“Hey” I hear in a whisper; I open my eyes. For a split second, I forget where I am, but it all comes back to me. “Hey are you awake?” I recognize the voice. It is Shaylo. I roll over, close my eyes, and pretend to be asleep.


    “Hey, I know you are awake and besides it’s rude; what you are doing isn''t a very good first impression.” Shaylo sounds annoyed. I sigh and roll over on my back and open my eyes. Let''s face it; I won''t be able to fall back asleep especially when you know someone else''s eyes are on you. I look over and there she is looking back at me with both of her hands clasping the bars. At first sight, she is just a shadow figure; my eyes are adjusting to the light. I look over at her and things slowly come into focus; she is in the same linen jumper that I saw her in earlier only it is now clean. Her eyes are a deep brown, and she has a narrow, but beautiful face.


    I look at her and say, “I''m awake” however, not being able to hold back a yawn.


    She looks disappointed that I am still in a groggy state “You slept all night. Why are you so tired?”


    “I have had a bit of a rough time lately.” I sit up on the cot and rub my eyes. To be honest this wasn''t how I was expecting this first encounter with her to be, I was expecting an evil villain with a negative personality to go with it, and right now, I have a very curious companion who seems interested in being aquatinted with me. This could be an act, but whatever it is, it does seem genuine, and I am compelled to get to know her also, but not just for Rosaleen and Newlyn''s reasons. I have a feeling there is more than one side to everything.


    I look up at her from my cot, “You are Shaylo.” I confirm with her.


    “Yes, and you are Taylan.” She replies and I nod.


    “Master Sitrus told me a bit about you. You tried to escape a couple of times.” She half says it to confirm the truth, but also says it in a questioning tone. I simply nod yes, and she erupts into laughter.


    “What''s so funny?” I ask.


    “Nothing” She answers.


    “No, tell me.” I insist.


    Shaylo catches her breath and pulls herself together, “If you are ever going to try to escape again make sure that you’re not going to get caught.” She says holding back a chuckle her eyes are twinkling from her laughing fit.


    “I thought I was going to succeed.” I answer meekly; I feel a little stupid.


    “You obviously acted on an impulse, especially the run attempt that you tried on Master Sitrus yesterday. You need to think about it, it can''t be an impulsive thing. The people who have you caged up are expert planners, and one needs to anticipate their moves before you go making yours. Think about all the repercussions that will follow should you want to carry out another escape.” Shaylo explains with certainty.


    “How would you know all of this?” I ask, trying to keep my criticism in check.


    “When you observe, you come to know things.” She removes her hands off the bars and paces her enclosure, continuing, “I know about you from the nuggets of information Master Sitrus has given me yesterday evening. I know enough to realize that he has an agenda to follow, and you have your own.” I must admit that this woman is coming off as highly intelligent, and I get the impression that she knows how to play a good social game to get what she wants. Shaylo continues, seeming almost overconfident with herself, “Now Taylan, you’re locked up here with me which means that we share a common enemy tell me, what you want in this very moment?”


    I hesitate and then decide that it is probably best to answer, “Shaylo, I mean no offense, but after what you just shared with me how do I know you aren’t just one of Newlyn''s servants who were put in here to keep an eye on me and report anything of importance to your Master Sitrus?”


    She grins and claps her hands in reaction to my point, “Well thought, maybe you are a good observer; you just act stupidly, that’s all.” She winks.


    I change topics. I don''t want to get into the gritty stuff with her at this point. I have been instructed to fool her and they instructed her to do the same with me? “What’s your typical day like here?” I gesture at the fact that we are both locked up.


    She explains, “In about an hour Master Sitrus will feed us, and we are then to feed and care for all of the animals, after that it is mostly various forms of housekeeping chores.” It is a busy workday, and I think the true definition of what it means to be a servant. Shaylo goes into more detail, explaining where she goes during the day and where they take her.


    I interrupt, “Did Sit, I mean Master Sitrus tell you that I would be helping you today?”


    Shaylo looks at me quizzically, “Sit? You refer to him with a nickname?”


    She searches me for a reaction. For what, I don''t know but I quickly respond, “I thought that Sit was his name because that''s what I heard others refer to him as.”


