Clash! Metal banged against metal as a Meoden scout tried to block an incoming blow. He was no match for his attacker's strength and the glowing green blade forced the Meoden's sword down into its own throat.

"Thoran, behind you!" yelled Cornelius.

Without thinking, Thoran flipped his sword around him, slicing through the gut of two oncoming Meoden. Huffing loudly he looked at Cornelius. "You see why I need you with me?"

Cornelius's brow furrowed. "Maybe, but I could think of a better time to argue this."

At that he pointed to another Meoden soldier . . . this one wasn't alone. Following behind him was a heavy, four-legged, beast covered in the metallic skin native to the Meoden. Chains hung upon the animal like a cloak, linked at the top to two oversized horns. Its fiery eyes burned bright behind tufts of steam that rose out of the creatures nostrils.

Thoran threw his weapon to Cornelius. "You get the little one, and I'll get the big one."

Cornelius caught the sword in one hand. "Next time we run into a campsite while scouting, let's stick to just that, scouting!" Almost robotically he held out his hand until it glowed with yellow wisps, then shot it out to his and Thoran's feet.

"Thank you," sang Thoran, before charging off toward the great beast. Cornelius was already heading in the direction of the Meoden soldier.

The two men were quick, and their movements were marked with an obvious agility. Cornelius reached his target first. With a cry he parried two blows then flipped the sword hilt around in his hand, bashing the Meoden duly on the top of its head.

Thoran leapt unnaturally high into the air and landed shakily on the large creature's back. Next he closed his eyes and, within a split second, flames sprouted from his hand and up his arm. He jabbed fiercely with his fist at the top of the beast's head.

Cornelius, who was still parrying off the soldier's attacks, quickly spun the sword around again, and knocked the Meoden unconscious.

Without exchanging words or even a look, Cornelius sent the sword flying into the air towards Thoran. The man caught it easily with his free hand.

By now the beast had built up speed, seemingly headed for a wall to brush Thoran off against. The moment Thoran caught the hilt of the sword though, he lifted his flaming arm off the creature's head and forced the sharp tip of the blade onto the same spot, down, and through the creature's skull.

Instantly the beast collapsed. The momentum kept him headed straight into a collision with the stone. Thoran jumped backwards before this, then flung his sword up and around to rest on his soldiers.

"What was that?" started Cornelius who was moving closer to Thoran. "You normally display a complex series of aerial acrobatics in such a situation . . . you're just jumping backwards now?"

Thoran waited for Cornelius to reach him then put a hand on his shoulder.

"My friend, there are some things I think I am ready to leave for the next generation."

"Yes, well . . . I know of a couple that do a fine job of it already."

Thoran half nodded in agreement, before they both turned to look at the dead beast.

After a moment a smirk crossed Thoran's face.

"Can you imagine what those two would had been like if that girl had stayed around?"

Cornelius's face contorted, but before Thoran could notice a silky voice drifted from on top of the wall.

"Well, look what we have here."

The two men turned up, all humor forgotten.

"Sylvanus." Thoran uttered the name like a curse.

"Nice to see you too, Thoran. Cornelius." He nodded to each in turn. "I'm going to have fun telling Demian about how I found you two standing over the corpses of an entire camp. And with a healthy young Kelkar as well." He regarded the creature with a half-cocked frown, then began sauntering back and forth along the wall.

"You know bloody well we're within our rights to attack a camp this far out, Sylvanus. And unless you want a sword through your gut, I suggest you get across the boundaries as fast as your decrepit legs will allow."

Sylvanus stopped his pacing and leaned his head towards Thoran. "Is that supposed to scare me? You wouldn't dare!"

Thoran's voice grew louder. "Just get out of my sight, Sylvanus! I have enough of your exploits to bring up at the next meeting to get you expelled from the council as it is!"

Cornelius held out a staying hand to Thoran.

Sylvanus laughed wickedly. "Oh . . . you're talking about that girl! I figured you'd found her after I came across the dead scouts near her scent. She was a pretty one, wasn't she? In fact that's why I'm out here. I couldn't quite get her off my mind, so I went to Tiver to check in on her. Imagine my surprise when I found that she wasn't there."

"So, what? Are you guys just keeping her locked up in your little cabin for entertainment?"

Thoran's eyes shifted to Cornelius for a moment then back to Sylvanus.

"Let's go. This worm can stay here and rot."

As they headed out of the camp, Sylvanus yelled after them.

"It's a shame I lost the girl when I did. We would have had so much . . . fun."

He didn't stop laughing until the two men were out of sight.

Somehow I found my way back to the lodge and delivered the package to Sophie, who in turn forced me to eat a small snack. It wasn't until I was back in the secluded study that I remembered a certain creature had latched onto me back in the woods.

"Oh my God!"

I instantly jumped up and started checking my clothing for a smashed little ball of fur.

After a few seconds of searching I decided that he must have jumped off a while ago and plopped back onto the couch.

When I left Sophie it was twelve-thirty, just half an hour till one. I started twiddling my fingers nervously around each other.

I wonder if I could just hide for a while and pretend I forgo- My body flinched. Something behind me had just made a chirping sound.

I turned my head around, expecting to see a stray bird. But the study was empty. Nothing could have escaped since the only entrance was the hall door which was currently closed.

I shook out my head to clear my mind and suddenly the chirping began again, this time it didn't stop.

