I know it's been a long time guys, but thanks for being patient with me! I hope you enjoy this next instalment.

CHAPTER 8

Lana woke to the sound of someone in her room. As she remembered the events of the night before, she immediately became frightened that it was the Duke. It was Holly.

'Holly? What time is it?'

'Oh Lana you're awake. I hope I didn't startle you. I thought I'd show you to the bathing rooms.'

On the way to the baths, Lana worked up the courage to ask about Roger.

'May I ask you something? What is it like in the palace now that Duke Roger has…you know…come back?'

At her words though, Holly stopped walking. It wasn't for a few seconds that she recovered and continued on her way.

'The Duke has had quite an effect on the palace, my lady. If the truth be told, most of the maids here are quite frightened of him, and refuse to have anything to do with him.' But Lana didn't need to hear those words spoken, the look on Holly's face was enough to tell her all she needed to know – that she wasn't the only one who thought that the Duke was a creep, and that he should have remained dead.

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On her return from the baths, Lana once again heard somebody else in her rooms. Opening the door slightly and gingerly poking her head through, she heard the unmistakable voices of Alanna and Jonathan.

'Jon, I've spent all night thinking about other possibilities, but this is the only solution, I'm sure of it.'

'Alanna, how can you be sure that he's trustworthy? I feel responsible for the girl, I don't want her or you on some wild goose chase across the country looking for a criminal who may or may not be the one we need for this!'

'He's not a criminal. And if Lana wants to get home, I'm telling you – Arram is her only hope.'

'I'm sorry… I hope I'm not interrupting?' Lana felt like she'd walked in on something she shouldn't have.

'Lana – sorry we didn't realise you wouldn't be here when we arrived this morning. But Raoul told us what happened last night. Are you ok?' Jon's concern touched Lana.

'Yeah, I'm…um…I'm ok I guess. Just in shock.' Admitted Lana, as she sat down with them at the table.

'Imagine how I felt coming back home to find that the man I killed was alive and well.' Alanna grumbled.

The three of them sat in silence for a few moments, until Lana decided that that was enough wallowing for one day. There was nothing she could do about Roger now anyway.

'So who's this Arram guy, and can he really help me?'

'Well we should really call him Numair. That's the name he goes by now –'

'Only because his real name would get him arrested –' Jon butted in.

'- yes, perhaps in Carthak but not here, Jon, give him a chance! He's a good man and friend, and besides, I helped him when no one else would. So he owes me.'

'Where's Carthak?' wondered Lana out loud.

'It's a country over the water to the south of our land, and this Arram is fleeing its emperor, I believe?' enquired Jon of Alanna.

'Well yes, but it's more complicated than that. Anyway, Numair is a black robe mage, which means that he's one of the most powerful mages in the world. If anyone can help you, it will be him. We just need to find him. Last I saw him was coming through Tyra.'

'Can you scry him?'

'Possibly, or I may be able to contact him through a speaking spell.'

This last bit obviously surprised Jon, and it wasn't lost on the Lioness.

'Numair taught me. Don't look at me like that, Jon, at the time it was a necessity.'

'Well well…our Lioness has come a long way, hasn't she? From not wanting to use her Gift at all…' At that comment, Jon received a hit in the arm. 'Ow! Ok sorry…so can you contact him now?'

'Well, the thing about a speaking spell is that Numair needs to be open to me, meaning, it's more successful if he's expecting to hear from me. But I'll try anyway.' At this, Alanna opened her hand and held her palm face up. She mumbled something that Lana couldn't understand under her breath, and a ball of purple light filled her palm. Then she spoke into it.

'Numair? Can you hear me?'

Silence. She tried again, perspiration starting to appear on her face.

'Numair? It's Alanna.' After a few moments she let out a sigh and closed her fist, squashing the little ball of light. 'I'll get a map and start scrying.'

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'This is useless! Numair, where are you?' Alanna's curses could be heard outside of Lana's room. She had been pouring over a map for 3 hours, and still had no clue as to Numair's whereabouts.

'Maybe we should leave it for a while, and go do something? Get out of this room.' suggested Lana.

'Good idea. How about that ride I suggested yesterday? Maybe we could take some lunch, and get some of the others to come with us too?' added Jon.

'The Goddess knows I need a break. Sounds good. Shall I get the others and meet you in the stable?' asked Alanna

'Perfect. I'll organise some lunch for us all, while you get changed Lana. You remember where the stables are? I can come back up here and get you, if you want?' Thinking that she was being too much of a burden already, Lana told them that she's be fine, and that she'd meet them in a few minutes.