    Shaylo scratches her head and looks at me for a long moment, but was a couple of seconds, “I can see how you would think that, yes Master Sitrus mentioned that I would have your help today with all the chores. Please don''t think about trying to escape because I could use the help.” Shaylo answers with a hint of threat in her voice, but I don’t care. I am relieved that she disregarded that little slip up. I wouldn''t imagine running at this point. I have already tried it once, and if I do have people who are on my side, I wouldn''t want to jeopardize those relationships. I think Sit is on my side, and I think Rosaleen and Newlyn want me on their side, and from what I gather from Shaylo, she wants me as some sort of comrade. I am going to have to take a step back to observe and then make a choice on what is best for me. The lines are a little blurred right now. We quietly talk for what feels like an hour and cover topics like, where we are from, our families, hobbies, and even trivial things like our favorite foods. Shaylo comes from a small community that is like where I grew up. Despite what I had assumed, I thought she was a socialite that enjoyed the many lavishes of palace life. She is an accomplished hunter and tracker; hunting is her hobby of choice, but she has not done it since living within the palace walls although while there she has practiced on dummy targets. Shaylo said that she had both her parents growing up, but they have passed on, and she had one brother who had passed away while in combat. I noticed that she didn''t bring up her husband, but it doesn’t matter since I think I understand how she came to be in the company of Rosaleen. Shaylo obviously married into the socialite role with her husband being a close ally to the imposture King Wolfrim and made her way into being an advisor for a Princess.


    The barn door opens, letting the sunlight in as well as Sitrus. He hands some bread and an apple through the bars to each of us, letting us eat before we begin to work. Sitrus opens Shaylo''s stall first and then mine. He whispers in my ear “Don''t plan on doing anything silly?” He warns.


    I glance up and murmur, “No Sitrus.”


    He corrects me, “Master Sitrus.”


    I glance up at him through my eyelashes “Sorry Sir, Master Sitrus.” With my apology, he pats my back, and I feel compelled to walk towards Shaylo and wait for Sitrus''s instructions.


    “Okay ladies, first things first, feed and let the horses out to pasture. Come back and clean out the barn. That should bring you to lunch. Join me in the servants’ kitchen, and for the afternoon, you are going to the berry fields to pick four baskets worth. Newlyn has asked for jellies to be made and pastries.” We nod and with that, Sitrus leaves.


    I look at Shaylo and ask, “He doesn’t stay and watch over us?”


    She looks at me “No, he doesn’t stay with us, he has other obligations, but that doesn’t mean that no one is watching.”


    I ask, “What do you mean, I don''t see anyone else here.”


    Shaylo brings her voice down and says, “Just outside this barn we have a watcher, you will see him.”


    She glances outside the door. I whisper, “I understand, I didn''t know.”


    She replies in a hush “That''s because you don''t pay attention.” With that, she walks to the feed room in the barn and starts to fill several buckets with a scoop of grain for each of the horses. I reflect, Saydira once told me that. I guess that is a fault of mine. I was watched yesterday and that is how Sit found me so quickly? I need to focus today and be observant of my surroundings of everything if I am going to play this game.


    I help Shaylo carry the water and feed buckets to each of the stalls and then as a horse finishes feeding, we put a halter on them and lead them out to the field. I have never done this before and Shaylo teaches me as we go. I try to stay as observant as I can by glancing around the area to see who the watcher is, so far, I don''t see anyone. I don’t have the feeling that we are being watched even though Shaylo has said otherwise. It just feels like it is only Shaylo the horses and me. We let the horse go into the pale green grassy field and return to the barn for the next one only this time we will be walking two horses now that she has shown me how to do it. Shaylo starts up on a new conversation. “So, what is the deal with you and Master Sitrus?”Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I answer, “What do you mean?” pretending that I don''t know what she is hinting at.


    She chuckles, “I''m not stupid, and I know there is something that is going on between the two of you. I’m older than you and have seen this before.” My heart stops. I don''t say anything, I can''t; I don''t know what to say. She asks me, “Have you ever loved a man before?” Is she going to tell me that she knows what happened to Shrago if I open up?


    I swallow, “Um no, I have never loved a man.”


    She asks, “You’re what eighteen years old and you never had a relationship?” I shake my head no and she says, “No suitors from where you lived?”


    I answer, “No, it was a small community and a lot of the people who would have become suitors, when they became of age were already called upon to serve.”


    She nods “I see, well I suppose that will soon change. I can see that Master Sitrus has eyes for you, and it is clear to me that you have feelings for him.” She laughs and shakes her head. “You youngsters are so foolish. You have feelings for your captor, oh what it''s like to be young and full of hormones.”


    I say, “Well what does it matter? It doesn’t change the fact that I am a prisoner.” I take a breath and try to change subject, “So how come he didn’t put chains on us this morning, but last night he chained you while you were out of the stall?”


    Shaylo raises an eyebrow at me and starts with answering my first comment, “You are such a stupid girl; of course, him having feelings for you changes things. Sooner than later, he is going to demand more of you other than the chores he is asking you to do now.” She pauses and smirks, “Take advantage and you will get what you want. As for the chains, I am only bound when I am taken to the baths or taken within proximity of Newlyn.”


    I comment, “You’re lying about the idea of getting what you want. If that is so, why have you not tried to fulfill any?”


