Keladry opened her eyes slowly, adjusting to the now bright room. She moaned softly, the bruise had caused a huge headache. After a few minutes the door to her cell opened quickly to admit a richly dressed man and two guards. They closed and locked the door as the man in charge stepped forward.

'It's a shame,' Kel thought, 'he looks like he could be beautiful, but he chose to be corrupt,'

She continued to stare at him, lost in her own thoughts. He was obviously much shorter than she was, with large hazel eyes and a sneer that seemed to be stuck on his face permanently. He reminded her of Joren, a beautiful face, peeled back to reveal an evil core. The guards had treated him like royalty, but Kel hadn't the faintest idea of who he was.

Finally she spoke. "Who are you?"

He remained calm and said, "You are in no situation to ask questions, but I suppose just this once. I was once more noticeable in a crowd, people would bow... a dreamy look glazed over his eyes as he thought of his golden years. He snapped back into reality, but of course, you wouldn't know me, I am Duke Hilam."

He continued to talk, but Kel tuned him out. 'Hilam,' Kel thought, 'Neal's mentioned that name to me, but where from?' After a minute or so of thought, Kel remembered, 'Hilam! He was that crazy duke who kidnapped Alanna at the Drell River. King Jonathan defied his father's orders and crossed the river to rescue her. He ended up capturing Hilam and, oh, who was it, Count Jemis? Yes, that's it, and King Roald formed the Drell Peace.

"Hilam," she said without using his title, "why are you working for Scaran when you're from Tusaine, when you're the brother of the KING of Tusaine?"

"Funny you should ask," he replied maliciously, "You see, when my brother Ain died he secretly left the throne to the little vermin, Jemis." His anger was increasing now. "And my dear younger brother decided to banish me for 'attempts to steal the throne'"

Kel was thunderstruck; 'to banish your own brother…' she couldn't imagine someone that cruel. 'Kel, what are you thinking?!' she rebuked herself mentally; 'He has to be the most merciless man would could have gotten a throne!' her sensible brain screamed, 'look at where you are!'

"Now," he said, "I have a question for you."

"Yes?" Kel responded hesitantly, trying to sound bored. She was afraid of his smothered anger but growing defiant because of it

"Who, my dear, are you?" his question was coated with honey, trying to make it seem like a placid inquiry.

Kel saw through this right away and kept her head, "Wouldn't you like to know?" she asked, taunting.

Hilam seemed shocked, but suddenly pleased. He glanced at the pretty girl, realizing that because she wouldn't give her name she would most likely be a noble. He smirked, turned on his heel, and walked out of the room.