sighed. 'Got any idea where my girl is?'

I pressed my nails so deep into the palms of my clenched fists, I was sure I'd get blisters. 'Serena?' I tried my best conceal the tightness in my voice. 'No, sorry, haven't seen her all day.'

Should I mention the fact that she never came to bed last night when she'd said after dinner 'I'm gonna go over to Khalil's, I'll be back in a few'? Well, maybe not.

'Oh,' Khalil said grimly, coughing as the awkward silence dragged irritably.

It was then that I really realized how much we'd grown apart the last few weeks. I couldn't tell what he was thinking just by looking at him or hearing his voice like I used to, he didn't notice my sulking with eagle eyes as he used to, he couldn't bring a smile to my face just by being there anymore, I couldn't make him smile by saying stupid things. It hurt, knowing we weren't and would possibly never be as close as we used to be.

I tapped my quill against the armchair; for once I had nothing to say to Khalil. I was boringly speechless. 'So…' It was my turn to cough uncomfortably, apparently. 'I should, erm, get back to, um, this.'

Khalil nodded and plastered a smile, relief flooding his face as he got an excuse to leave. He left wordlessly.

My head spun, for more than the obvious reason. It felt as heavy and dizzy as it had at my first ball—which seemed like eons and eons ago…

What did it mean? When it pounded like this? It wasn't your natural, regular headache—that was all I knew. Instead of flashes of pain, I saw flashes of thread. Deep, rose threads tangled and disfigured, shining very dimly. I couldn't even begin to guess what was causing my headaches, let alone why. Or what the threads I saw were. I mean, who would?!

The headache was exactly the same one as I'd had at the ball, which startled me, because I'd thought Atkin had been the cause of that, after I'd seen him smirk at me just as I'd fainted. But there was no Atkin around this time. So what's the deal here?

After an hour or so, I got sick of thinking the same thoughts and questions over and over and getting absolutely no answer, so I decided to go off somewhere. Take my mind of things. Refresh my mind. Anything to get away, really.

But just as I was about to get up and leave, the door was knocked softly. Grumbling, I got up and answered it.

It was a snobby-looking runner.

'Yes?'

The short, middle-aged man with rat-like features, sniffed at me with disgust and handed me a rolled up, wax-sealed parchment with the tips of his fingers. I nearly laughed at his stupidity but controlled myself.

'From His Majesty,' he said dryly, somehow managing to look down at me even though he was shorter than me.

I raised my eyebrow at him. 'You should see a healer for that,' I remarked.

'Excuse me?' he snapped.

'The alignment of yours eyes are screwed up,' I explained graciously. 'You can't seem to look straight ahead—only, erm, down at your nose. Don't you hate that? I mean your nose is definitely not the prettiest thing in the world—far from it. In fact, if I had your nose, and that eye-disease, I'd go mad! God, I'd retch every other second!'

I smiled wanly. 'Thank you,' I said, looking at the parchment, then slammed the door in his shocked face.

'Arrogant moronic arse.'

I leaned against the wall and tore at the seal, unrolling the parchment hastily.

Reem, it read.

I request your audience at dinner, sharp. Meet me at my office. Do not be late.

Sincerely,

Your King.

I rolled my eyes. 'Not my King, honey!'

Should I? I thought warily. I mean it could be important! Kings don't request meetings with no-status girls without a very, very good reason.

I groaned as I remembered Hayley telling me about bringing her "true love" to dinner for us to meet.

Sorry Haylz, there'll be other chances to meet your "soul mate". I can't exactly stand up the king. Well, maybe if I liked dark, dirty, disgusting, rat-infested cubicles of death and corruption. But I don't, so I'm sorry.

So there I was, in front of the King's office, facing the guards outside. They sneered at me when I tried to go through, and blocked my way.

'Please move,' I said politely, my eyes on the door.

I was in no mood for pathetic slobs. I was too worn out to do any spectacular fighting.

'Do you have permission?' one of them with blotchy skin drawled, grinning nastily at me.

I'd forgotten my invitation. 'The King—'

'Written permission, dear, or no going on,' the other snarled, pushing me back roughly.

I cussed and glared at them ferociously. 'If you'd just call the King, he'll—'

'Well the King ain't here, lovie,' blotchy-skin said, watching me intently.

'I told you, the King want to see me! So I know he's here. If you'd just—'

'Save it, wench! Written permission. If you don't have that, quit wasting our time!'

I squinted my eyes at them and said through gritted teeth, 'Or what?'

Blotchy grabbed me by the collar and shook me, shooting pangs of pain through my already-aching head. 'Or I'll punch your face in so hard, it'll take you years to—'

'Put the Lady down,' a powerful, crisp voice commanded from behind me, interrupting the guard's sweet threat.

Blotchy's skin was a deep red colour, looking even disgustingly worse that it had before—if that was possible. He grudgingly let me go, but pushed me down roughly in the process.

I tumbled to the floor.

