Disclaimer: sigh....nothing....well...you get it

Here you go everyone chapter fourteen

Chapter Fourteen ---- Burning

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How about here?" Lathander asked leading Kel toward a restaurant called "The phoenix fire".

Kel shrugged. "Sure." As long as you're away from the palace, she thought and allowed herself to be led into the building.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They didn't notice the tall red haired woman following them through the city. She followed them in and took a seat at the bar near their table. She listened quietly to their conversation.

"Come on Kel!" Lathander pressed. "One drink won't kill you."

"Cider." Kel told the waiter again with a nod. Lathander groaned and slammed his hands mockingly on the table.

"You're hopeless. How will you ever have fun?"

"So I'm not fun when I'm not drunk?" Kel asked raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not!" Lathander exclaimed grinning evilly as a tankard of ale was set in from of him.

"I'm not going to drink it, Lathander," Kel replied indignantly.

The woman smiled to herself. Opening a small vile and dumped it into a full tankard in front of her. Turning to the waiter walking past her she grabbed his arm.

"Excuse me. Will you give this to that man over there with the black hair?" she asked with a smile.

The man smiled at her flirtatiously. "Of course." He took the tankard from her and walked it over to Lathander and Kel's table.

Lathander looked up at the man who set the tankard on the table. "We didn't order more."

"It's from that red haired woman at the bar," the man replied with a grin and walked away.

Lathander looked at the glass and shrugged before taking a drink of it.

"So what were you doing after you left the band?" Kel asked leaning back in her chair.

"Well," he began. "I did a ton of wandering, of course. After that I don't know. Everything. I worked for a village to help rid them of immortals."

Kel raised an eyebrow. "You worked for a village?"

"Don't give me that look Keladry," Lathander replied. "I was bored and they needed desperate help."

"Lathander my hero," Kel replied sarcastically. It was just like years ago. She'd forgotten why they were here.

"It was interesting to say the least," he said shaking his hair from his face. He looked at the food set in front of him and grinned. "Great I'm starved."

"You're always starved," Kel retorted.

"I am not!" Lathander replied and threw a piece of roll at her.

"Hey!" Kel laughed.

Lathander grinned and downed the rest of his tankard. Kel shook her head and worked into her meal.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After their meal Kel and Lathander were heading back to the castle. They'd spent two hours sitting there talking. So they decided to walk back to the castle, with the horses.

"Kel," Lathander whispered. He was slightly behind Kel. She stopped and turned.

"Hmm?"

He leaned and kissed her gently. She stood frozen 'Oh no not again.'

He stopped and staggered back , gasping.

"Lathander?" Kel asked worriedly. She moved toward him as he dropped onto the cold ground. "What's wrong?"

He gasped again, shaking his head. She set a hand on him arm. He was burning. She looked around for something or someone to help him. She saw an inn not far from where they were. Using all her strength she lifted him up onto his horse's back and rushed them over.

"I need help." she ran in. "Something is wrong with him!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tya shook off the magic and with it the red hair and gray eyes. He'd drank it. All of it. She grinned to herself and walked back to her rooms.

It didn't matter to her that he hadn't said anything to Kel. Lathander was a nuisence. One she was glad to be rid of. They could storm the castle without Lathander. It's not like she really did anything. She simply speeded up a process that would have happened sooner or later.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kel sat next to the bed. Well she was certainly keeping him away from the castle. He hadn't woken up since he'd collapsed. That was what, three hours ago. She smoothed his hair back and was startled again at how hot his skin was.

"You're a pain in the ass you know that," she muttered.

"Kel get away from me," Lathander whispered.

Kel was started by the comment just as much as by him speaking. "What?"

His green eyes opened. He took in his surroundings and panic filled them. "Get me out of here!" He went to climb out of the bed but Kel caught him. "Please Kel I have to get out of here."

"Why?"

"Please trust me!" Lathander cried standing up.

Kel steadied him and nodded hesitantly. "OK." She supported him down the stairs and out the door before he turned to her looking grim.

"Please go," he whispered.

"I'm not going to leaving you alone out here. You're sick," Kel snapped.

"Please," he begged again before doubling over in pain and ripping himself from Kel's grasp. "Stand back."

Kel hesitantly took a few steps back from him.

He smiled slightly. "I do love you, you know." With that he burst into flames.

Kel watched in horror before moving to go toward him. Someone gripped her shoulders.

"You can't do anything," Dom's voice whispered to her.

"He's burning!" Kel cried turning toward him. "He could still be alive."

"Look at him Kel," Dom hissed. "There is no way he is alive."

