Our group was sent out first to scout the area for guards and first army, with this many ambassadors and Lantsov relatives around there would no doubt be many.

To my disappointment we split up in pairs, my partner being a squaller named Niamh, she seemed wary at first but once I started to call the shadows to aid us she eased up a small bit.

I shielded us with a curtain of shadows while we hid behind a tree to consult a small piece of paper every pair had been given with writing on it, she cursed, "Danmit, I can't see in this light."

"Here," I summoned a small ball of light and let it float above her.

"Won't they see us?" She questioned.

"I have a few other tricks up my sleeve, are we in the right place?"

She nodded, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That," she pointed to the ball of light above her, "There's no sun, it's the dead of night, how do you summon the sun when there is none?"

For the sake of our cover I had to hold my laugh, "Sun summoners a name, we don't actually summoned the sun, it's the light we manipulate, any form it takes. See the moon," I explained, "That's my aid, and although my mother has always found summoning easier when the sun itself was nice and bright, and my father in the cold dead of night, my time is twilight, the perfect mix, but the moon has always had a special place in my heart, for it shines bright but is shrouded in pitch black."

"You sound like a philosopher," she summarised. This time I did laugh and she joined me.

After a few minutes of watching and waiting the sound of light steps made us aware of another's presence near us. We both remained as silent as possible, trying catch a glimpse of a possible friend or foe.

An infernj cane through the trees with his hands raised, showing he meant no harm, I couldn't remember his name only knowing that he was also assigned with the scouts group.

"What are you doing here," Niamh hissed, "It's almost time."

Time for what? I silently asked in my head. I had been purposely left out of the briefing on what was happening so I took all the information I could.

The inferni risked a look at me, "Change of plans, there's more guards than we thought, we have to tell-"

"Oi!!" There was a shout in the distance, we'd been spotted.

My mind immediately went into think mode, if we were found then my father might hold off his attack until another time, giving my mother time to create a solid defence. On the other hand Niamh and the inferni would either be captured or who knows what back at camp for jeopardising the mission.

"I mean no harm," I shouted, slowly standing from my crouched position with my arms raised.

The infernj pulled me back down, "What do you think you're doing?" He whispered furiously.

"Saving you," I muttered, "They won't attack me, not while my mother's inside, but they will kill you. On sight," I added, "Get back to camp tell my father," I thought for a moment, that wouldn't do, "Say it was my idea aswell, that should take off the brunt of his fury."

"What's going on," a guard shouted, "Show yourself."

"I was given strict instructions not to let you out of my sight," Niamh pointed out, "How can we trust you?"

I sighed, "You can't, but we can't trust anyone these days, goodluck."

I stood back up and walked towards the guards, I noticed there were two of them, with my arms raised up. The slight rustle of a bush indicated that Niamh and the inferni had taken my advise.

It felt like a walk to death, lasting a lifetime as I slowly made my way towards them, trying to not look like I was about to attack, I hadn't become that desperate yet.

"You," one of them grumbled in recognition, good, he either knew my face or my kefta, either way it worked. "You're meant to be in Ker-"

"Ambushed," I cut across him, I didn't know if anyone was listening to us and I didn't need my my father knowing where the others were, "Our cart was ambushed and I only knew how to get back here."

He narrowed his eyes, obviously suspicious, "Where are the others?"

There was no time to explain all that to him, "I got separated, did anyone else come back?" The two guards looked at each other, seemingly having a telepathic conversation, I grunted, "Look there's no time for this I need to find my mother."

They looked back at me, and one of them spoke, "We'll take you to the little palace but the sun summoner is preoccupied at the moment," his tone brooked no room for argument, nevermind that I'd find my own way there.

What I didn't expect when I entered the little palace was Adrik, the youngest, until me, that had been left at the little palace when the schools were evacuated.

He was quite obviously, waiting for me. "I don't believe you," he deadpaned when the guards had left.

I ignored his comment instead trying to get away from him, "I don't need a babysitter."

He kept pace with me easily, "Just admit it Rena, you're not meant to be here."

I sighed angrily, "Neither should you, now stop bothering me."

"I was chosen to stay," he declared proudly, moving to stand in my way.

Suppressing the urge to blind him I said, "No, you begged your little arse off to get your sister to ask for you to stay, it isn't safe for us here, not now."

I liked Adrik, honestly I did but sometimes he just didn't know when to stop, "Wait," he grabbed my arm to stop me walking off, he should have know, "What do you know?"

We can all thank for this because I had it all written and everything and forgot to push the cloudy publish button, so THANK YOU CLOE!!