Spain Again! I wish I could go back :( It was such a crazy, epic week!

We don't rush back to the academy. Our horses walk or sometimes trot as we look admire all the beautiful scenery on the road from the City of Catheline back to Shadow's Capitol where the Academy is. We have soldiers escorting us too, so it isn't just myself, my siblings and Darcy. Darcy who is in her usual annoyed mood. It is quiet as we walk through the thick woodland. Well, we are quiet. The birds still sing and the forest animals can be heard though. It is beautiful.

"I'm just going a bit further into the woods, I won't go far away. I'll call if I need anything," I tell my siblings.

"Okay," Tanya says. I urge River into a gallop as I rush off the road and into the thick forest. It rushes past me and the wind smacks my face as River runs. I laugh and pat my beautiful black horse. River is too happy to stretch and run in the wilderness that is the forest. Like I promised, I don't go very far and I carry on in the same direction that they are going in. I come to a stop when I see a little waterfall. Clear water falls between the trees and into a beautiful little pool. It isn't high, though still higher than me when I am sitting on River. It is very pretty, I admire as I watch the stream trickle away from the pool.

"What are you doing so far away from your guards?" he asks. I don't scream in fright this time. In some sense, I knew he was here. I look behind me and smile softly as I see him jumping down from a tree in front of me. 

"How do you sneak around these lands, undetected, watching?" I ask him. It is odd, seeing him with no mask. Watching amusement spread over his face.

"Why are you so stupid?" he asks. "Coming out here on your own, knowing that I am here. Not telling anyone about me being here. For all you know, I could be planning another attack, killing your people. Yet still, you keep my presence here a secret."

"Perhaps, though we both know that though my siblings are out of sight, they'll know if I am in danger and will be here in seconds. You may be a skilled warrior, but you can't win against the four of us. Plus our guards."

"No, I wouldn't," he admits.

"As for planning an attack, I don't think you would be. Your king has you on queen killing duties. Plus, you wouldn't do anything to risk your mission. Another attack would draw attention to NightShade warriors still being here and may lead to you and your capture. You wouldn't risk it and there is no point to it." His only reaction is a narrowing of his eyes.

"So, why all this following and stalking? How are you everywhere I go?" I ask. He steps closer and River snorts wearily, moving slightly backwards.

"Like you already said, I am on queen killing duties." That should make me nervous, but it doesn't. Instead, I smile and sigh softly.

"A lot has changed," I look at him. "Since you first found me on the island. I have changed, you have changed. Why are we talking? Why haven't either one of us killed each other yet?" I frown. He stays silent. 

"Because the game of cat and mouse is fun," he replies. I chuckle.

"Hunting each other certainly does appeal to the bloodlust of the dragon, but this is getting ridiculous. We can't keep hunting each other, fighting and then running away ready for the next one," I look at him. "Your king wants my head and soon. What will he do if he doesn't get it?"

"I am not your spy," he snarls. I laugh dryly.

"Of course not, but that is what I am trying to say. If I am not dead soon, then more attacks will come. If I kill you, then your king knows that you have failed and again more attacks will come." I sigh. We stay silent. "You can't be much older than me," I tell him. He continues to stay silent. "How did we get mixed up in all this death? In making these decisions which impact so many lives? Any option here results in death. I kill you, my people die. You kill me, my people die. We continue this little chasing game, my people die."

"You're smart Little Dragon Girl, a worthy opponent. Figure it out. I am enjoying this game too much just to let you whimper out in fear and I know you wouldn't go out like that anyway."

"You don't have lives hanging off your decisions!" I snarl.

"Of course I do," he growls back. "I have friends who fight in the Kings armies, who you will kill or execute after the attacks they don't have any choice but to carry out." I nod my head and sigh again, then smile.

"So the game continues now," I sigh. Until I can find a way of ending it without getting more of my people killed and soon. I smile as a drop of snow falls onto my skin. I have noticed the weather getting colder, but I had not realised that the winter has begun. I love snow.

"I am going now, soldier man. I hope you won't bury your sword in my back when I turn around," I say with a single risen eyebrow. His chuckle is dark.

"Now where is the fun in that?" he asks. We look at each other for a few seconds before I turn and urge River into a gallop to catch up with the rest of my party.

"Can't we ride back any quicker, it's snowing?" Darcy groans.

"We are only a couple of miles from the Academy," Tanya sighs at her.

"You should have worn a cloak," I sigh. None of the soldiers complain. They are toasty in their armour and thick blue cloaks that protect them from the snow. I myself do not feel the cold and neither do my siblings. Darcy groans.

"Perhaps we should ride faster, your majesty. A snowstorm will be upon us soon," a soldier says. I chuckle, looking up at the thick grey clouds. 

"Very well."

