(A/N. Ok, it may seem like Kel and Kia may both seem a little ooc here, but bear with me, because hopefully it'll make sense in the end. And it's very long; I'm not quite sure how that happened.)

Kel's POV

Everything settled down a bit after that. Kel and Faleron came to an agreement that day that neither of them would go after Kai, since, if she left, they couldn't just drag her back here. Kel felt slightly guilty, but after that talk with Neal, she realized that she couldn't do anything, even if something told her that Kai would never be able to hold her own against Zhahir or anyone else if they went against her, and that someone would eventually find where she lived in the city.

Forgotten by Kel, the note from class that day remained in her belt pouch, crumbled into a ball and then flattened under the few coins that she found necessary to keep with her, just in case she needed money. In fact, it wasn't until two days later, during their break in the courtyard, that she was reminded of it.

"They look way too suspicious," said Neal, commenting on Ferdon, Zhahir, and the others, who were lounging about, talking quietly and stealing glances at their group. "Did you ever figure out what that note meant, Kel?"

Kel looked up from her history book, momentarily confused, and asked, "What note?" Then it dawned on her, and she replied sheepishly, "No, I forgot I had it." She dug into her pouch, and eventually found it, and reread it.

The note:

Do you all know the plan? He (Zhahir) asked on the note.

When? The word was boldly written, and dark, so she figured it was Din's, one of the other boys'.

Three days, answered the next one, who she guessed was Ferdon.

At that old common inn? That's where we're meeting the others? another asked, but Kel couldn't tell whose writing it was.

The inn we followed them to, thickhead. That comment was definitely Zhahir's.

Then we need another plan for the others, Din said.

We have a plan for them. Don't worry about it and leave it to us, Ferdon answered. That was the last comment on the note.

Kel's eyes widened, as she suddenly understood at least part of what was written. She thrust the crumbled paper at Faleron, who took it with a look of confusion. There was a moment of silence, as Faleron read and everyone else competed to look over his shoulder. Then Faleron threw it down. "They followed us?" he exclaimed. Owen scrambled to get the paper from where it had fallen onto the ground.

"Quiet!" Kel ordered, gesturing at the crowd of boys only a few feet away, who were now openly watching their proceedings. "Yes, that looks like what it means. Which means they know where Kai lives. Which means that they're planning something!"

"She left and you want to go save her?" Faleron managed to demand without shouting.

Kel paused for a second. Legally, she wasn't responsible for Kai, as opposed to Faleron, who was supposedly her employer. Kel had seen the expression in Faleron's eyes when he thought that she had been kidnapped. She considered for a second, then gave into temptation, grinning evilly. "I don't want us to save her. You go after her."

Every one of their friends stopped their separate conversations to listen to what was being said. Faleron paled slightly. "Why?" he asked, obviously trying to control his voice.

"Well, began Neal, catching on, "The palace records say that she's your maid. Why should we go?"

"But…" Faleron sputtered, glancing between them.

"But what?" put in Owen, also grinning. "Don't shirk your duty."

"What! You want me to wander around in the streets until I find where we may have been Midsummer-if she's still at the same inn-force her to comeback, miraculously make it through the city without being killed by her friends, and then do it again when she runs away tonight? That's idiotic!"

Kel hesitated; he was right. "All right; good point. So…don't force her," she said simply with a shrug. He was staring at her, so she explained very slowly and carefully, like she was speaking to a particularly slow child, "Faleron, if you don't want to drag her through the city, then convince her to come back and then she'll pack up and leave with you and then she won't run away again tonight." He opened his mouth to say something, but she interrupted him. "Think about it!" she pleaded softly. "If she stays there, then they know where she is and they'll just go and murder her in her sleep tonight! Even if she moved, how long do you think it would take for them to find her? A week, two maybe? Even a month? They'd still find her eventually and then she'll be dead. Are you honestly willing to condemn her by inaction?"

"No," he answered reluctantly. "Fine. But you're coming with me."

"No I'm not," she said, her grin slipping through her mask again. She pointed at the abandoned history book that lay on the ground. "I have homework to do tonight. I didn't have time to do it during our break."

"Well, someone's coming too," Faleron declared, looking around hopefully.

"Why?" asked one of the other squires nearby. "We know that they wouldn't send in more than one person just to kill some street girl. Sorry," he said quickly to Kel, whose mask had suddenly snapped on.

"He's right though," Owen commented quickly. "Whoever they send would probably be inexperienced, and Faleron could handle one person. If worst comes to worst," he added hastily at Kel's glare.

"If you get there early, then you won't meet anyone, and you can both just leave," Kel finished firmly. "If you leave after dinner then you should have an hour before dark and they wouldn't try anything until at least full dark, so you'll have plenty of time."

"Fine," he agreed wearily, as if deciding that it wasn't worth arguing over.

Kel smiled in satisfaction, wondering when she had become such a speech-making, leader-like person. She shrugged it off mentally and concentrated on her homework.

Kai had spent the day wandering around the market with her friends, who had all managed to somehow get out of their duties. Kai herself had been granted the day off because of her twisted ankle and was still on crutches. The streets were crowded, as there were still tourists left over from the Midsummer celebrations, so Kai had a little difficulty in maneuvering through the allies, but it was worth it to be with her friends again. It scared her how much this day was like Midsummer, where she had done the very same thing with Danai, resurfacing her fear that someone would find her here, but she quickly brushed it off.

She got back to her room at the inn just before dark fell on the city, and was shocked when she entered to find someone very familiar sitting on her bed.

"How'd you get in here?" she demanded.