I stood up and turned around a few times before I realized the squeaking was following behind me. I reached towards the back of my head and felt down into the hood of my robe. Sure enough my fingers grazed a patch of velvety hair that I knew belonged to the creature from the woods.

Before I could think of what to do the little guy went crawling up around my arm, onto my head, and soaring off in a gliding leap through the air. I barely saved him from hitting the ground before he went leaping off again, this time onto the bookcase.

He landed and, with what seemed like a last defiant action, turned his large eyes towards me, chirped loudly, and disappeared into the wall of books.

I just sat there, dumbfounded once again.

Between the old man and this crazy creature I was starting to look forward to seeing Jaden.

Darn it, I can't just leave it in there, it could wreck Cornelius books. . . . Then I'll be the one in trouble. They'll kick me out, never let me come back, and I'll end up dying an old, miserable, spinster.

I have to find that little fuzz ball!

With dire determination I began to stack the books onto the floor and hunt for the creature.

After clearing out the bottom shelf, I leaned into the floor and laid my head on the ground to see if I could spot my furry friend.

It was at this point, the worst of times, when I heard a forced cough behind me.

My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I remembered who I was meeting at one.

I instantly wanted to join the creature hidden safely in the bookcase. Instead, I cocked my head around and followed brown laced boots up to dark solid eyes hidden beneath a shroud of pieced hair.

. . . This position pretty much summed up how I felt around Jaden all the time.

"Having fun down there?" he asked coolly.

I smiled, mostly because that's what I do when I'm nervous.

With a smirk, he threw out a hand to help me up.

I studied it. I knew what was coming, a long chat about how I wasn't capable of doing magic. He was starting to make me feel vulnerable, and I don't like feeling vulnerable.

I took his hand to lift myself up, but let go immediately.

He looked even more amused at this. "Why don't we go sit down."

I had no reason to argue and, tired or not, he still intimidated the heck out of me.

We both sat and his face became solemn.

"Look." He held out his hands. "I think we both know why I needed to talk to you." My eyes turned down. "The fact is, if you could use the magic that Ikovos was trying to teach you, you already would have."

Knowing hadn't helped, it hit me hard all the same.

"I . . . we only tried for a few hours yesterday. Maybe I just need more time." I looked into his eyes pleadingly, but found no condolence.

"No. If you can, you can and vice versa, that's how it works. You're just wasting Ikovos's time if you continue."

I pressed on. "Maybe it's different for me, maybe because I'm older or . . ."

"Or maybe because you're a girl you're incapable." He stared hard as he said this, only the slightest hint of humor left visible. My heart rose high in my chest.

"Incapable? I'd watch who you call incapable considering I just beat you yesterday at sparring!"

Oh, he didn't like that.

"You, beat me?" He leaned forward in his seat. "I wasn't even trying! . . . not to mention you shouldn't have even been sparring in the first place."

"Excuse me!? You were the one that asked!"

"Yeah, but I didn't think you would say yes. Why don't you act like a normal girl and go clean or something, or better yet go fix that crazy hair of yours!"

My eyes narrowed wildly. "You know I understand that you don't want me here, that you haven't wanted me here since the beginning. But that doesn't give you the right to say whatever you want to me!" I stood up till I was looking down at him. "And as for Ikovos, he seems plenty happy to be spending time teaching me!"

Jaden jumped up and pointed a finger. "I think I know my best friend a little better than you do!"

"Is that so? Well, then, maybe you should take some pointers from him! How about noticing that I'm in a new place, with a bunch of people I just met, trying something I've never done before, and possibly offering a little support?! No! Instead you just test me, ignore me, insult me, then tell me I can't do anything just because I'm a girl!"

He grabbed my shoulders. "Look! The only reason I had you meet me here in the first place was to tell you that I think you can use offensive magic!"

I opened my mouth to argue until I realized what he had just said. He just stood there staring at me, inches away from my face.

My chest was heaving drastically and my heart was racing, I could still feel his hands on my shoulders.

In that instant the door creaked and we both turned our heads to see it open.

I didn't get the chance. Jaden practically knocked me over letting go of my shoulders and widening the space between us. He adopted a cool face and cleared his throat as the door opened, when it did all signs of serenity left him. I looked over and saw why.

There in the doorway stood Thoran. A look of utter annoyance backed by determination resided on his face.

He turned first to Jaden. "Go get the horses and bring them to the side door."

Jaden gave a curt nod then walked out of the room past Cornelius, who was standing behind Thoran. It must have been because I yelled, but I felt upset when I saw him go . . .

Ugh. Focus, Evelyn.

"And now to you."

I turned my attention back to Thoran. The fight I'd just had with Jaden leading straight into this was all a bit much for me. I felt like I was in a daze, or maybe I was just trying to deny the inevitable.

"I am not going to play games with you, child. It is time for you to go home. "

My heart sank. "What am I doing wrong? Why do I have to leave?"

Thoran sighed. "This is no place for you. It should never have been an option." He spared a glance at Cornelius. "It was unfair for some to let you think that this was ever a possibility."

I looked down again, then quickly back up to search Cornelius's face for support.

There was nothing but sorrowed acceptance.

After all the fighting, all the close calls, it was over, I was going home.

Moments later I found myself outside with Thoran and Cornelius. I guessed we were waiting for Jaden to bring the horses. The weather was nice, contradicting my own condition. It was a few hours past midday and the wind was cool.