Chapter (wait…hold on…) Seven (right? I hope so)

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.

Kai stared at Faleron until he started uncertainly, "Well, on Midsummer, that is, three days ago, we…"

"Who's we?" asked George, interrupting out of necessity.

"Me and Kel and Neal and some of the other squires were walking around the market that day, and Kel left to go buy something, a bracelet for her maid, I think. She didn't come back, so Neal and Owen left to see if there was a problem, and Owen came running back, saying that one of the other squire, Joren of Stonemountain, had killed someone and Kel and Neal were chasing after him." George snorted, and Faleron agreed, "I know. Brilliant plan.

"Anyway," he continued, "We followed them-it wasn't hard, they left a trail of over-turned carts and frustrated jugglers- and we found them at a stand-off behind the performers' curtain…"

And so he told the king their entire story, and then Kai told her half, and at the end, George sighed, sitting back from his position on the bed. "Quite a tale," he commented.

Kai herself was still debating about the half that Faleron had told. She knew, somehow, that he had left something out of his part, but she didn't know what. Also, how did she know that it wasn't the part about the note, which was really the most important part of the entire story? If that was true, then she could trust whatever he said was on the note, because it only supported what he had said before. But what if he was lying? Then if she believed him but his whole story wasn't true, then the note would only lead her farther from her home for no reason. And something else was still bugging her.

"Why are you doing this?" she demanded to Faleron, who gave her a very confused look.

"Doing what?"

"Why are you trying so hard to get me to go back to the palace? You could find another maid anywhere."

Faleron laughed. "You think I want a maid? I was fine without one… Actually never wanted one before, but Kel asked me to hire you so you'd have an excuse to be in the palace."

"All right…" Kai said, trying to find the loophole in this. Nobles never did anything having to do with the poor if they didn't have some sort of a motive behind them. "So why does she care?"

George watched the proceeding with interest. "Because..." Faleron paused. "I don't really know, but you can ask her," he said with a trace of hope in his voice. She didn't respond. "So…?" Faleron asked.

"So what?" Kai replied. "You dragged me all the way here so George could read the paper, and now you just want to leave?"

The king of thieves shook his head. "Ay, it says what he told you it did. And I'd not suggest going back for your things. Actually," he peered at the dark window, "You probably would be better to just leave right now and go straight back to the palace. You'll be safe on the streets." He hesitated, then told them, "I'm leaving tomorrow; if you need help, send a pigeon to Pirates' Swoop."

"You're leaving?" Kai asked, disbelieving. "But you're the king of the rogue! You can't leave!"

George laughed. "I'm the old king. There's a new one, but I think he's out today on business. They all just call me that for tradition. Got a wife, you know," he said with a wink at Faleron, "and she wouldn't let me live out here for all the iron in Scanra. This is just a Midsummer visit. Now you both hurry back before it gets too dark to see. Then you're in trouble," he warned, opening the door. Faleron grabbed Kai's arm, separating her from the supportive wall, without which she was forced to grab at her crutches, miss, and pull Faleron with her as she fell.

"For a dancer, you really aren't that graceful," Faleron observed, standing up and handing her a crutch.

"So I've been told," Kai retorted, pushing herself up. "Funny really, both times I fell, but the people who remarked on my lack of grace always seem to end up on the ground with me."

"Lovely story lass, but Mithros flees and you still aren't any closer to the palace." George beckoned at the open door and they left.

"Does it seem like we're unwanted?" Kai asked sarcastically as they left.

"You think?" Faleron replied with mock concern as he held the door to the street ajar for her.

"Yes, I do," she said firmly, wondering why the king of thieves had been so determined to get her to the palace. She had always known that nobles did not act without hidden motives, but George was a commoner like her, wasn't he? Yes, he was a noble and all, but that didn't change that he had grown up on the streets, as she had. So what was he doing, and how far could she trust him, or Faleron, or Kel, or anyone? Suddenly all the amount of people who had started to take an interest in her for unobvious reasons was beginning to scare her.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope this answered the question of why George was still at the Dancing Dove. Kel is a first-year squire, so that would make Neal Alanna's squire, which is how George knew him personally. That would make Faleron in his second year as a squire…but I'm not sure which year Joren would be in if he hadn't committed murder and run. Maybe second, too. Umm…yes, there was also a BIG mistake in one of the previous chapters, and I'll give a thousand bucks to anyone who can find it. (Don't you love Monopoly money?) Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Review please!