I slept surprisingly well, considering everything.

I checked my watch, it was 8:20am.

There was a note on the door saying that breakfast was in the hall at 9:00am weekdays.

That must mean that today is a Monday.

I have until Friday before I have to go meet the others, and until next Saturday here.

I got dressed straight into my gui today, and strapped my weapons on.

I brushed my hair up into a high ponytail and pulled some black trainers on my feet.

By the time I was happy, it was 8:45. I decided to go down early.

I walked the corridors, down the stairs, round to the hall and saw that it was guarded already.

That's new.

I walked up and asked if I could go in.

They looked at my katana and told me no. I had to take off all my weapons and give them to one of the guards.

They let me keep my arm guard on and told me to that someone would put them in my room.

I reluctantly agreed and entered the hall, I went over to my normal corner and had some fruit again, when I came in there were around 30 people but as I ate, more and more had filed in. Durion hadn't come in yet and I don't think he will.

At about 9:15 someone came and sat by me, which I wasn't expecting. At all.

I looked up to see a young woman quite a bit older than me, I'd say she was around 25. One thing I immediately noticed were her eyes. One was green, one was purple.

I recognised them but I couldn't quite place it.

She tried to make small talk with me but gave up when it was obvious I wasn't interested.

When I was done and I stood up to leave, she grabbed my wrist and murmured something.

I felt the familiar feeling of my whole body tensing up.

She left my face free and so I turned to look at her, there was no doubt about it now.

Mistalya Tallyn, cousin to Ashal'lyn Tallyn was;

a) in control of me

and

b) spying on us.

I have to break her control and get to Durion.

She was weaker than Ash, I could tell. Probably because of the disguise she had to uphold.

She warned me not to scream and stood up to walk out, I followed her against my will up to my room.

My blades from before had been left on the bed which she moved over to the window. She made me sit on the bed and keep still, I watched as a shimmering haze set over and around her body until she was almost completely blanketed in it at which point it started to disperse and Mistalya was back to her normal, creepy self.

"I'll free you if you swear not to do anything you wouldn't do under normal circumstances."

I nodded and felt control flooding into me, I stood up straight away and stalked over to the window. I sat down on the window seat and waited for her to explain.

"Ash sent me to make sure you don't mess things up."

"Well you can go back and tell him to stay the hell out of it, it's his fault I'm here in the first place. The deal states that I am here for 2 weeks. You guys are allowed to contact me but not come spy on my or take me away. Durion already knows. He overrode the spell. So sucks to be you when ice boy finds out."

"I'll leave. If you meet us tomorrow, noon instead."

I nodded and waited for her to leave.

To my surprise, she faded into the shimmering mist from before.

I jumped as my door opened and Durion entered my room.

He looked surprised to see me here, for some reason.

"I've been waiting in my office for a half hour. Didn't you get my summons?"

Wait what? Summons? I'm not a dog.

I decided not to get angry but instead asked him

"You summoned me?"

"Yeah. About a half hour ago. Why?"

I checked my watch, it was 9:50.

"Because about a half hour ago I was being held captive!" I said in a false cheery voice, accentuated with a cheesy grin. Obviously.

He raised his eyebrow in a questioning manner.

I walked over to him, told him I'd tell him later and walked away.

I have no idea what caused me to behave in that vulgar manner but I'm gonna go with the stress is making me insane.

I walked out and ran to the tree I had seen yesterday.

I looked behind me, Durion was following in the distance.

That's new.

Apparently he likes this new sarcastic, sassy, assholey version of me.

I looked up through the strong boughs of the ancient oak before me.

Perfect for climbing.

I jumped up to grab the first branch and heaved myself up onto it. After the initial start to the climb, it became easy.

I swung myself up, branch to branch until I had reached the weaker branches that swayed with my weight. I kept going higher until the tree was only just keeping me elevated.

I grinned and looked up at the sky, I watched the clouds go round for a bit, I wanted to go higher but the tree wouldn't be able to make it. I looked down to find Durion lounging a couple of metres below me.

"If you want to go higher, use your powers."

I furrowed my eyebrows and decided to give it a go.