Lady Indira is waiting at the doors of the academy when we arrive, the snow having got a lot thicker.

"Oh, you're back," she sighs happily. She rubs her gloved hands together, breathing into them to warm them slightly.

"Are you cold?" Serenity asks. "How long were you out here waiting for us?" she asks.

"I just wanted to make sure you all got back safely, these snowstorms can get pretty rough.

"Thank you," Tanya says with a smile.

"Come on, let's get inside and into the warmth," she tells us.

"Finally," Darcy groans. We role our eyes. Toryn had given her a little source of warmth as we were riding.

"How was the palace?" Lady Indira asks as we sort out the horses.

"It was spectacular. I think, with Aspen's help, we managed to get everything sorted. Luca decided to stay to train," I sigh. She nods her head.

"Perhaps it is better he stays away from the academy, being that is is so close..." she doesn't finish the sentence. We all know she means that it is very close to where his family were killed.

Once the horses are all cared for, we head to our room.

"Goodnight," Lady Indira says as she heads up to her office. "Nice and early for lessons tomorrow. The three of you have missed out on a lot," she chuckles. We smile and head into our room. For a while, we just sit and talk in Toryn's room.

"I have something to tell you," I sigh to them. "I know we said we weren't going to keep secrets anymore, but I have been keeping one." They all sigh at the same time. I sit up.

"And I am going to continue to keep all the details from you." The three of them argue at once.

"There is something happening. I am in slight danger. However, it is something I need to do myself," I tell them, referring to this chase with the soldier man.

"Why, Isla? We have always worked as a team."

"Because I can't involve any of you in this. If I do, more lives could be at stake," I sigh. This is something I have to think about my self. If I make the wrong decisions and people die, it will be on my conscious and mine alone.

"I trust you. I trust no one but any of you," I tell them. "But sometimes there are things that have to be done alone so as to protect you. That is my true job. Protecting the three of you."

"Isla, we don't need you to protect us alone. We protect and look out for each other. We have done it our whole lives," Serenity says, squeezing my hand. I feel tears prick in my eyes as I let out a sad smile.

"I know," I say. "But sometimes, there are things that we must do alone. I promise, that if I get in over my head, I will tell you everything and I will never leave you out again. But this is my own battle I have to figure out and win. Do you understand?" I ask, hopeful. Toryn and Tanya begin to argue with me, but it is Serenity who stops them.

"Yes, we understand," she says. 

"No, we don't!" Tanya shouts back. Serenity sighs.

"Not everything has to be based around each other," Serenity speaks. "We are all our own people and though we each are the most important people in each other's lives, it doesn't mean we can't have things we need to figure out and sort out ourselves. I trust Isla when she says she can sort it. You two arguing and saying that you have to be included in everything means that you don't trust Isla to make her own decisions about her own safety and that of us and our people." We stay quiet as we take on what Serenity just said.

"I trust you Isla. The fact that you told us that you were keeping a secret and that it could endanger you makes me trust you more, especially as you so easily could have kept it hidden," Serenity says. I smile and hug her.

"Thank you."

"We trust you to Isla," Toryn sighs.

"But please, don't be wrong about this," Tanya says. "We can't lose you." I smile softly as we all embrace.

"Right," I say, after a few minutes and wiping a tear from my eyes. "I am going to bathe then go to bed."

"Night!" the three of them say at the same time.

"I love you," I tell them as I head up the stairs and into my room.

I stand by the archways, looking out into the distance as the snow falls thickly in the darkness. I wear my long white lace night dress and my hair flows around me from the cold breeze. There is a way to seal these archways to stop the weather getting in, but we don't mind. I love the feel of the snow around me, plus we can't feel the cold anyway. In the distance on the roof, I can just make out the figure of the soldier man. It is but a shadow. What isn't a shadow, it his bright blue eyes that glow against the snow. I know he sees me too and I frown. There is an expression on his face, one I cannot place. It looks like a mixture of worry and anger. Almost as if he is trying to tell me something. Then, in a flash, he has gone. I frown, going over to my bed, wondering what that was all about. With a sigh, I lie down, ready for some sleep and let out a slow, relaxed breath.

I scream.

Pain rushes through my body. Sharp, agonising pain, spreading through my whole body quickly. I have never felt anything like it. It is as if my insides are on fire, being pulled apart, broken, twisted and even that does not come close to this agony. I don't know if I am still screaming or not. My vision is dark and blurry and tears are streaming from my eyes. I can't move as the pain intensifies. I can't breathe as the muscles in my neck tighten. My body beings to shake uncontrollably and my vision and hearing completely disappear. The pain does not though and I am trapped in complete, lonely darkness. Help! Help! I try to scream but I don't think anyone can hear me. Make it stop! I beg. It hurts. It hurts so much. Let me die.