'Get out of my face before I'll punch your face in, hard,' my rescuer growled.

I saw the guard clench his fists and glare at me before stomping off. The other guard gulped and opened the door for me with a forced smile. Obviously, the rescuer had power.

I slowly got up and turned to look at my rescuer. My mouth gaped open and I froze in my place. The headache came to a halt—but I didn't even notice that, which was saying something.

'I-it's you!' I gasped, a hand flying to my open mouth as I took in the shock.

The Lioness grinned, a hand gripping the hilt of a sheathed sword, as if it belonged there. 'Well this is my second-home! What're you here for then?'

I shook my head and physically stopped myself from rubbing my eyes in disbelief. 'The King wanted to see me,' I croaked, my voice choked.

'Ah,' she said, with a hint of a smile. I looked more closely at her face and suddenly noticed her pale and gaunt face. I frowned as I saw lines at the sides of her mouth and the middle of her forehead. Her eyes were bloodshot and there were heavy bags under them, probably from sleep depravation.

'Well, ladies first.' The Lioness and King's Champion ushered for me to go on ahead, into the King's office.

Smiling gratefully—if not idiotically—I turned around with a shocked look still on my face, and entered his Majesty's office.

King Jonathan of Contè IV looked up from the rolls and rolls of parchment and books that swamped his desk. He smiled grimly and put down his quill, motioning for me to sit down on the chair opposing his.

I obeyed silently, this time frowning at him as I noted the dark, grim lines around his mouth. He looked just like what Alanna had—exhausted and gauntly pale.

'Are you all right, your Majesty?' My bitterness for him rushed out of me as concern filled its place. He looked absolutely terrible.

'I'm fine,' he replied, stacking his papers into a neat pile and then looking up at me somberly. 'You're probably wondering why I called you so suddenly.'

Nodding absentmindedly, I winced as the headache returned, stronger than ever. It had slowly come back as soon as I'd entered the office.

'…noticed that the girls haven't…so I've called…to look…' Jon's voice came and went as my mind spun. My breath quickened, and I gripped the armchairs tightly to try and steady myself.

God, what's happening to me?!

'I hope…soon and—Reem, are you…right?' the King's concerned voice drifted into my messed up head.

I leaned my head against the back of the chair and looked up at the ceiling, concentrating on one spot to try and stop the dizziness, but failing to do so as everything to seemed to move as soon as I'd try to look straight at it. Something was obscuring my head, clouding it.

'Reem?'

My vision blurred as I felt adrenaline rush through my entire body—then disappear just as suddenly as it had come, leaving me limp and puffing with exhaustion, even though I hadn't moved an inch.

Something tugged at my mind. It was then that I suddenly realized I'd been holding on to something. I frowned; obviously it wasn't something physical. Thinking deeply, the only thing I could think of was that since I was living in Tortall, I had to think about Tortall rules in this sort of situation.

Holding onto something…

Mentally?!?! Anything was possible in this world.

I took a deep breath and in my mind, pictured myself grabbing a rope tightly, pouring how I felt into it with the pain that controlled me. I then, again mentally, let go of the rope with a quick prayer to any God that was listening.

I hoped that would do, as I opened my eyes slowly.

Seconds later, the fog lifted from my mind, and the headache slowly ebbed and ebbed till it was a meaningless throb—one which I could thankfully handle. A grateful smile split my lips as I thanked God for this miracle.

Opening my eyes, I was greeted with shock. Jon's eyes were wide open, his mouth gaping; he was the perfect picture of absolute astonishment.

'What?!' I demanded.

'Mithros, woman!' he suddenly snapped. 'Why didn't you tell anyone?'

I looked at him, confusion written all over my now-pale face as I struggled to regain my strength. I needed sleep. 'Tell anyone what?'

Something told me he wasn't referring to what he'd been going on about while I'd been having an internal-fit (there you go, another new, meaningless word, created by yours truly).

The King frowned at me thoroughly, the lines deepening on his face as his stunningly handsome face broke into a look of utter concentration. His eyes closed. After a while, he reopened them and said clearly and without a trace of irritation and anger, 'I'll have to refer you to someone who knows of…whatever that was.'

'Your Majesty,' I began calmly, enjoying not having a jeering headache. 'Maybe if you explained to me just what your were hyperventilating about, you might just –surprisingly—find me of use!'

Jon smiled gently and rubbed at his temples, a regretful sigh escaping him as he turned to the report and such on his table. He made a face. 'I'll just hand you a note to give to Numair—I'll be keeping an eye on you whenever I can, mind you.'

'Oh, I just adore threats!' I exclaimed mock-cheerfully as I waited for his Majesty to scribble down his "note". I wondered privately why he didn't just give it to a runner. God knows he had plenty of those.

When he finished his note, he handed it to me after he'd rolled and wax-sealed it with the royal emblem. 'Be polite,' he warned me sternly, looking at me pointedly, but also with a hint of amusement.