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After changing into a pair of breeches and a loose fitting shirt and boots, Lana thought she would be able to find her way down to where she and Jon had come in yesterday, but she had been walking around for 10 minutes already, and was lost.

'Why does this place have to be so damn big,' Lana mumbled under her breath, trying to work out where she was. The halls all looked the same to her. 'And why isn't there ever anyone around when you need them?'

But just as she thought she might be stuck in an abandoned corridor for the rest of her days, relief swept over her as she heard footsteps coming up behind her. But as she turned around, her relief turned into fear, as the person destined to be her saviour, was Roger.

Lana could feel the colour draining from her face, just as she could see the delight showing in Rogers' as he recognised her. Raoul and Gary's words from the night before played in her ears as the once dead Duke edged closer toward her.

This man has died. He was buried, once. And now he's going to speak to me…

'Hello my dear, it's good to see you again' the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 'But I must say, this is a very odd place to find you…may I ask what you're doing here?' Roger's sickly voice played over the cavernous hall.

'Actually, it's funny you should say that. I'm lost!' Lana managed. 'Could you point me in the direction of the stables? The others are expecting me, I don't want to keep them waiting.' Lana didn't want to give him any reason to keep her around, so she thought the direct approach was best.

'The stables?' His amusement wasn't lost on Lana, the glee in being the one to find her extremely apparent. 'You really are lost, aren't you? How about I walk you, just to make sure that you actually make it there.' But his words did nothing to reassure her, if anything, they gave her more reason to worry.

'Oh no, I wouldn't want to bother you. You're obviously a busy man. Just point me in the right direction –' she stammered.

'Nonsense!' Roger cut her off. 'Come, its no bother at all, my dear.' He gave her a charming smile and then started to walk in the direction she had come, and as Lana followed, she wondered if she would have to make small talk with him.

'So what really brings you to the palace?'

Talk about straight to the point…he's definitely not one to mess around.

'Wh – what do you mean?'

'I mean, it's apparent that you're not from around here. I've even asked a few of the palaces more knowledgeable people, and no one seems to have heard of you. Now, if you're not from Tortall, then something important must bring you here…'

This had caught Lana completely off guard. Why was he checking up on her? Was he a naturally suspicious person, or had she done something to give Roger reason to suspect something of her? Questions filled her head until Roger spoke and brought her back to the present.

'Lana?' She realised too late that by reacting to his words that she had given herself away. Roger leant close; close enough for her to feel his breath on her face when he spoke. 'Tell me what it is…I can help you, Lana. I'm a powerful man, and can give you anything that you want! You need not fear me,' Lana tried to edge away, but he grabbed hold of her wrist. 'Tell me why you wanted to see Alanna –' The air around the hand that was holding onto her wrist started to glow a dark red colour, Lana realised it was the colour of his gift. But just as she felt the now familiar tingling sensation, there was a shout behind her. Recognising the voice as his cousins, Roger let go of her arm.

'What's going on here?' Raoul's deep voice echoed through the corridor.

'Roger? What are you doing?' Jonathan's voice was accusing, his mistrust evident. But Roger wasn't listening; he was looking at Lana with a cross between confusion and fear on his face.

'I – I'm sorry, what did you say, cousin?' Not letting Jon answer, he said 'Never mind. There, I brought you to your friends, Lana. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some research I must complete.' Backing away like he'd forgotten something, he made a fast exit to his private rooms.

Jon was looking from Raoul to Lana with puzzlement. 'What just happened here? When you didn't come down to the stable we thought you must've gotten lost.'

'I – I did! I was wondering around for what felt like hours, when Roger found me. He said he'd walk me to the stables to make sure I got there.'

At these words a scowl crossed over Raoul's face.

'Then he asked me what had really brought me to the palace, and when I didn't answer, he grabbed my wrist and asked me what I wanted with Alanna. That's when you found us.'

'Did you see his face, though? When we got to you, he looked…scared! You must have said something, Lana?' Jon replied.

'No…nothing. It must have been when he grabbed my wrist. He checked to see if I had the Gift, like you did yesterday. What he found probably freaked him out – it did Alanna.' But these words didn't have the desired reassuring effect that Lana hoped. In fact, it had the total opposite. Both Jon's and Raoul's faces went pale.

'Impossible.'

'Jon, what do you mean, impossible?'

'Impossible, because Roger couldn't have checked you for the Gift. Since he's come back, he hasn't had it.'

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