Paige shifted in her saddle and looked around herself. The sun was just beginning to pop over the horizon. And she now wished it was still dark so she wouldn't have to look upon the land before her. It was barren; the soil was black as ash. Weeds grew up from the ground everywhere; the few trees that scattered the land were being taken over dying ivy vines. Liam was with his horse up ahead also looking around the land speechless.

"Liam why are we here?" Paige said in only a whisper. The land was so quiet it didn't seem right to talk normally.

Liam slowed his horse to become side by side with Paige.

"Over that hill there is a old broken down castle, in the middle of it is a lake. We will find the clue there." Liam didn't move on for Paige was begging to shake in the saddle.

"Women are many?" She asked referring to the part of the riddle she had not understood very well. How could there be many women in a land that was as barren as this?

"You will see." That was all Liam said before trotting on ahead again.

The soon came over the hill, to witness a huge broken down castle. There were others going in, some coming out and others just standing there looking at the fortress in awe. Liam got off his horse and Paige followed pursuit. They tied their horses to a tree away from the rest of the men.

They made there way into the castle. Paige looked up in wonder. The roof was blown off, but there were lanterns and crystal chandeliers hanging in places that it would usually be impossible to reach. Liam gulped but quickly led the way around the rubble. Soon Paige and Liam reached and open door. They stood looking at the scene before them. In the middle of a courtyard was a small pool, and coming out of the pool were ghostly bodies of women. Men crouched down near them and took the second clue from them. Then they would disappear into the depths again.

Paige shivered feeling as if something was creeping up behind her, but she shook it off and followed Liam to the pool's edge. She squatted down also and was soon looking into the face of a woman. Well, sort of a woman. It was a ghost of sorts, but it had a bluish greenish tint to her face. Her eyes looked as if they could come out of the sockets at any given time. Liam shifted beside Paige.

"Ah, Prince Liam I didn't know I would see you again. I can say it's quite a pleasure." The woman said slurring the word 'pleasure'. She reached a see through crystal like hand out of the water and reached for Liam's hand, but he drew away at the last second. Paige gave him a curious look. He just turned away for a second before turning back to the dead thing before us.

"Tell me the next clue, Saphirra." Liam's teeth were pushed together so much it was hard to decipher what he said. Saphirra batted her stick-like eyelashes and grinned. Paige almost gagged at the site. Her teeth were yellow and broken. Finally she drew her everlasting gaze away from Liam and landed it on Paige, who gulped at the piercing blue of Saphirra's eyes dig into her.

"100 years of rot dose this to your teeth, but yes your clue. I live in a place you once called home." Saphirra was staring straight at Paige, and she knew Saphirra was talking directly her. This clue had not been used for anyone else, Paige knew it. Before either Liam or Paige could responded or question she had turned and dove back into her icy domain.

Paige didn't dare look at Liam as they left the castle, well not until they got back to the horses. However, when she looked at him she wished she could do anything to have not. He was looking at her, not confused, but almost as if he knew.

"Where dose the clue lead?" Liam asked knowing somehow Paige knew the answer. She shrugged, but didn't seem able to go around his question.

"The story is quite complicated, you sure you want to hear it?" Paige asked dropping her eyelids and sighing with tiredness. Liam just nodded and sat on a dry part of the land. Paige looked down at him then sat across from him.

"I was 10 years of age when my mother and father died. They were spies, probably two of the greatest. Both of them died in one of their assignments. No one really knows what they were doing, but it had something to do with saving bunches and bunches of people. After that, I moved in with my grandfather, but my brother who was 18 at the time was able to take our guard. He knew how to run it, because he had, had that responsibility a lot when my parents were gone. But when my parents died my brother kind of lost sense of much. He started shutting himself away in this big room and not coming out for days. Soon he wouldn't even leave the castle for months. Our people became anxious, about him and if they would be cared for when the hard times came. You see unlike most nobles we were the ones taking care of them not the other way around. Eventually they all left except for a couple of the elders and two children." Paige stopped talking for a moment recalling they horrifying time she had gone to visit and found her once home in ruins. Raiders had almost burned the entire city to the ground.

"I haven't been back in a long time. I don't even remember what my brother looks like."
Paige pathetically said this fact. Liam was silent for a while before gathering a few sticks around him. The quietness continued to pervaded between them.

"Paige, I'm sorry." Liam said thoughtfully, but unfortunately this was not the thing she wanted to hear.

"Of course you are." She said bluntly standing and stretching her legs. "I'm going for a walk." She added walking away from the small clearing back towards the ruined castle. It loomed before her in the moonlight. Men were scattered all over the ground. Fires peppered the horizon. No one however, was within 50 feet of the fortress. Paige kept on walking onwards towards the great shadow. People around her went quiet as she walked by. They watched as she approached the horrid thing. Soon though she didn't care she entered it. Again she was greeted by the first huge room that would have been very splendid when still in use. Next she took a right instead of a left were she would find the pool and dead women. This room had a roof and was covered in moth eaten tapestries the ground was a tiled mosaic. She tried to identify the stories, but the light wasn't very good and with all the holes several pieces of the stories were missing. She was about to leave the room to go into the next one when she heard movement behind her. Paige spun around.

"Don't worry its just me." A smile creased the face of the person before her. Paige scowled at Eric, who immediately frowned and got the guiltiest look on his face. An uncomfortable stillness followed this.

"Well, if that's all I think I'll be going." Paige turned on her heel and walked away, but the footsteps of Eric were close behind. She weaved left and right down halls and past doorways having no clue of where she was going. Eric still was close behind never exactly catching up. Finally Paige came to a dead end and took the door so Eric wouldn't catch her. The door squeaked open and Paige rushed inside. Before her was pitch black, but the air seemed far away as if she were in some large room or some kind of tunnel. The door behind her opened again and Eric came in after her running into her in the process. She took a step back and found that steps were in front of her. Eric grabbed her arm to keep her from falling.

"Listen Paige I'm sorry"- Eric began, but Paige shoved at him.

"Tell me all this stuff outside." She pushed on him again yearning to get free from this room, or what ever it was. She didn't like the feeling of this place. Eric agreed quickly and grabbed the door handle. He pushed down, but the handle didn't budge. Paige came forward and pushed as well, but it was pointless for the door wasn't moving. They both gulped and turned towards the darkness.

"Well, um." Eric muttered laughing nervously.

HAHA! That was a funny last line. Ok so maybe it wasn't, I thought it was funny. I love all of you reviewers sorry I didn't do personal things to you guys but well I don't really have and excuse. I love, love, love you all. Hope you liked this chapter! Whether you liked it, hated it, or just don't know what to think Review! Good idea!