She knew he was right and made no move to help him. She closed her eyes.

Lathander was silent through the entire thing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Neal slumped down in the chair he was sitting in.

"We need to go back." Alanna stormed into the room.

Neal jumped up. "What! We've only just got here."

"There's a threat of attack on the palace," Alanna replied. "We're going back."

"Who would attack the palace?" Neal asked incredulously.

Alanna turned to him sternly. "The Shang."

"The Shang? All of them?"

"No. Kel's band," she replied quietly.

"Kel's band!" Neal cried. "Why?"

"I don't know," Alanna said irritably. "Just pack, and quick. We leave tonight."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kel slumped down on her bed in the palace. He'd burned to death. Why? He knew it was coming. He made sure she got him out of the building full of sleeping people and herself away from him.

She closed her eyes.

A knock sounded on the door. "Kel?"

'Tya,' Kel thought.

"Please Kel," her voice pleaded. "Dom told me what happened. Please just open the door. I know I yelled at him but that doesn't mean I wanted him dead."

Kel opened the door. "Please leave me alone," she said and moved to shut it again.

Tya stopped her. "Kel," she addressed quietly. She went to hug her.

"Go to one of your courtiers Tya," Kel hissed. It had been a long day and she couldn't deal with this now.

Tya looked at Kel stunned. The door closed. There is no way Kel could have known it was her. She'd put too much power into that disguise.

Not to worry the castle would be theirs in a matter of hours.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where's Kel?" Lysan asked Baird when he entered.

"She's in her rooms," he replied quietly.

"She was supposed to come talk to me," Lysan said. "It's important."

"She told me," he replied.

Lysan froze. "Did you tell the king?" Baird nodded.

"So why isn't Kel here? I can tell you know."

"Something happened," Baird began. "She went out to eat with Lathander."

"Is she OK?" Lysan asked worriedly.

"She's OK. Lathander burned to death," he responded.

"Lathander?" Lysan whispered. "It couldn't have been. They need him!"

"He did."

"Tya."

"What?"

Lysan shook his head. "It was Tya. It had to have been."

"If they need him why would Tya kill him?"

"Tya doesn't understand how vital Lathander was to their plans." Lysan thought a moment. "That also means that they're closer then I thought. If Tya's power is strong enough to do that , then Kal is closer then expected."

"What do you mean?" Baird furrowed his eyebrows. He'd told the king but they were trying to be discreet about it.

"Lathander's power stood on it's own. Tya's power was connected to Kal. It got stronger if he was closer," Lysan explained pushing himself up from the bed.

"What kind of power does this girl have?"

"She enchants people. She can get any man to do practically anything. If Kal is close enough she can change her appearance to suit her wishes."

"That complicates things," Baird whispered. He gestured a healer over. "Watch him. I need to see the King."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baird hurried to the throne room. As he turned the corner he ran straight into a sentry.

The boy lay panting on the floor a moment before jumping up.

"What's going on?" Baird demanded seeing a few people run by.

"We're missing guards your grace," the boy gasped. "They're here."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hides.

Thank yous:

Imogenhm: I hope you like this chapter just as much as the others.

Wake-Robin: Yes Tya is evil isn't she.

Vanilla chocolate /Angel: Sorry no Keal this chapter but soon....hopefully.

Shannon of Tameran: I'm not sure I'll ever dig my way out of homework. Yes I too know insanity well.

Dracorium: If you didn't like that one I'm not sure you like this one eh?

Ashhead: Wow I feel honored. Thank you very much.

Protectress of the small: Sorry I haven't had the chance to review your story yet but I will as soon as I get the chance I promise. I'm glad you like it.

Rie: Thank you blush I am indeed bringing them back.

Oceanspike: heh heh heh Why do I have a feeling you didn't like this chapter that much....

Chicken puffs: Thank you? I updated again too........

Parcheezie: Sorry. I know I suck at these cliffhanger things . For some reason I hit one and have no clue where to go from there....sorry..

Xxreixx:.......oops........I'm glad you like it

Soccorchick08: I'm in no way trying to make everyone hate him. I'm quite happy everyone likes him actually.

Queenofdiamonds1: Thank you and here indeed is your update.

BloodsoakedTiger: well she's officially certifiably crazy now.

Jumping-Jo: I love your choice of words. Very nice.

PhsycoLioness13: Thank you. Sorry about that. My grammar is absolutely horrible. Glad you liked the chapter and the doll.

Louderthanlife: Thank you.

Chisakami Saiyuki: So uh..you don't like Tya? She's only like this because she's devious.