After disembarking early the next morning, Kael arranged accommodation for the very sick Garrett and me to wait in while the rest of the group went in search of Gideon. The city of Guntha and the inn where we stayed reminded me of Havensport with its quaint yet dated charm. I sat quietly at the window, shoes kicked off and legs tucked beneath me, watching the traffic on the street below our second floor room and played the events of the last few days over in my head.

When Garrett woke hours later, he was enraged over the turn of events despite his delicate state. Barely able to prop himself up on his elbow, eyes bloodshot, he yelled in my direction, "What is going on, Harper? Where are we? Did they drug me and leave us like this? Yeah, I feel hung over, but that is nothing compared to what that guy's going to feel when I get ahold of him. Not to mention the trouble he'll be in when Charlie doesn't hear from me."

"I know," I lied and looked down as I considered his reaction when he discovered what Kael and I had done.

I had been sitting with him for so long my legs ached. I paced back and forth to stretch them out, but still looked out the window to survey our surroundings. True, Kael had left us in here, but he had also armed me. I felt the pressure of the gun in the back of my waistband. Despite the weapon, I hoped no one would find us before his return.

"We have to leave now, Harper. The longer we wait here, the greater our chances of getting killed." Garrett's voice was urgent, though raspy from lack of use.

"Garrett..." I said and cautiously removed the gun from its hiding spot. Garrett's mouth fell open in surprise. He had probably never thought he would see the day when I would hold a gun. "He gave me this," I explained, "showed me how to use it. Believe it or not, I think he's trying to help us."

"Help us? How can you say that?"

Beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He wiped at them, tense and agitated.

"He thinks Higgins is betraying him, working for Gideon," I made a point of not referring to him as my father. Gideon suited him better.

"So Kael doesn't work with your father then? He lied?"

Garrett looked confused. I couldn't blame him but replied, "I don't fully understand it, Gar. Higgins tried to strangle me while you were out."

Garrett nearly fell over, catching himself with his hand against the coverlet and exploding, "What!?"

I sighed, remaining calm despite Garrett's panic.

"Somehow, that translated to Kael that he must be working with Gideon. But after I told Kael, he kept Higgins off the bridge and away from me for the remainder of the night. He's on our side. We're safe."

I paced in front of the window. Garrett's expression never changed from one of horrified confusion. Though he said nothing, I responded to his look as if he had.

"I know, I don't understand it either. But we haven't exactly had a lot of time to discuss it."

"Apparently, you had all night with him on the ship, Harper."

I glared, furious that he could be so absurd and jealous at a time like this. "I didn't have anything with him, Garrett. Higgins was looking for me to see if I'd talked, so Kael worked out a cover story. That's all. He's been a gentleman this whole time which, come to think of it, doesn't fit either, but it is true."

Garrett held up a hand, halting my defense. "Hang on. You said Higgins had attacked you, and that was the clue to Kael that he was working with your father and not him?" He looked at me expectantly, just as he had when I hadn't recognized the significance of the real estate ad that had started this nightmare. Excited, he leaned toward me, "You get it, Harper? You see?" He rubbed the side of his face mumbling, "Not good," repeatedly.

I didn't see anything, so I kept pacing, biting my nails. Finally, I gave in. "No! I don't see anything. What on earth are you talking about, Gar?"

"If this Higgins is so bad, why doesn't Kael think he's working for Madeline's group?"

"How should I know?"

Garrett slowed down, condescending to enunciate and speak more clearly. "He knew because that wasn't Madeline's agenda. They are out to kidnap you to get leverage over your father."

I failed to see where this was going. If possible, he had made me more confused with his explanation.

"So, if Higgins was trying to kill you..." He let it hang. When I shook my head exasperated, he sighed, giving in. "Your father's orders must have been to kill you. That's how he knew."

I looked at him in shock as the pieces of his logic fell into place.

"But he said..." I trailed off and then allowed Garrett to interrupt.

"I know what he said, kid. But it's the only explanation that makes sense. You have to see that." I stopped pacing and threw myself down on the bed beside him. The old springs poked into the bruises on my back so I turned to my side, supporting my head on my hand.

"This is not good," I reaffirmed, "If Kael's actual orders were to kill me, why is he not following them?" I remembered that Madeline had said she refused to kill Ava Price. She had said Kael had done the deed instead because she lacked the taste for such violence against her friend. I wondered if it had been the other way around. Still, Garrett's plot had large holes in it. Why would anyone order their only child killed? I knew he had to be a loathsome character, but this was a new low in my mind, even for him. Kael's rescue in London, the letters Gideon had sent me - they all pointed to Gideon wanting to protect, not kill me.

I came back from my thoughts to my pale friend. "You need to lie back. You look terrible," I offered. He glared at me but complied and I asked, "Do you think these drugs will be out of your system soon?"

