Nativewildmage-Kel was Alanna's squire. Neal was Raoul's squire (I've never mentioned Owen being squire to anyone I believe.) Yes it just gets more cliffieful (nice word)

Aussie-Soccerfreak4-Which one are you on? They're AWESOME. Esp. the Protector of the Small quartet. And I LOVE the Alanna books. Happy reading…oh yeah…you might now be happy with the end of this one…hehe

Sorceress Shadow Rain-I don't think so…not yet at least. But I will. Here's your update.

Catreddick4-STEPH! Glad you like it! Next chapter should be longer. But this was WAY to good to keep it going.

I think by now everyone has figured out that I own NADA, ZIPPO, ZILCH of this. That would be Tamora Pierce's genius creations.

On to the story! ….

Wait a second…

A/N: Ok I'm REALLY sorry for making you wait so long. Between ODP tryouts, training for high school soccer, summer reading and the slide show episodes from a couple weeks ago, I haven't been updating as much. I'll try to update a bit faster…and make the chapters longer. Enjoy!

NOW onto the story!

Alanna withdrew her magic quickly, dimly aware of the sweat pouring off her face. Wiping her hands on the back of her shirt she turned to give Kel the news.

"The shoulder wound was an arrow wound. Kel…I don't know how to say this but I'm pretty sure it was poisoned."

Kel just sat there, as the words she'd been dreading came from Alanna's lips. Silently, she passed Alanna a water flask, Alanna nodding her thanks and gratefully gulped it down.

"Kel, I'll do my best."

Kel turned back to the King's Champion and could only muster a weak smile in return. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she wondered whether her –ok she'd admit it – crush and best friend would live. Alanna, meanwhile, had turned but to Neal, once again finding that barrier of orangish-red magic inside him.

Horror struck Alanna like a knife. She had seen and battled that magic. She remembered…Jonathan's coronation day. Involuntarily, she shuddered at the mere memory, thinking about whether she should withdraw her magic. Stealing a glance back at Kel, Alanna noticed the younger Lady knight's mask had crumbled and fallen. Pushing the thoughts of withdrawing her magic, the Lioness thrust more of her healing Gift into Neal.

Kel had met Alanna's sidelong glance with a sorrowful plea in her hazel eyes. Numair had entered just as Alanna put more of her magic into her patient and Kel curled up worrying like crazy. Neither lady knight realized nor cared that dusk was beginning to fall.

Repeatedly, the Lioness was running into a barrier around the orb of foreign magic. Suddenly it hit her. It's not poisoned with POISON…it's poisoned with MAGIC! The King's Champion thought to herself. Which means…who knows… Alanna couldn't finish her thought.

Eventually, hours later (deep into the night), Alanna pulled her magic out temporarily to notice a pitcher of water, a cup, a plate of food, a sleeping Kel and Numair meditating.

Numair slipped out of the meditation and looked over at Alanna. For the sake of Kel possibly not actually being asleep, Alanna whispered, "It's not normal poison Numair-it was poisoned with magic. I can't get through it…there's some sort of barrier around it preventing anything from getting through it!"

Frowning, Numair crept over to Neal and placed a glowing black hand on his former student (from when he was a page). A tendril of his magic found the blood red-orange magic. Numair gasped, "No…it can't be…but who else—?"

The color drained from Alanna's face and she knew. Somehow, he'd come back. The one who she had battled enough her in her own page, squire and days of knighthood. And he'd come back. Again.

Ahhhh that seemed like the most cliffieful place to end:). So I'll TRY to update twice today but I have summer reading and soccer training to do…but next week I should have a bit more free time…somewhat!