Kel dropped into a fitful sleep. She tossed and turned on her dank cot, living through horrible dreams. One of them depicted Maggur sneaking into Corus and slowly killing all of her friends. She woke, gasping and sweating. Surprisingly, tears were coursing down her cheeks. For one horrible moment she looked around at her surroundings and had no idea of why she was chained in a dark cell. Soon it hit her like a brick; she was a prisoner of the Scanran's, and she had been in this cell for a little over a week. She tried to tell herself that she was here for the good of Tortall, but part of her couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that Maggur was a sly and treacherous as he was evil.

After sitting in her cell with nothing but her dismal thoughts for the remainder of that morning, Kel finally heard a key scrape in the lock of her door. Slowly the heavy iron door swung open. Kel braced herself as best she could and faced her 'guest.'

It was only King Maggur again, grinning smugly. "You can come with me now, Lady Kel."

She glared at him as he shook her chains and led her out of her cell. The hallway was brightly lit, and she had to shield her eyes against the new light. After several minutes she adjusted and was brought to a cozy, warm room.

King Maggur deftly locked her to a chair and settled down on a couch.

"So, Lady Knight Keladry…"he drawled, inspecting a fingernail. "…You don't know what to expect. You're here, captive, and I can do whatever I want, because your king gave you away. What does he take me for? YOU for? You have many important friends. Even I know that. You would have even become a legend, in your own time. Just like the Lioness. But he didn't realize that, and now I have you. Doubtless your gallant friends will try to rescue…That will just ruin the treaty. So now you wonder what I wanted you for. And I will tell you. I don't want you. I want for your country to not have you. So you will stay in your cell, until I find a good purpose for you."

Kel trembled with rage. The NERVE of this man, to treat her as if she were a pawn! And now he sat there, calmly explaining it all. She tried her best to hide her feeling and not give him the satisfaction that he had upset her. He caught on and smiled tauntingly.

"How does that settle with your precious honor? Let me guess…Your amazing heroes will be: Lord Raoul, Oh I hope so. Duke Baird's son. A company of knights…and the King's Own? You are quite a celebrity. And don't even think that you will get away with killing Blayce the Gallan unscathed. I will have revenge, but not yet. Now would be too easy. Besides, what have you got to lose right now?"

Kel saw a flare of insanity and genius flash behind his small, cruel eyes. Before he locked her away again, she managed to spit in his face. He just laughed, which really unnerved her. Only someone very insane would laugh at that time.

Restless, Kel searched around the confines of her jail with her hands. Suddenly her fingers met with a small, even crack. She groped until she found the same crack about 3 feet away. Digging her fingernails into the small holds, she pried open a small door. Peering into her newly-discovered room, she heard a small voice call to her.

"Are you the Protector?" A small woman crept out of the shadows. She was very frail and weak.

Kel stumbled backwards. "Wh-who are you?" She managed to stutter.

"Remia Stone. And you are the Protector of the Small."

"How did you know that?" Kel accused weakly.

The small woman reached out with her hands. "I am a seeress. I can see important things in the near future. Maggur has had my imprisoned here for almost three years. Don't trust him. He will trick you."