Thank you again to all of the reviewers: guess what!?!?! IN THIS CHAPTER, THE MYSTERIOUS SCANRAN IS REVEALED! ! WOOHOO
That night Kel's group made camp again. By the time Ivan was asleep, Kel still sat awake, thinking of her friends. When the mysterious Scanran came to tell her to get to sleep, only she noticed the key he left at her feet. Cautiously she freed herself. There was a note attached to the key. She read it.
-- Raoul and his men are close by. Good luck--
Slowly, she crept out of camp, pausing by the mysterious man's sitting figure.
"Thanks, Baron Cooper. See you in Corus," she whispered, and set off to find Raoul.
(A/n: well? There ya go. If you haven't figured it out, George was on one of his spy missions J )
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Roaul, Dom, Neal, and Cleon shared a campfire. All were silent.
"How many were there, Sir?" Cleon finally asked.
"'Bout fifteen," Raoul replied gruffly. Silence again.
A sentry trotted to the four men, leading someone behind him. "Sirs," he said, breathless, "she's here!"
Raoul lept up and rushed over to the soldier, who stepped aside. Kel stood, smiling. Barely able to contain his extreme joy and relief, Raoul swept the lady knight off her feet and twirled her around. When he let her down, Neal embraced her firmly. Then Dom picked her up and carried her off. Cleon still sat, staring into the fire.
"Kennan, what's wrong?" said Raoul.
"I didn't know-- her and Dom…"the redhead trailed off.
Raoul bit his lip, unsure of what to say. In the silence, Cleon got up and trudged off to his bedroll. Kel and Dom didn't return till morning
When Raoul awoke, he went in search of Kel. He found her sitting on a log at the edge of camp, deep in thought. Fighting the urge to question her about where she had slept the last night, he asked a question that had been nagging at him.
"So, how did you get away?"
She jumped, not having heard him approach.
"Alanna'a husband--George-- was among the Scanrans, spying, I presume. He freed me."
Raoul nodded thankfully and sat down beside her.
"I'm taking the men to deal with those Scanrans, but I'll leave Cleon here," Raoul explained.
"Kel looked down. "Couldn't--Dom?"
Raoul smiled meekly. "No, then I'd be wondering about you two here alone. I think you have to explain things to Kennan."
Kel gripped the older knight's hands in a silent understanding, and he left.