When they arrived back at the palace, Riley and Edmund were taken to the healers where their wounds were taken care of. They were out of there in no time.

Dinner time came and they all sat quietly in the dining hall and ate. Susan and Riley sat on one side, Edmund and Lucy on the other, and Peter had the head of the table. Riley looked up and stared at Peter. He seemed a little mad, but at the same time, depressed. Riley's heart sank. She knew it was partially her fault. One for not kissing him, and two for being that close to Edmund. Susan leaned over and whispered to Riley.

"Why don't you just say something to him?"

"To Peter?" Riley replied.

"Yes. Say anything. Just get some noise in this room." Susan told her. Riley huffed and looked at Peter again.

"So, Peter, when are you going to take me on that tour you promised to take me on a week ago?" Riley asked.

"Not anytime soon, that's for sure," Peter replied.

"What? Why not?" Riley asked him. Peter looked at her, frustrated.

"You and Edmund almost got killed today. I won't let that happen again. So, for the time being, you are to remain indoors at all times." Peter explained. Riley was shocked. She couldn't believe it.

"But, Peter, I'm sure she'll be safe. She'll be with you the entire time," Susan chimed in, hoping to get through to her brother.

"My answer remains the same. Until we can find out who it was and what they wanted, none of you are to leave," Peter told them. Almost like knowing what was being said, Orieus walked in.

"Pardon my intrusion you majesties. But, we have found the archer. He is in the conference room at the moment," Orieus announced. Peter quickly stood up and walked out of the room. Edmund and Orieus followed him. Susan, Lucy and Riley just looked at each other.

"So, the secret passageway?" Lucy asked. Susan and Riley looked at one another before standing up and racing to the door behind the tapestry. Lucy soon followed.

"Hopefully Peter will be too distracted to remember this is here," Susan said as she moved the tapestry over to reveal the door. Riley opened it and all three of them ran down to the end of the passage. Luckily, the brick was still removed from when her and Edmund were there.

Peter burst through the doors to find a man dressed in an Archenland soldier uniform sitting at the table with his hands tied behind his back. The man was most likely in his 40s, with black hair and a beard. Peter sat in the chair across from the man and looked at him.

"Who are you?" Peter asked.

"Why should I tell you?" the man asked.

"If you want to live and go back to your country, you better answer all my questions. Understand?" Peter told him. The man just stared at him.

"My name is Ontario. I'm a soldier from Archenland," the man finally told Peter.

"What were you doing shooting at Lady Riley and King Edmund?" Peter asked.

"I was given orders to kill King Edmund and the Queens, plus anyone else who stood in my way," Ontario said. Peter felt his blood begin to boil. He looked over at his younger brother who had been standing by the door the entire time. He looked shocked by what the man said.

"Why not me?" asked Peter.

"My master didn't say," Ontario replied. Peter stood up and began to pace around the room. He was to frustrated to continue questioning the soldier. Edmund noticed this and instantly walked toward the table and sat where Peter previously was.

"Are you, by any chance, going to tell us who your master is?" Edmund asked. Peter quit pacing and stared at Edmund.

"No," was all the man said.

"You don't know about me do you? Other than me being a King of Narnia," Edmund asked Ontario. Ontario just looked at him, a little confused.

"Well, how about I tell you? I once helped the White Witch when she tried to take over Narnia. And then I destroyed the source of her magic. I'm more powerful than High King Peter, and I have a worse temper. So, let's try this one more time. Who is your master?" Edmund explained. Peter was shocked by how his brother acted. For once, Peter saw Edmund as a king, rather than an unruly brother. Ontario tried to hide his fear.

"My master is more powerful than the White Witch and Aslan put together," the soldier spat. Edmund stood up, drew his sword, and put it to Ontario's neck. Peter quickly ran up to Edmund.

"Ed, put the sword down," Peter ordered. Edmund clearly didn't hear him.

"I ought to kill you right now and send you back to Archenland in pieces," Edmund angrily said. Ontario looked shocked, as did Peter.

"Edmund, I said put the sword down," Peter yelled at his brother. Edmund pulled the sword away from Ontario and chucked it across the room. He then looked at Peter before stomping out of the room.

All three girls stood in shock when they heard Edmund's words. None of them could believe that he did that. Susan and Lucy remember times when he would yell, mostly at Peter, but none of those times compared to that moment. That, mixed with the fact that someone wanted them dead, just about made all three of them faint.

