Author's Note: I'm going with a more variable schedule for this final book. I aim to release 3+ chapters per week, probably on Tuesdays.

Thanks for reading!

* * * * *

A girl stood in the kitchen of the great castle of Wildwood.  She was kneading bread flour and humming to herself softly.

"Are you nearly done, Ildri?"

"I am, chef," Ildri turned and went back to her humming.

Ildri had been working in the kitchen under the chef, Missus Allendale for almost as long as she could remember.  She liked it there.  It was a comfortable and safe place, and the job gave Ildri a nice sense of purpose and pride.  Chef was a kind woman and like his father before him, Lord Wildwood was a just lord.

Ildri had no desire to ever leave.  She knew that the world outside the castle was an uncertain and frightening place.  There was disease, hunger and violence.  Threat of rebellion and rumours of wars slipped through the air.  It was the world where Ildri had been left all alone.

She did not like being alone.

While it was true that plenty of bad things had happened outside of and even at Wildwood, Ildri had absolutely no intention of wasting her life moping about the past.  She would keep her eyes straight ahead on the glorious future that she knew was coming.  Everything was going perfect.

Ildri was going to get married.

Ildri had a boyfriend named Saul.  He made no secret of the fact that he fancied her and the thought gave Ildri happy little bubbles of pleasure.  She had first met Saul after he came to Wildwood to work with the horses.  She had immediately noticed how handsome he was in his quiet sort of way.  Ildri had quickly understood that he was shy and so she had gone out of her way to talk to him.  It had been worth it as he was always kind and liked to listen while she talked.  For almost a year they had spent much of their free time together.

She felt certain that her parents would have approved of Saul and been happy about how things had turned out for their daughter.  Saul would make a wonderful husband.  He was everything she wanted, and she knew that he would continue to climb in standing over time, even perhaps one day becoming the stable master when Mister Allendale retired.  Then the two of them could stay at Wildwood forever, just as Ildri wanted to.  She loved Wildwood.  Wildwood was her home and her safety.  It was perfect that her ideal man had come to Wildwood of his own volition.

Not that Saul had exactly asked her to marry him yet, but Ildri knew that it was coming.  It would just be a matter of time until he got around to asking her.  She had waited patiently—or as patiently as she could manage.  She had not helped him out even once by broaching the subject.

And finally, her patience had been rewarded.  He had asked her to meet him that very night, to talk and she had a very good feeling about it.  In a few scant hours Ildri would be engaged, and all her dreams would come true.

"Ildri, please quit daydreaming and put the bread in the oven to bake.  It won't be ready in time for supper at this rate," chef said in the same tone she always used when she thought Ildri was moving too slowly.

"Yes, chef," Ildri agreed patiently.  Chef just had no idea how important the day was.  Ildri had not mentioned it because Chef never quite seemed to approve of her relationship with Saul.  Chef did not say why, but Ildri was quite sure that it was because chef worried that it would affect Ildri's work.  She supposed chef was right.  She had never daydreamed so much before Saul, probably.  It was no matter.  Chef would adore Saul once she got to know him as well as Ildri did.

"Ildri!" chef called.

"I'm just putting it in," Ildri said, and then quickly put the pan in the oven.

Tonight would be a wonderful night.

* * * * *

After baking the bread, Ildri began to chop vegetables with the kitchen boy, Matt.  He was a cute enough kid, but he was very quiet.  Ildri sometimes found his watchful silence unnerving but she liked him nonetheless.  Cook had planned to make a hearty stew for the late meal.  Ildri finished peeling potatoes for the stew and moved to begin the carrots.

Ildri hit the bowl of potato peelings with the back of her elbow.  The bowl landed on the floor with a loud thump and the potato peelings flew across the floor.  Ildri looked down at the mess and groaned.  This was just what she needed, a big mess to deal with.

"I-I'll clean it up," Matt offered, with an uneasy glance at Ildri.  Did he think she would have a fit over it?  She supposed that she sometimes did overreact just a little bit.

"Thanks, Matt," Ildri responded, resolving to be more patient in the future.  He was such a nice boy.

Just then the door to the kitchen opened slowly.  "Is Matt in here?" a girl asked quietly.

"He's just helping with supper, Kallie," said the chef kindly.

"Can I help too?" she asked.

"Of course you can, dear."

Kallie walked into the kitchen and Matt handed her a broom.  The two eleven-year-olds started to clean up the mess that Ildri had made and Ildri turned back to her chopping.

