"Prince Xylin, to what do I owe this pleasure?" I smoothly said, scraping away the disguise of the shy little girl I had played at the docks. He tensed at that, but it was hardly discernible.

"Who are you? My father told me you were the little thief that he's been searching for for quite some time now."

"Well don't I feel honoured. I mean, he must have a lot of other things to worry about, don't I feel special to be on that list." I rose as I said it, watching Xylin's eyes follow my every move.

"Raila--"

"Don't Raila me. You don't even know me. We met for two minutes--"

"And then you ran off!" Xylin didn't seem angry, he just seemed confused.

"I fell into a puddle. I was embarrassed!" A short laugh could be heard from Kanin. I whirled on him, "Shut up." He shut up and watched me with innocent eyes.

"You don't really work at the docks do you?" Xylin asked quietly.

I didn't know what was wrong with him, one minute he was cool and calm, the next, his entire posture had shattered, but I felt like I was just shooting down his ego by the second, "Don't sound so surprised, Prince."

He sighed and checked behind him for guards.

"They switch every ten minutes. Two at each end and one beside every three cells." I said with a matter-of-fact voice.

"Good. I have questions that need answers." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to the cell. I watched breathless as he fit it into place and turned, but paused as he placed a hand on the bars, "Don't even think about escaping." He said it to Kanin.

"Not with you here, highness. It would be too bloody for little palace princesses such as yourself."

I pursed my lips to keep the laugh in, but it escaped and came out as a cackle. Prince Xylin stared at him unamused and slightly nervous. He opened the cell doors and grabbed my arm roughly, dragging me out and slamming the door before Kanin could even move.

"What is this even about?" I whispered, keeping my head down as we passed a guard.

"Just don't say anything--thank you guard," he quickly said as we passed through the entrance of the prisons. The second the door closed, Prince Xylin pulled me up the stairs and shoved me against the wall. I grunted as my back collided with cold stone. He stared behind him for anyone as I checked over his shoulder and shoved him away, sending him stumbling back a step.

I pointed a warning finger at him, "Don't. Touch. Me."

"Well you're a bright aren't you?" he said in his strong Arienian accent. I threw my hands up in frustration.

"Why does everyone make fun of me? I'm just in a really bad mood, okay?"

Xylin coughed and straightened himself, "If you've forgotten, you're our prisoner."

"Yeah? Who's 'our'" I mocked, continuing to walk in circles. Xylin pressed a palm to his forehead and sighed through his nose.

"Stop, it makes me dizzy." I stopped walking and stared at him.

"Well, I'm waiting for my interrogation. If that's what I'm here for."

"Yes, that," he said annoyed, "what is your real name?"

"Raila Felynis."

"You weren't lying about that?"

"No. Can I just say you're not a very good interroga—"

"Did you know your father was an arkryllian?"

I stared at him with pure hatred in my gaze. I didn't care where he had heard that, "No." I snarled.

He stared at me unfazed, "can you think of anyone who might have known?"

"Why don't you go talk to Captain Sandrien? He's the one who killed him." I turned away and glared at the wall. A child's move, but I didn't want to see the face of our countries heir. I wasn't even sure what country I belonged to anymore.

"Raila..." he said softly, comforting. He sighed and slowly approached. I let him, "I know what it is like to lose family. Believe me."

"Who did you lose? Your brother?"

"I never had a brother. I lost my mother when I was ten."

"But the queen—"

"Is not my real mother. She was my father's mistress."

I turned around, "You better not by lying about this. You're all conniving wretches."

"Hey! I'm trying to help you here." He shouted.

My temper only flared, "look your Highness, I just watched my father get killed in front of me, I'm apparently part arkryllian, I abandoned my little sister with a lousy mother when your palace thugs took me, and you're now talking to me like we're life long friends!" I roared.

A wave of an invisible force roared through the room, shattering windows and smashing furniture to splinters. I screamed as I was thrown back against the wall, hitting my head hard as a wave of pain took over me. When I looked up, Xylin was no longer the hesitant prince he had been seconds before. Instead, he stood in the middle of the now destroyed room, hands curled into fists, and he was glaring at me with furious bronze eyes.

I tried getting up, but my right leg shouted with pain. A fractured bone. I fell back to the floor and looked up at Xylin; who, looked like he was coming back to himself.

He collapsed to his knees and stared around at the wreckage, and when his eyes landed on me, I whimpered in fear.

"Oh three moons," he sputtered, cursing himself as he rushed over and knelt beside me, "Raila..."

I snarled and tried getting up again, "No. Don't move," Xylin urged. I huffed and decided to support my weight on my elbows instead.

"Do you have a better idea?" My voice came out as a half snarl, half sob. I thought about it, "you have powers?"

He nodded wordlessly, "I still have trouble controlling it."

"What is your power?" I asked, trying to take my mind off anything but the pain.

"Now is not the time. Come on, I need to get you to a healer," he hoisted me up, surprisingly able to support all of my weight. I limped along as we passed a guard, who didn't even seem to notice our presence.

"Um..."

As if sensing my uneasiness, Xylin elaborated, "I have the power to make things and people invisible. Like now. Sometimes when my temper slips, I'm able to redirect that power into energy and use it as a weapon, or a force wave."

"Oh...cool?"

"No, not cool. At all. It feels like, it feels like—"

"A curse." I whispered. Xylin looked down at me.

"Yes."

I nodded and gestured to a door with the Arienian word 'medical wing'.

"This it?"

"Yes," he opened the door and motioned for a healer who guided me over to a bed.

"We just have to support and wrap it up and you'll be as good as new, Hun." Said the healer smiling. I grinned while looking at Xylin.

"Thank you. Some people just don't know how to control themselves."

Xylin smirked, "in what ways?"

"That, is not your business, your highness."

A look passed between healer and prince, and then the healer got to work.