Chapter Eighteen; Rogue's law.

Alanna left Moonlight with Stephan and after a short conversation he went back to the stables to send a messenger bird to George with news of the attack. Alanna herself slipped up through the darkened gardens to enter the servants' way. She moved along the passageways, greeted silently, but with great respect, by those linked to the Rogue.

At last she came to the Prince's chambers and knocked.

"Come in!" She heard Jon's voice clear and commanding through the thick wood. She opened the door and the muffled voices cleared. She dropped her bags by the door. Alanna closed it behind her and locked it. She then let the Glamour fall, revealing her coppery hair.

"Alanna!" Raoul exclaimed with relief. "We've been waiting for you."

"Sorry. I had a few problems on the way here."

Gary nodded,

"We noticed." He pointed to her arm and forehead. Gingerly, she touched her forehead, it was wet and slightly sticky along her right temple.

"Mithros!" She glanced around the room. "Is there anywhere I can clean up?" Jonathon gestured towards another door set in the wall.

"Your room is through there. There is a washroom as well."

"Thanks. Give me a minute to change and tie this up."

Alanna emerged a few minutes later, dressed in a clean skirt and blouse. She had wiped her forehead wound and held a bandage in one hand. She rolled up her sleeve up, exposing the wound.

"Can one of you wrap this for me? I can't reach properly." She placed a folded cloth on the still bleeding cut.

Jon stood from his bed and skillfully wrapped the bandage tight around her upper arm. When he had finished she thanked him and pulled her sleeve down to cover the cloth.

She looked seriously around at the group of young men, and they all sat upright as they realized she was going to tell them more about the plot against Jon. She did not disappoint,

"While I am in here, or whenever we are alone and no one can possibly see us, I'll let the glamour down. While I'm wearing it though, call me..." She cast about for a name, "Lienna."

"Wont the magic wear you out?" Gary asked. "It must use up a lot of your Gift."

"It uses quite a bit," Alanna acknowledged, "but I have built up a large reserve over the years. And I'll let it down when I go into Corus or when I am in my room." She shrugged, "I have a few wigs with me if I get tired."

"You have come prepared haven't you?" Raoul said admiringly.

"I try." She moved between them to sit on the bed. "Has anything happened recently that I should know about?"

"And don't already you mean." She grinned back at Jonathon.

"I have good spies."

"Are you one of them?" He asked. Her slightly guilty expression gave her away. "We'll have to be more careful of what we say in the corridors." Jon joked.

"Not just in the corridors. Watch what you say to each other in your rooms as well." Alanna warned. "Not all your servants are honest rogues. You saw how easily I got in here without you noticing." She started to say something more, then checked herself, "Are there listening guards in here?"

Jon nodded, "The palace mages warded all my rooms."

She smiled, "Just to be sure though..." Balls of purple fire shot from her open hands to each corner of the room. At a word from Alanna, the fire spread to become a film of sparkling violet covering all the walls. "Now I know we can talk safely. Don't trust anyone else when you don't have to."

The men exchanged a look at her world weary attitude, but none laughed. Something had made her this way, and none of them knew what. She broke them from their thoughts once more, "I will always be here, or near where you are. I can hide myself, both magically and normally, easily, so don't worry about me."

"This is really serious isn't it?" Alex spoke from his chair in the corner.

"Yes. This is very serious. I've broken Rogue's law by even telling you about Selket. But my Lord Provost is taking too much notice of us now because of all the bodies this war is producing."

"What is 'Rogue's law'?" Gary asked, "George mentioned it at the Dancing Dove."

"Basically, you don't betray other Rogues to Lord Provost, and you don't attack people not linked to the Rogue for your own gain in the Court."

"What happens if you break Rogue's law?"

"Nothing good. You die, very slowly. You're meant to die after three days, the last traitor lasted six."

"Did he attack you or something?" Alex queried,

"Yes. He stabbed me here." She laid her hand on her left side. "He hired mercenaries to try and kill George. I... got in the way. He thought killing George and me would secure him the throne. He didn't count on me being able to fight as well as I could.

"You've risked a lot telling us this haven't you?" Jon asked

"Yes. And I would feel so much better if I could have killed Selket in a fair battle. He's never given me a proper chance though." She sighed, "I wish that he would obey our laws, then he would challenge George and have it over and done with." She stood and walked towards them, fingering her knife. "I'm ready for him if he does."

Well, there it was, a fairly short chapter I know, but we are winding up to the most important part of the story... Thanks to all who expressed their outrage at the plagiarism issue I found.

HuntressDiana.