    Shaylo quickly becomes cross, grabs me by the collar, pulling me close and through clenched teeth while on the grassy pathway she explains, “Before I became a prisoner I lived a lavish life within the Palace, I held one of the most desirable positions within the Kingdom. Now how is it that you think that someone like me, who came from the same upbringing as you, came into that position?” She shakes me, “Answer me.” She demands.


    I murmur, “You gave someone what he wanted?”


    Shaylo whispers back “Precisely!”


    I regain my footing as she lets go, “I don''t think Master Sitrus is like that.”


    She snaps back, “and why would you think that?”


    “Because, I just don''t get that feeling about him,” I answer.


    She laughs, “You are such a credulous girl. Tell me, do you want to be locked up forever?”


    I sigh, “No”


    “That makes two of us. Master Sitrus clearly has something for you, and I think we can use that to our advantage to get out of here.” She pauses, “Let me think something up.”


    We head back to the barn for two more horses. I figure now is the time to ask her about the people within the Palace to gather information for Rosaleen and Newlyn. “Shaylo will someone be coming to your rescue?” I dive right into it. She has been trapped long enough for people to take notice, friend’s, anyone who is on her side and besides Shrago; Shaylo doesn’t know what I know.


    She glares at me, “You can''t expect others to come to your aide immediately, sometimes your captures are one step ahead of you, and for me, they are I have to admit; besides that’s the only reason why I am still here.” I know that Shaylo is referring to Princess Rosaleen''s ship. Everyone from the Palace and ship believes what the princess feeds them. That Shaylo is gone for an extended period. There is absolutely no alarm, and no one is aware from the Palace that Shaylo has been imprisoned and in Newlyn''s hands, or for the people at the Palace they don’t know that Shrago has been killed. The way that Shaylo answered leads me to believe that she only had Shrago. If she had an ally on the ship, it should have gotten back to the Palace. We walk back from the fields to the barn to clean out the stalls. This is good news for Newlyn and Rosaleen I am convinced that all Shaylo had was Shrago. I feel like I made some headway this morning with gaining a bit of insight and then there is the whole Sitrus situation. I don''t even know if he was sincere with all he has shared with me, or if he is playing me, lines are becoming blurred. I guess if Shaylo is certain that this man has feelings for me than I guess he was being true and now what do I do about it? I do like him even though I am supposed to be acting as his prisoner, but I think that I am in the clear on allowing some feelings for him to show besides, Shaylo can tell that there is something there. I believe that Shaylo believes I am a prisoner, and she is hinting at me to expect and use affections from Sit for some gain that she is working out in her mind right now. I am in the perfect position; both sides believe me to be on their side. We finish the stalls and meet Sitrus for lunch. The conversation during lunch is light, and we are given our afternoon chores.


    Shaylo and I retire from lunch and head out to the berry fields to fill our baskets. Shaylo asks me, “So Taylan have you figured out who is watching us?” She asks.


    I forgot to keep a look out and look all around me for a sign as to who it is, “I have no idea.”


    She chuckles, “Even after this morning’s discussion you still don''t pay attention.”


    I snap, “I do pay attention!”


    She comes back, “No you don''t, if you did you would know who.”


    I look around the open field. I look to the tree line for signs of movement, nothing. I see nothing when looking back towards Newlyn''s. I decide to glance up in the sky, which is when I see someone soaring high above us. They are a little hard to spot because of the reflective solar suit that they are wearing; the thing that gives them away is the random flicker of the sun’s rays reflecting from it. It is hard to make out who it is, but from the outline of the body, my guess is that it is a child. Sid, the boy who greeted Rosaleen and me the day we had pulled up on the solar bike. I had not really seen him since. I reply, “I see now.”


    She answers, “He is the eyes and ears for Newlyn, and he is tasked with keeping watch. He has been tracking me ever since I have become a prisoner here.”


    I ask, “Have you ever spoke to him?”


    “A bit, but he hasn’t slipped up and given away any information that would help me. He is a child, and his masters don''t tell him everything, they only provide him with what he needs to know. I would love to get my hands on one of those flying suits, but he knows well enough to keep a safe distance from me.”


    I ask, “Has he ever reported to you on other things that he observes?”


    She smiles, “Yes, he talked of when you showed up and mentioned when he saw a wild animal in the area. Come to think of it I have been meaning to ask; why do you think that Rosaleen and Newlyn didn''t imprison you upon arrival?”


    Shaylo is seeking truth; I remember my lesson with Sitrus, keep steady eye contact and deny any knowing, I pause, pretending to give it some thought and reply, “I have no idea, I didn''t know that they actually had horse stalls being used as prison cells here. I thought that the extent of my capture was just that I was being closely watched. Someone was always by my side, and I was locked in a bedroom at night. The only time I was left alone was when I made a run for it.” I must be pretty dam convincing because its kind of is the truth. The thing that kind of messes’ things up is Sid mentioned me to her, and Sitrus believed that Shaylo had no knowledge of me, prior to us meeting. Now I know that it was not the case. Shaylo is always watching me, reading my body language; the expression on her face does make me feel a little nervous.