"We better get out of here," Susan whispered. Lucy and Riley nodded. They began to walk back out of the passageway. Lucy was about to open the door when it was swung open. There stood Peter, and mix of anger and pain showed on his face.

"Why is it that we're always caught by Peter. Why couldn't it be Mr. Beaver or Mr. Tumnus?" Riley asked under her breath.

"Lucy, Susan, why don't you two go find Edmund. I need to have a word with Riley," Peter instructed. Susan and Lucy nodded and walked past Peter. Riley just stood there with her eyes staring at the floor. Peter sighed and walked closer to her.

"What happened in that room is the reason I don't want you to leave this palace," Peter told her. Riley looked up and stared at him.

"Not even if I have an escort?" Riley asked.

"Since there is no direct threat toward you, I'll think about reconsidering what I said at dinner. But, until then, promise me you'll be safe?"

"I promise," Riley whispered. "So, what's going to happen to that man?"

"Orieus is going to take care of that. After Ed stormed out, I couldn't stay in there."

"Oh my goodness, High King Peter is actually letting someone else do some of the work," Riley joked. Peter laughed and ran a hand through his hair. Riley felt butterflies and tried to shake them off.

"Ha ha, very funny. And what about you?"

"What about me?" Riley asked, confused.

"There's a part of you that you don't show. You are hiding in a shell, and no one can seem to get you out of it," Peter told her. Riley just stared at him, not sure what to say.

"Riley, I know it's only been a week, but there's something that draws me to you. And, I'll admit, I'm jealous about the way you act around Edmund. You seem so happy with him, but every time you and I are within ten feet of each other it's utter silence." Peter explained. Riley felt tears develop, so she closed her eyes and turned her back to Peter.

"There's something that you're not telling, isn't there?" Peter asked.

"It's none of your concern," Riley whispered. Peter huffed.

"God, Riley, for once, let down your guard. Stop being so stubborn!" he said. Riley turned around, anger showing.

"Don't even call me stubborn. You want to know why I act the way I do? Fine! I'll tell you. A few months ago I got into a car accident with my ex-boyfriend. After that, I became so distant from my friends and family that I would just sit and stare at a wall for hours at a time. I hated the fact that my ex-boyfriend got me to agree to get in that vehicle with him, and then he crashed all because I wouldn't take him back. I never ever want to have that sort of thing happen again. So, yeah, I am silent around you because I don't want you to fall for me and then have history repeat itself," Riley yelled.

"How can history repeat itself if you don't like me?" Peter asked. Riley just stared at him for a minute before shoving him aside and walking away. But, Peter wasn't giving up that easily. He ran after her, grab her arm and spun her around so she was facing him.

"Let go of me, Peter," Riley demanded.

"No, not until you tell me the truth," Peter told her.

"Fine, you want the truth, here it is. I have feelings for you. I don't want to, but I do. Every time I'm around you I go weak in the knees. And last night, in the garden, I wanted you to kiss me. I was just so afraid and I couldn't let you close that gap," Riley admitted.

"What about Edmund?"

"He's a friend, that's all," Riley told him. Peter let go of her arm and just stared at her. Riley instantly regretted telling him all of that. She tried to walk away but Peter stepped in front of her.

"No, I don't think I'm going to let you get away that easily," he said to her. Riley sighed and looked Peter in the eye.

"Peter, you have bigger things to worry about than me," Riley told him.

"I know, but I just feel that if I don't take care of this tension between us, I'm not going to be able to concentrate on the plot to kill you all," Peter replied. Riley gave him a sympathetic look. She walked up to him, and kissed him on the cheek. It felt like a shock wave surged through both of them. Riley pulled away and looked at him. Peter blushed a little and had to bow his head so Riley wouldn't see. A moment later he looked back up and into Riley's eyes.

"Is that all I get?" Peter asked sarcastically. She just laughed and grabbed his hand. She laced her fingers through his, and again, more shocks.

"Will you walk me to my room?" Riley asked. Peter smiled and they started walking. When they reached Riley's room, Peter let go of her hand and they stood in front of the door for a while.

"So, I'll just be going then," Riley finally said.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have forced you into telling me stuff you wanted to keep hidden," Peter told her.

"No, it's alright. I think it's a good thing that it finally came out. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight." was all Peter said before Riley opened her bedroom door and left his sight. Peter smiled to himself as he touched the cheek Riley had kissed. The feel of her lips lingered on his skin, sending chills down his spine. Hopefully, after all that, things would get easier for them both…hopefully.