"No. They gave me another injection this morning. Higgins, blasted fool. It must be something different. Downright vile."

I nodded, knowing there was nothing I could do except wait for the drugs to leave his system.

The rest of my day was spent in the small hotel room, taking care of Garrett as best I could. The most I had to offer was a glass of water from the bathroom or a cool rag to his forehead, but he was grateful for it. I was glad to have something to occupy my mind. I didn't want to think too much about what Garrett had said earlier about my father's agenda. The time to revisit that topic was when Kael returned.

Dusk settled into the room, signaling the end to the long, quiet day. At last, my friend fell asleep. Climbing onto the other bed, I turned on the television but kept the volume low, though I had very small risk of waking him. Nothing of interest was on, but I flipped channels for a few minutes before giving up and tossing the remote to the other side of the bed. What was Kael doing? I would inquire when he got back. I pulled the gun from behind me so I could lie back. Recalling his mention of a safety button, I ensured it was on before tucking it under my pillow.

Madeline joined my dreams almost instantly. Startling me when she came out from behind the television in the hotel room, her sickening smile was in place, the infamous blade clenched in her grip. Again, I was powerless against her. I saw Kael somewhere off in the distance. I tried to call to him before she reached me, but it was no use. He didn't seem to hear me. He approached me and reached up and traced along the side of my cheek. His touch stung my face. Madeline nodded and raised her blade. Along the outline he had drawn, she traced her blade. I couldn't feel anything now, but splashes of blood fell around me.

To my horror she handed me a small hand mirror when she was finished. "There," she said as she wiped her blade on the bed, "You look just like your father now."

I raised the mirror, terrified as to what I would see.

My eyes flew open. The room was mostly dark, a dim glow provided by lights outside filtered through the window and illuminated a figure that stood at the foot of my bed. He shook my bed and, as I awoke, the figure stopped and backed away.

"Who's there?"

I didn't think it was Madeline, but I wanted to be sure.

"Kael?" I asked hopefully.

His husky voice was quiet, "Yeah. Another nightmare?"

Relieved, I nodded still half asleep, "Madeline was cutting my face. I just wanted to see how bad it was," I touched the side of my cheek, wondering. In all likelihood, it would have looked terrible but healed in a jagged long scar just as Gideon's had. It was only a dream, I reminded myself.

He came over and gave me a hand up. Glancing at Garrett who was snoring softly he rose a brow and, knowing what he was thinking, I offered, "He can sleep through anything. What are you doing in here, anyway?"

"Right. I'll show you."

He walked over to the window and sat down on the ledge. I joined him, peering below. In all black, he looked ominous, his hair appearing caramelized in the moonlight.

"Your room has a better view of the street. I want to see if Higgins leaves."

"That hardly seems helpful," I observed and rubbed the knots left in my neck by the bed springs.

"I plan on following, obviously."

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, seeming amused. I didn't find it funny. After all, by the time he got out the door of the lobby, Higgins would be long gone.

"I have this," he said as he pulled out what appeared to be a GPS on a small cellular device. Streets were outlined across the screen, a glowing red dot in the center. He tilted the device so I could see better and explained, "The red dot is him. We just have to see if he goes anywhere, meets up with anyone."

I nodded, pleased with my co-conspirator's genius.

"Now I see. You bugged him."

"Of course. What did you think I've been doing all day?"

We surveyed in silence for a moment, both of us leaning toward the window to identify any traveler who exited the hotel. A misty rain fell over the streets off and on. It amazed me how little attention the British paid to the fluctuant weather. I wondered if I had been equally oblivious as a youth, paying no mind to a random drop of water on my head. People came and went, but Higgins was nowhere to be seen.

I broke the silence. The topic Garrett and I had discussed earlier weighed heavily on my mind so I asked, "How can you be so sure he's working with Gideon?"

"What do you mean?" he replied, confused.

I continued, "I was telling Garrett about it and it seemed to us, him really, that the only thing indicating Higgins was working with my father was that he was hurting me. So if Higgins is helping Gideon, does that mean Gideon wants me dead?" I bit my lip, wondering if the implication was erroneous as soon as I said it out loud.

He gave me an even look before turning back to the window, raising his small binoculars and hiding his eyes from my view. Perhaps I had guessed correctly for once. Goosebumps rose on my arms.

I pretended to look as well, although I wouldn't have spotted Higgins if he had come out of the hotel and started waving at me. I could feel his even breathing beside me, sense his tension. If he was disobeying orders, broaching this subject could be a very poor decision.

Finally he spoke but kept the glasses up, "Something like that."

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More secrets! What do you think of Kael's latest admission? Leave me your thoughts and a vote if you feel inclined. :)

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