(Alice's POV)

Ashryver and my mother were arguing but I wasn't paying much attention. I could only think about Jack going up to the northern kingdom, the trip would take months, and for some reason staying away for that long seemed impossible. I glanced up at my mother, only to see desperation flash across her face, although it happened so fast I thought I had imagined it. She stormed through the halfway broken door frame and into the city. Ashryver shook his head before walking down to the destroyed basement. I followed the young man down and saw him unroll a map on the remains of a table. It seemed to be a map of the empire, but unlike any maps that I had seen before.

This map had chunks of each kingdom cut away as if they no longer belonged to the empire, I inched closer until I saw that each piece had a title. Glancing over to the remains of Spera, our chunk was small and insignificant compared to the others, but clearly marked in said "Speran Rebels."

"Your majesty." Ashryver said with a bow, noticing my nearness.

"Please don't call me that." I responded with slight irritation.

"Yes ma'am." He said obediently. Snapping to attention that would have been sarcastic had it been anybody else.

"That either." I snapped. He looked at me strangely, before he saw me analyze the map.

"This is a construction of our most recent reports." He gestured to the northern kingdom. "The northern rebels have seized the port city Tarn, and are moving quickly towards the capital. They are doing so well because the imperial soldiers are in Spera trying to crush any hope of rebellion there, although you can see that they are failing. Unfortunately our reports say that if the king were to ride out and greet the soldiers, there is no hope any of us can do to stop him."

"Do we know how the king can have such great power?" I asked, desperately trying to sound official, despite my determined disinterest in the crown.

"No, we don't. Your link with Jack has given… Alena some ideas, although we still don't know."

"Well what can I do to help?" I asked earnestly.

"I want you to travel north to the frost caves of Belmouth. It is rumoured that the lat of the ancient magic wielders retreated there when the emperor began his conquest. They may know something about how the emperor got to be so powerful so quickly. The caves had always been perilous but after the fall of the northern kingdom they have became almost certain death."

"And you're sending me there? Awesome, sounds great. Can I have some time to write my will? I want my ashes spread in all of the major kingdoms and have a large portion of them dumped on the emperor."

Ashryver was not amused. "My queen you are the most likely to survive. Your raw magic plus Jack's fire will make you immune to the effects any of the northern wizards could have on you. Then once you prove that you are not working for the emperor, they should probably stop trying to kill you."

"This keeps getting better and better. Fine, ask and ye shall receive." I should learn to shut my mouth I heard something in the corner of my mind that sounded faintly like Jack laughing, I made a mental note to slap him later. "When do I leave?"

"Jack has his mission up in the northern kingdom, I suggest you leave when he does." How did he know about Jack's mission? The emperor had only just told him, and I haven't told anyone. He must have phenomenal spies to get information that quickly, although I didn't see anyone entering or exiting.

I turned and ran upstairs. I felt his presence before I saw him. Jack standing in the destroyed meeting room, a large bag of gold in his limp hand. I ran over throwing myself into his embrace, we had only been apart for a short while, but after the intimacy of mental contact it seemed like much longer.

I'm coming with you on your journey north. I told him.

Weren't you always? He asked, and there was truth to his words. Regardless of whether or not I had received this mission, I would have gone with him.

So what do you think we'll find up in the caves? He asked.

I don't know. The ancient magic wielders are supposedly legend. I was brought up being taught that they exist, but they were no help when the emperor starting taking over.

My father scared the most powerful race of witches this land has ever seen. It's kind of terrifying.

Which makes it that much more important that we find out how he became so powerful and stop it.

Using whatever means Jack thought determinedly. The other members of the court were still skeptical of Jack's devotion, but I knew that he was more determined to see his father torn from his throne than any of them.

We leave tonight? He asked.

Tonight. I thought and the plan was set.

After Jack handed the bag of coins to Ashryver and he ran off to buy the apartment, Jack and I went to the shops to buy supplies for the trip. Jack walked determinedly through the streets not letting his attention sway to the nearby treats and trinkets. I was not so disciplined. I often ran from window to window gawking at the arrays of cakes, cookies, jewels, and clothes. Once the shopping trip was over my bag was three times the size of Jack's and I had a large chocolate cake in my hand.

I tore into it with little discretion, and allowed the blissful taste of chocolate to fill my mouth. Jack shot me an image of myself with my entire mouth, neck, and cheeks covered in chocolate.