The little girl Kallie was a nice enough girl; Ildri had learned.  Yet seeing her always made Ildri feel a bit angry.  It was nothing that the girl had done.  Ildri supposed that it was just that Kallie looked so much like her older sister.

Kallie's sister's name was Anya.  Ildri had believed Anya to be a good friend, but it had all been terrible lies.  Anya had come to Wildwood to try to assassinate Lord Wildwood and Ildri was certain that she had been used in the process.

Anya had been captured in her crimes and was locked away in the king's jail even as Ildri chopped vegetables at Wildwood.  It was exactly what Anya deserved, but Ildri still felt hurt.  It was the pain of betrayal by a false friend.

It was one thing to try to assassinate someone.  It was another entirely to attempt to assassinate the Lord of Wildwood.  Lord Wildwood was the one steady force in Ildri's world.  He was the leader that kept Wildwood the sanctuary from the world.

Ildri could not recall all the details of her time before the safety of Wildwood.  Her memories of her parents were blurry, and not really enough to satisfy the curious little girl that was still inside Ildri's heart.  As she had grown, Ildri had eventually learned all that the late Lord Wildwood knew of her past.  Her grandparents had been opposed to her parent's marriage.  Both families had disowned Ildri's little family and they were reduced to farming a small piece of land to survive.  Ildri could barely remember her days on the farm but she remembered that her parents took care of her well.  They loved her.

But even love did not save them from dying.  A terrible fire burned down their little wooden shack and both Ildri's parents had died in the blaze.  Ildri did not know how she had been saved from the same fate.  She could only remember how her lungs had hurt so bad that she cried and how she had cried even harder when she finally understood that her mother and father were never coming back.

They had tried to find someone to take care of Ildri.  Neither set of her grandparents had wanted anything to do with Ildri.  She had been dumped from person to person who did not really want her.

Ildri had been so lonely in those days.  All she remembered was the terrible idea that there was no one she belonged to and nowhere she belonged.

That had all changed one day when the old Lord of Wildwood had found her.  He brought her to Wildwood and gave her into the care of chef.  He had been so kind and so wonderful and she had loved him like a grandfather.  She knew that he had watched over her wellbeing.

It had been a terrible day when he had died.  Ildri had cried for hours and the pain had never entirely been in vain.  The whole castle had mourned the passing of their dependable, beloved leader.  It had been more than terrifying, the idea of facing life without her dear Lord Wildwood.

But Ildri's fears had been in vain, even if her grief had not.  The young Lord Wildwood had stepped into his father's shoes and was every bit a dependable leader as his father.  In time Ildri had come to trust him just as much as the old lord.  She hoped that Lord Wildwood would reign forever over Wildwood estate.

No person who would try to change that could be a friend of Ildri's.

But Ildri knew that it was hardly Kallie's fault what her sister had done.  It was not fair of her not to like the little girl because of relation alone.  Indeed, Kallie was very much like Ildri had been in the same situation.  When Anya died for her crimes, Kallie would have no one but her twin brother and the people of Wildwood.

Chef broke into Ildri's thoughts.  "Are the carrots done?"

"Nearly," Ildri responded and forced herself to focus on the vegetables in front of her.

* * * * *

The evening meal was almost done when the kitchen door swung open suddenly.  Lady Daphne, Lord Wildwood's sister in law entered the room quickly.  "I was told that Kallie was in here," she announced.

"She's right here," chef agreed.

"I need you to come with me quickly," Lady Daphne told the girl.

"Why, my lady?" Kallie asked timidly and stepped forward hesitantly.  Ildri felt a bit sorry for the girl.

"Your sister has been released," the lady explained quickly.

Ildri broke in quite without thinking, "Released?  What about what she did?"  Ildri could not believe that the king would allow an attempted assassin to go after not even a year in prison.  Why would the king not punish someone who had done such terrible things?

Lady Daphne corrected, "Released into exile.  We and the Wizard Jim will take you to see her before she leaves, Kallie.  At least you'll have a chance to say your farewells."

"Jim?" Kallie asked, then nodded.  "I'm coming.  Bye Matt, chef, Ildri."  Kallie's face was pale as she followed the lady out the door.  The door shut behind them.

For a long moment there was a heavy silence in the room as everyone thought through the sudden interruption.

"Back to work," chef said with a little clap of her hands.  The meal was soon ready.