Okay so last chapter….for now at least. I'm debating whether I should write a sequel but anyway……This was by far the hardest chapter to write and that's why it's taken so long to update.

HUGE thank you to Whatsthenews and InkStainedFire who have both stuck with this story from the very beginning so thank you thank you thank you!

!!!!!I don't own any of the characters, etc!!!!!!

Chapter 8

After getting far enough away from the burning mill so that the smoke and ash could no longer cloud their senses, Dustfinger, Brianna, Meggie and Farid collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. They had run, regardless of their various injuries, as fast as their legs could take them away from the Spelt-Mill and it was a long time before any of them dared to stop.

Meggie was the first to break the silence. "Where are we going?" she asked Dustfinger.

"I know someone who will be able to help us," he replied looking at her.

"Is it far?" said Meggie looking at Brianna pointedly. Dustfinger followed her gaze and saw his daughters' pale face under the fiery hair. She had her eyes shut as though she was hoping that the next time she opened them, all of this would be gone and she would be back safe and sound back in the castle.

But in reality that was not what was going through Brianna's head. She could feel all three of them looking at her but still she did not open her eyes. She didn't want to see anybody right now. She just wanted to stop feeling for a little while. She wanted everything to stop. But there was an indescribable amount of pain spreading through her entire body. Evidently this showed on her face because the next thing she knew was the warmth of somebody's body close beside her and strong arms suddenly surrounding her.

"Brianna?" Her eyes fluttered open against her will to see her father's face just inches from hers full of concern. Slowly she felt all the events over the last few days take their toll and all the emotions that she had tried so hard to hold back came flooding out of her. Dustfinger pulled her closer and let her cry silently into his shoulder.

He had no idea how many times she had cried herself to sleep over the years just wishing that he would do exactly what he was doing now; making her feel safe again. He didn't say a word to her; he just stroked her hair as she sobbed. She didn't know how long they sat on the grass like that while Meggie took Farid to a small stream to try to cool the burns on his hands.

It took the best part of a day to reach the infirmary and the Barn Owl (an old friend of Dustfinger). After fussing over Brianna for what felt to her like hours, he finally left her alone long enough to go and talk to her father in his office.

She lied on the soft bed in the private room on her own; trying not to think. At some point she must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing she knew she was being rudely awakened by the sound of her parents shouting at each other from outside the room.

"How dare you! She's my daughter!"

"She's my daughter too Roxanne."

"Yes but you're not the person who has raised her for the last ten years!"

"That's not fair!"

"Well you leaving me in the dark when my daughter is in danger isn't fair either."

"Roxanne."

"You had no right to keep this from me."

"What good would it have done Rox-"

"I HAD TO FIND OUT FROM THOSE GOSSIPING-"

"Roxanne stop it! What would you have done if you had known?"

"That's not the point and you know it."

They stopped yelling at each other and Brianna struggled to hear the next few words.

"I'm taking her back tonight. You can just do whatever you like Dustfinger."

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

The door to Brianna's room opened so fast, she barely had time to close her eyes and feign sleep.

"Brianna, sweetheart. Come on love wake up. I think its time you came home."