"Why are you here?"

"Emba I'm..." He took a step towards me and reached out a hand to me

For his one step, I took several until I felt my back collide with the wall. I held my hands up as if in surrender.

He lowered his hand in defeat and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I can't.." I trailed off.

"I understand." Dylan said while moving back over to sit on the bed. I sighed in relief. I took a deep breath and forced myself to cross the room and sit next to him on the bed.

"Emba you can't go."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't meet with Ash tomorrow. It's not safe."

"Dylan.. It's not safe for me to not. Dyl.. You know what he'll do to me.. To you for warning me.."

"Emba you don't understand..!"

"Then help me to understand Dylan!" I said, cutting him off.

"Ash is planning on an ambush when you meet with him. He is planning on hiding 20 soldiers, including me and Talya, in a dimensional pocket then while you're in the circle we'd come out and take you back."

I started to reply but the door burst open, startling me and cutting me off.

"Time's up." Durion said. Behind him, Korvon and a couple more guards piled into the room.

"Woah. Calm down, he's here to help." I said, standing up and blocking Dylan from their view. I heard him whisper sorry before a gush of cold air hit me in the back, causing me to fall forward, into Durion's arms, he caught me and swiftly lifted me up. I saw Korvon and the rest of the guards run over to where Dylan had been sitting. He had gone. I knew where and how but I'm not going to rat out my best friend. He's helped me and shown that he's not completely brainwashed.

"There's no point looking for him. He'll be back with Ash by now.." I said to no one in particular.

I stood, leaning against the wall, still staring at the floor for while.. I felt myself start to slide down it as I thought over what Dylan had just told me.

I watched someone's shadow come closer until it cloaked me completely. I looked up to see Durion looking down at me.

"We need to talk." He said while extending an arm to help me up. I nodded and stood with his help. I looked over at my bed, now that the guards had filed out I could see it clearly. I thought I saw something glint in the sunlight so I paused in the doorway. I saw the shine again and rushed over to the bed. It was my locket.. Dylan had somehow had it and given it back to me. I picked it up and held it close to me for a minute.

"Thia." Korvon said, reminding me that I was supposed to be going with them to talk.

I put my locket on, making sure it was securely fastened and went after them. I noticed that they were walking in formation, one in front and one behind of me. We reached Durion's office. They both stood behind the desk while I sat in front.

"How did he get in?" Durion thundered.

I stayed silent. Dylan helped me. Probably saved my life. I'm not going to betray him if I get any say in it.

"Princess." He said sharply.

"Don't call me that." I said quietly. I looked up to see them both staring at me. In that way that only they seem to do. Sending shivers down my spine. I looked away again.

"I would advise you answer his questions Thia. My nerothime tends to go a little over the top when people don't listen to him. From what I've been told, you should know."

Korvon reminding me about what happened with Durion in the woods made me wince. They'd both seen me with my locket minutes earlier and they both know how much it means to me.

I decided my best bet would be to lie. Not outright, but lie nonetheless.

"I don't know how he got in." I said, looking up and carefully enunciating each word. It was true. I didn't know exactly how he got in. I had an idea on how and I knew how he left but technically I was telling the truth. I watched as Durion processed what I'd said and how Id worded my answer.

"Don't be clever with me Princess. I'm not in the mood. Since you seem so keen on trying to trick me, allow me to rephrase my question. How did the Lykos travel to and from your bedroom."

I tried to find a loophole in his question but I couldn't. He had much more experience with this than I. I took a breath and prayed that I could get through this without endangering my best friend.

"I said I don't know."

I saw Korvon wince as I lied outright to Durion. We all knew that this was not going to go smoothly.

"There are three ways this conversation could play out after what you just said to me. One, you tell me the truth, and nothing but the truth from now until I'm satisfied of your own accord. Two, I use my aliat to enter your brain and extract the information myself, I've been told it feels like a huge boulder is resting on your brain with snakes coming out from the centre of it. Or three, I take some.. Possessions that I know are important to you and do what I will with them, while you watch of course, until. You. Crack."

I felt my breathing start to quicken as Durion pulled up a chair and put his feet up on the desk.

"You have one minute. Choose, or I will for you."