Your majesty. He joked.

Shut up I snapped back, but I cracked a smile. He was still laughing when we rounded the corner into the wealthy district.

Ashryver said it was building twelve. We searched around for a few minutes until we located an ornately decorated building with slanting stone roofs and wooden frames carved into delicate patterns. I knocked on the door and a little hatch slid open to reveal the white eyes of Ashryver, staring back at me.

I heard a lock click into place and the door swung open with a loud creek. I cringed at the sound but Jack seemed to be expecting no less. I stepped inside. A crystal chandelier hung suspended in the entryway, and polished wood floors flowed along the ground splitting into hallways and rooms. The main entryway led into a kitchen and wide living space. To the right sat an open room that used to have windows, before long elegant drapes were thrust over them blocking every ounce of light that begged to be let in.

I followed my mother to the left once, and then down a flight of stairs to a very large cellar. Wooden support beams held up the ceiling as we descended into the dark depths of what appeared to be a wine cellar. Cases and barrels lay discarded all over the floor and appeared to be completely ignored by the nobles all poring over a map. I didn't have to look to see that it was the same map as earlier.

Jack and I discarded our packs in the corner and walked over to the crowd. A few noticed me and bowed, they didn't glare at Jack so I suppose that was progress. I noticed a hand on my arm tugging me to back towards a corner, and turned back to see Ashryver pulling me and Jack as far away from the group as possible.

Once we were alone in the corner, Ashryver began to whisper furiously. "I am sure that you have noticed that some of the people here are not who they claim to be. Do not trust anyone, do not do anything that anyone in this room says except for your Alena and I." He cast a nervous glance over to the group still staring at the failing empire. "At best, they may be in it for themselves trying to secure a better position for themselves. At worst, they may be spies for the emperor, be careful."

"Thanks for the heads up." Jack said.

"On a happier note, I was able to get a room for you too. I wanted to get two but Alena said that you'd be happier with one. It's upstairs at the end of the hall, on your right."

We said thank you and then walked upstairs to find our room. My mother was right about us wanting to stay together. Last night we had started off on opposite sides of the room, but we ended up curled next to each other by the end of the night. It was nothing sexual, just comforting to be so close.

I pulled on the doorknob and it opened with the same ear splitting creek as the front door.

It's so that you'll wake up if there's someone there. In the assassins keep every door sounded like a nail on cobblestone. It was weird to hear Jack talk about the assassin's keep, he didn't say much about that part of his life.

The room opened up to chambers fit for a king. A large four poster bed sat in the middle of the room, and different arrangements or furniture dotted the surrounding area. I counted two desks, a dining table, four bookcases and a closet the size of a cottage. Attached was a large porcelain bathing chamber that I eyed greedily. I hadn't bathed truly in months, the dirt under my fingernails was now a permanent part of me.

No. Jack snapped You are not leaving me here to organize the packs while you go relax in a bath.

I walked over and patted his cheek Remember, pack warm. Then I walked into the bathing chamber shedding clothes as I went. I felt Jack avert his eyes embarrassed, and I grinned to myself.

We left later that night, earning only a few hours of sleep before my mother stuck her head in and yelled that we only had a few hours before sunrise. Jack and I dressed in solemn silence, the comfort of a real home had been pleasant and neither of us were ready to leave quite yet, especially on a mission that would last several months.

I was clean, the outer layer of my skin scraped raw revealing a pinkish pale layer of skin. Jack had bathed after me and he had even cut his hair. His dark hair no longer hung in his face, but was cut back to a much more manageable length were it wouldn't obstruct his vision.

We easily slipped out of the city, and the sun was just beginning to break as the dark remnants of Vellhaven blurred into nonexistence. We walked silently, words neither thought nor spoken as the shadow of what we were about to do loomed over us. If this mission was a success we would have the tools we needed to defeat the emperor and destroy the empire.

It all felt closer than ever, and an image of myself upon the throne of Sopera flooded my thoughts. The crown kept shoving down and threatened to suffocate me.

Author's note- This chapter was an experiment regarding character. I wanted to see if building up different models for each character would help to develop them. Jack the ruthless assassin with skill, who is also a boy that has grown to resent his father. Also Alice the self-loathing witch that tore her way through the countryside, but is also just a regular girl. It seems to be working, but let me know what you think, I cannot separate myself from my author's bias.