    She says, “Why do I feel like you are holding something back?” She is upfront, her brown eyes peer into mine for answers.


    I am beginning to feel intimidated, but stand my ground, “I''m not sure. Why do I always feel like I am being stared down whenever you ask me a question?”


    Shaylo gives me a long look, and I am not sure how, but she decides that I was just being funny, letting out a hearty laugh. I cannot tell if she is being sarcastic, or true in her reaction, she says, “you have a point Taylan. I will try not to stare you down. It''s my nature to look out for myself and to me, everyone is sort of my enemy until I am convinced otherwise.”


    I don’t share in the laughter, but instead change focus from me to her, “How do I know that you are on my side?”


    She shrugs, “That is easy we both have a common enemy, we will need to work together to get what we want.” I nod, agreeing with her. We finish in the field and head back to the house to meet Sitrus and hand in the harvest.


    We help with washing and cleaning our berries in the servant’s kitchen. Sitrus escorts us back to the stable for the night. Shaylo and I enter our stalls and Sitrus locks the doors. It has been a full day, I am still in the same linen clothes that I first put on before meeting Shaylo, and to top it off, Sitrus has yet to question me on the information that I have gathered. I feel so filthy from cleaning up horse crap and working out in the field. I was really expecting a bath; as Shaylo had received the night, I met her. I was hoping for a break from all of this, to talk to Sitrus. I quietly and slowly pace the stall. Is he going to call on me to bathe? Do I retire to my cot and sleep in this state of filthiness? I look around the barn. Sitrus is already gone. I feel so grubby and decide to strip out of my linen outfit, I am completely naked and using the water bucket in my stall, I wipe myself down, washing away all the dirt and sweat with the cool water. It turns out to be soothing and I feel a bit cleaner. I dunk my head into the water bucket to soak my hair to rid it of sweat and dust. The shock of the cool water wakes me up and carefully, I run my fingers through my submerged hair and lift my head from the bucket to ring the excess water back into the bucket. I dunk my linen outfit into the water, scrub the fabric together, remove the garments once soaked, and drape them through the bars. Who needs a hot bath when you have a water pail full of freezing water? The water in the bucket is now a brown opaque and I just let it sit there. I don’t want to soak the floor to my pen tonight. I drip dry, still pacing the stall calmly while running my fingers through my hair like a brush; it gives me something to do to pass the time. I look towards Shaylo’s stall. She has been so quiet. She is just being courteous, giving me some privacy.


    I walk over and peek through the bars to find that she is resting on her cot. Her eyes are closed. I can tell she isn’t quite asleep, more just relaxing. I break the silence, “Hey Shaylo how often does Sitrus bathe you?”


    She is lying on her back and just tilts her head in my direction, opening her eyes slowly, the way that you would if you were lying on the beach in the sun. “I would say that he lets me bathe once every three to four days.”


    “Three to four days?” I say in surprise, “Really?”


    She chuckles, “Yes really, why are you surprised?” Her eyes are now looking upon me intently.


    I look away, I am not sure why, but I am a little embarrassed, I can feel the skin on my chest and face flush; “Well it’s just that, you seem so clean. I mean I know that you had a proper bath the night before, but even when I saw you briefly before you were called upon to wash, you didn’t seem, well, dirty.”


    She rolls over onto her stomach and looks up at me, clearly amused. It is the fact that she senses my chagrin, “You know that I don’t rely on Master Sitrus in order to bathe.” She pauses clearly amused by something that I don’t know, “If you wanted to wash you should have said something.”


    “What do you mean?” I am completely confused.


    “Just ask next time.” She lifts the edge of her mattress, motioning to a bar of soap.


    Annoyed I ask, “Why didn''t you say anything, you knew that I was trying to wash myself?”


    She smiles and shrugs as if it is no big deal, “You never asked.” She has the nerve to make a silly face at me.


    I am cold, wet and don’t want to play, or making jabs at her, “Whatever, next time I''ll ask for yours if I don''t snatch my own bar in the time being.” Sit isn''t too observant, or he is and dismisses it because it benefits him with having to spend less time with his prisoners.


    I am almost dry. My hair is damp, so I decide to wrap myself in the sheet from my cot since my outfit is hanging to dry. I lay down for the night. I’m not quite sure when I drifted off, I have a feeling that I fell asleep quickly because I don''t recall tossing and turning much. It must be the middle of the night. I feel a nudge to my side that wakes me.