"Your locks weren't much of a challenge," Faleron said, straight-faced as he held up a few lockpicks and she gaped like an idiot. Of course, she had seen them before; she had friends in the rogue. She just was surprised that someone like Faleron would have some and know how to use them. But, she considered, he was also telling the truth that her locks were extremely old and probably could be easily forced without picks, but she normally had no need to worry about thieves; anyone that she didn't know personally wouldn't bother. After all, what kind of a street dancer would have anything of enough value to make it worth the risks of getting caught?

She hobbled in on her crutches, carefully closing the door so that one of her neighbors would know that she had a noble in the room. She shuddered mentally at the thought of the rumors that that would cause.

"What'd you do to your leg?" asked Faleron, obviously trying to make conversation, but there was a trace of concern in his voice.

"Twisted it falling out of a window," she answered with a wry grin. She expected him to get mad at that, to start shouting or demand to know why she left, or even a lecture as some nobles might. Instead, he just frowned, earning a similar reaction from her. Why wasn't he mad? "Why are you here?" she had to ask. She hoped he wouldn't try and get her to come back, though she knew that that could be the only possible reason for his presence.

"Because," he began slowly, taking out a very crumpled piece of paper, "We found this. It was Zhahir's and some of Joren's other old friends." He handed it to her, as if expecting her to read it. She almost shook her head at his ignorance. Where in Mithros did he think she learned how to read?

"I can't read this," she informed him, thrusting it back. "How can I trust whatever you tell me is on there?"

"Do you trust anyone?" he demanded.

She grinned from where she was leaning against the wall, shaking her head. "I trust my friends."

"Can any of them read?" he asked. She looked up, surprised at what she saw, or what she thought she saw, in his eyes.

"I know someone who can, but we can't go all the way there after dark. He'll be busy anyway."

"Well," he sighed, getting up, "I can't convince you until someone reads it, and we only have another hour."

"Until what?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'd tell you," he answered with a grin as he walked through the door, "But you wouldn't believe me."

"Where are you going?" she demanded, hobbling with her crutches after him.

"We are going to see your friend."

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," she warned. "You're a noble, going out into the city streets after dark without an escort. I am not pulling favors for you."

"You won't need to. I have a weapon; I'll be fine. Now, where are we going?"

"You know the Dancing Dove?" she asked, resigned.

The bar was more crowded than she had ever seen it in the daytime; she never went out alone at night. Immediately as they enter, five people jumped on their feet, daggers drawn.

"Stop! Ver, do you always have to overreact?" she demanded, calling to one of the nearest standing.

He grinned in relief. "Oh, it's only you, Kai. You brought a noble?" His grin turned malicious as he glanced at Faleron.

"He's a friend," she said, jerking her head to indicate her companion. Everyone sat again, and it was only because Kai had been here on numerous other occasions that she was able to notice that the atmosphere wasn't quite as jolly and happy as it normally was.

She led the way back to the farthest table in the room, where sat a man with a tanned face and hazel eyes who was clearly someone important. The entire table grew quiet as they approached, and the man stood up.

"Your majesty," Kai said, curtseying out of tradition.

"What are you doing?' hissed Faleron, who was trying not to stare at the king of the thieves.

"Bow, idiot," she hissed back, and straightened with a smile.

"Kai? The dancer right? Haven't seen you around here lately," commented the man, indicating a chair. "And you're one of Neal's friends, correct? Faleron?"

They sat, and Kai winced as Faleron demanded, "How do you know Neal? Or my name?" He paused, then said suddenly, "I remember you! You're the baron of Pirates' Swoop!"

"Sharp one there, aren't you?" George asked with a laugh. "Yes," he called to the room, which was even quieter than before as everyone turned to look at them, "that's what I'm called now. Go back to yer meals, would ya?" Kai thought she heard him mutter, "Nobles and their stupid titles." Then he looked at her again, asking, "So what brings you here, at night, with some crutches and no escort?"

"What do you call him?" she asked, carefully keeping any annoyance from her voice. "Actually, you're the only one I know who can read."

George's eyebrows shot up. "And what'd you do during all you classes, lad?" he asked Faleron, who shook his head and explained that Kai wouldn't trust him. "So, now," George said conversationally, accepting the paper, "You went out at night with crutches and a noble that you don't trust so you could come to a bar full of thieves so I could read you a little piece of paper because you wouldn't believe what he said?"

"No, he wouldn't tell me what it said because he said I wouldn't believe what he said. I think," Kai said, feeling a headache. "But it was his idea."

"I take it that this is a very important piece of paper?" George asked doubtfully, fingering the crumpled, dirty, torn page in his hand.

"Yes it is," answered Faleron, "Very important."

"Fine," George said, standing. "Why don't we go up to my room then. And you," he said to Faleron, "Owe me a favor."

"Why me?" he complained as the thief led them past the dim bar to the hallway past.

"She doesn't want to be here," he answered, nodding at Kai, who was talking to one of the waitresses before quickly catching up, tripping over her crutches.

"I heard that," she warned, straightening with a scowl. "And it's been a while since I've been back here," she said, surveying the large room with a slight smile.

George led them up the stairs, closing the door to a very plain-looking inn room behind them. "Now, before I tell you what's on this, I want to hear everything. Everything," he warned as they glanced uncertainly at one another.

A/N's Wow that was long. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Eveiveneg: Umm…thanks, I think. Does that happen often? I think you win the award for 'most original review' Congrats! (Ok, so I only have 17 reviews to choose from, but that's not important. There'd be more if more people review… and then you could even get an award too! Don't get too excited now.)

(Hope everyone can take a hint)