I fell in love with him all over again. I groaned as the thought crossed me. Not again.

I half-bowed with a grin, and took the note. 'Yessir! I'll be on my best!'

The King sighed. 'Is that meant to be comforting? Because it's not.' He waved me off in obvious dismissal.

It was only once I stepped out into the dim hallway that I remembered something rather important: I didn't know where Numair's quarters were! Let alone where he was… You'd think a king, having had the best education money could supply (or rather, the teaching dudes while he was training to be a Knight) would know a girl of my status and brain wouldn't know where to find a guy like Numair! Geez. He just astounds me with his expansive wisdom.

But I loved him to death anyway!

This time, instead of trying to find everything my own way and getting completely (and stupidly) lost, I decided to do the right thing and look for someone who did know their way around the Goddamned maze of a Palace.

So I walked on, hoping to find one.

As I walked around the corner, and just as I turned to look back the way I'd come to see if I should have gone the other way, I slammed sideways into someone with a rather large, muscular and buff chest. And it wasn't a girl, mind you.

'Gods, are you alright?' a concerned voice asked as firm hands steadied me by the shoulders.

'Yeah, I'm fine…thanks!' I looked up to see a shadowed face.

'Is everyone tall around here?' I grumbled, straightening out my wrinkled dress.

The guy laughed and shrugged. 'I guess we just want to flatter your gracious height!'

'Or lack there of!' I grinned. 'Hey, actually, could you do me a favour?' I asked, as earnestly as possible.

'Uh…yes?'

Woohoo! 'Would you have any idea where Numair Salmalìn's quarters are?!'

To my utmost relief, he did and told me to follow him.

When we stepped outside and the light hit his face, I frowned. 'Don't I know you?'

He grinned widely and shrugged as he walked off. His strides were too fast and his long legs covered distance much, much easier than my tine ones did, so I had to struggle to catch up with his; I had to actually jog!

I guess finding out you weren't as fit as you should have been at a time like that wasn't too encouraging, it definitely didn't make me feel any happier. I had an assassin to take care off and I couldn't jog to save my own life! Very comforting thought, very, very comforting.

And this guy wouldn't tell me who he is. If he thought that was mysterious—let me tell you pal, it's plain irritating! 'So what's your name?' I asked, eyeing him.

'We're here,' he simply said, pointing at the door with a smile.

THE NERVE OF THIS BOY! 'Erm, excuse me! I asked for your name!'

He raised an eyebrow. 'If you knew me, you'd know. Wouldn't you?'

So we're playin' that game, are we? All right, boy. 'Of course I would, dear!' I laughed falsely. 'Would you happen to know my name, if you knew me as well that is?'

His face broke into a grin—a friendly one. 'Maybe,' he replied.

'Oh really?' I demanded.

He shrugged, the grin still apparent on his face. 'Well I'd better go now.'

Before I could protest, he turned on his heel and left, leaving me slightly pissed off and confused. Men and games! I huffed, shaking my head as I took a step closer to the door and knocked.

I waited a few more moments before knocking again, harder this time. I heard sleepy grumbling and grinned. The door opened to reveal an amazingly tall, dark-haired (very ruffled hair, I noticed) man that I had to crane my neck right up to actually be able to talk to. 'Hello,' I croaked dumbly, staring openly.

He forced a smile and nodded.

After I'd been silent for a long time, he raised an eyebrow, expecting something. But I just stared and stared…and stared…

Numair coughed. 'Yes?'

'Ah ma…' I rambled.

'Excuse me? Like all other people who met me, he frowned at me like I should really have never been released from the psychotic hospital. But he should know. He was quite crazy himself.

'Um…this…here…' I looked at the parchment in my hands.

He suddenly smiled and took the parchment when it was obvious I was too dazed to do anything but stare at it blankly.

When he'd read it, he looked at me for a while, and then frowned just as the King had. 'I see,' he murmured.

I'd finally snapped out of my shock and raised my eyebrow at him. 'Erm, you see what? And why the hell are you looking at me like that?!'

Numair merely said, 'I don't have much time to discuss this now, but if you'll meet me tomorrow, at the stables…let's say at noon…is that all right by you?'

I shrugged. 'Sure, I don't got no plans.'

He frowned. 'I don't have any plans!'

'Erm, ok, not that I asked or anything…'

The mage looked confused for a moment, but then sighed. 'I was correcting you!'

'Why would you do that?!'

'Because you—' he started, but then sighed and shook his head as he muttered under his breath about uneducated people and streettalk.

'I actually did get an education,' I objected. 'I just never bother usin it…no point really.'

He pursed his lips. 'Well around me, you will.'

I grinned. ' Don't you mean I shall?'

'No, it's—' he stopped and squinted his eyes at me. 'Don't get smart. Tomorrow, noon, stables, don't be late or else.'

The door closed before I could retort, so I rolled my eyes and stalked off to see if I'd missed out on seeing who Hayley's new man was…